Amazon Pauses Green Card Sponsorship for Foreign Workers in 2024

Tech giant Amazon has halted its sponsorship of new Green Cards for the remainder of 2024 in a move impacting foreign workers seeking permanent residency in the United States.

This move centres around the PERM (Permanent Labor Certification) process, the initial step towards obtaining a Green Card. Administered by the Department of Labor, PERM ensures that foreign workers do not negatively affect job opportunities, wages, or working conditions for US citizens. Earlier this year, Amazon internally announced the extension of a pause on all new PERM applications throughout 2024. The company says it will continue suspending these applications until year-end, citing a comprehensive review of labour market conditions and immigration requirements.

This decision stems from the recent wave of layoffs in the tech sector including Amazon itself. Demonstrating that laid-off US workers are not suitable candidates for positions intended for foreign hires has become a major hurdle within the PERM process. Companies are also obligated to notify recently laid-off individuals about job openings before filing PERM applications for foreign workers. Securing PERM approval hinges on the employer proving that no qualified US worker is interested in the position.

The recent tech industry layoffs have made this increasingly difficult for Amazon. In response, an Amazon spokesperson confirms the temporary suspension of the PERM program. The company is actively seeking alternative immigration pathways to assist affected employees in extending their US stay. Looking forward, Amazon plans to re-evaluate labour market conditions at the end of 2024 with the possibility of restarting the PERM program in the following year. Notably, other tech companies like Google have also implemented similar PERM application suspensions in the past year.

Amazon's decision to pause PERM applications suggests an anticipation of a soft labour market in the near future. A saturated market with laid-off US workers makes it harder for companies to justify the need for foreign hires.