Amazon to Restart Green Cards for Foreign Workers in 2025

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Key Takeaways

Amazon will restart its green card sponsorship process via PERM on January 6, 2025, after a two-year pause.
The decision reflects evolving tech industry hiring strategies, highlighting increased demand for skilled foreign talent amid economic recovery.
PERM filings require proving no qualified U.S. workers are available, balancing workforce demands with compliance and regulatory challenges.

Amazon’s decision to restart its green card application process for foreign workers, revealed in a leaked memo, highlights an important turn in the tech industry’s hiring strategies. Set to reopen the Program Electronic Review Management (PERM) process on January 6, 2025, this step marks the end of a two-year suspension due to shifting “labor market conditions.” The PERM process is a critical element in green card sponsorship, requiring companies to show that no qualified U.S. workers are available for the roles they seek to fill. This change reflects a calculated move by Amazon to position itself in an evolving job market.

The tech giant initially paused green card sponsorships in 2023 and 2024, citing economic concerns and workforce adjustments. At the time, Amazon had been navigating mass layoffs that affected over 27,000 workers. Despite these reductions, Amazon now sees an opportunity to resume hiring foreign talent. An Amazon spokesperson explained that the company had been preparing for this for nearly nine months, studying trends to evaluate when to reintroduce green card sponsorships efficiently.

Amazon to Restart Green Cards for Foreign Workers in 2025

This policy shift comes during a time of gradual recovery in the tech industry. Data from HR platform Karat showed a 12% year-over-year increase in hiring goals for software engineering jobs in 2024. Although layoffs and tightened performance reviews remain common in tech, companies like Stripe, while cutting jobs, also plan to significantly increase their workforce within the next year. For Amazon, restarting its green card sponsorship program aligns with a broader industry perception that the job market is becoming more stable and competitive.

The PERM process Amazon plans to resume involves multiple layers of evaluation. First, companies must show they’ve made significant efforts to find U.S. workers for a position. Job postings, recruiting reports, and detailed evaluations of laid-off workers’ qualifications must all be included. This includes notifying employees who were laid off in the last six months of their intent to hire for that job. For companies like Amazon, balancing this responsibility with business needs is both time-intensive and expensive.

Until now, the processes had been particularly challenging due to widespread layoffs in tech. Richard Herman, a prominent immigration lawyer, explained that companies often suspend green card filings during downturns to save costs because the PERM process requires extensive documentation and compliance. Amazon’s resumption of the PERM filings suggests its leadership has reevaluated the cost-benefit equation in light of a more favorable hiring outlook.

It is not just the job market that may have influenced Amazon’s plans. Broader political developments cannot be ignored—former President Donald Trump’s recent campaign promise to offer green cards to all foreign graduates from U.S. colleges has sparked a mixed response. Some see it as a progressive step towards attracting global talent to U.S. soil. However, Trump’s campaign later qualified that such proposals would apply only to the “most thoroughly vetted” international students. Immigration experts like Jennifer Gordon from Fordham University believe companies are considering such proposals closely while preparing for uncertainties in regulatory environments.

Amazon’s move also stands out because its competitors in the tech industry have taken slightly different paths in handling PERM filings. Google paused its green card sponsorships in 2023, with plans to resume no earlier than Q1 2025. On the other hand, Meta has continued its green card applications but at a slower pace. A Meta employee disclosed that the sponsorship timeline now stretches over a year, reflecting how labor market pressures have impacted immigration initiatives across companies. Meanwhile, Google has actively lobbied the U.S. government to ease restrictions on PERM applications, particularly for specialty fields like Artificial Intelligence.

The layoffs in tech have not only complicated PERM filings but have also dragged companies into a fraught debate about balancing domestic job creation and the demand for highly skilled foreign workers. Immigration reforms addressing these issues remain stalled, prompting tech corporations to advocate for changes to protect their abilities to hire top global talent. Google’s call for policy updates, specifically on workforce gaps in AI, underscores how vital these roles are to long-term industry growth.

The political debate around immigration has also evolved. The tech community has been divided over specific proposals, such as Trump’s plans for green cards for foreign students. While some industry leaders like Elon Musk support these measures to maintain the U.S.’s edge in innovation, they face backlash from other groups within the political space. Trump’s immigration history suggests new challenges may surface even if he secures a second term. Employers, therefore, are strategizing cautiously.

Amazon’s return to green card applications provides insight into how companies value skilled foreign labor despite these ongoing challenges. PERM applications are more than a procedural requirement; they affirm a company’s confidence in the workers they sponsor and the outlook for their workforce needs. The process involves not just paperwork but investment in proving to the U.S. Department of Labor that hiring foreign employees will not harm Americans already in the job market. By resuming this commitment, Amazon demonstrates a readiness to reengage with global talent.

Amazon’s green card sponsorship holds particular significance in the competitive tech hiring space, where demand for roles such as software engineers and data scientists remains robust despite economic uncertainties. The decision could signal broader shifts in how multinational companies view immigration’s role in their growth strategies. For individuals aspiring to secure green cards, this policy may provide renewed hope for job opportunities at one of the world’s largest tech companies.

Amazon is not acting in isolation. VisaVerge.com reports that this shift traces back to trends observed across the tech industry, where companies are recalibrating their hiring priorities following pandemic-era disruptions. The platform highlights that major tech enterprises are undergoing rigorous planning, especially for roles like AI engineers, which are expected to dominate workforce needs in the near future.

The broader implications of Amazon’s decision extend far beyond internal hiring plans. Skilled foreign workers bring unique expertise that can drive innovation and economic growth in the U.S., particularly in high-tech sectors. Restarting PERM initiatives could also signal the beginning of a larger trend where other companies rethink their long-term strategies for hiring international talent.

While Amazon’s move comes with its challenges, such as proving that no recently laid-off employees qualify for positions offered to foreign workers, it sets a precedent. Companies like Amazon and Meta continue adapting in dynamic global industries, where access to the best talent often defines leadership in evolving markets. For foreign workers, it is an encouraging signal—opportunities for permanent residency in the U.S. increasingly depend on companies’ willingness to invest in green card processes.

Amazon’s return to green card sponsorship signals an important moment in the tech sector’s healing process. The PERM process protects U.S. workforce interests while giving companies the framework to hire talent globally. Starting this process again reflects Amazon’s analysis that stronger job markets and political conditions justify the significant costs that PERM sponsorship incurs.

In conclusion, Amazon’s announcement to resume PERM filings on January 6, 2025, shows a calculated approach to rebuilding green card sponsorship strategies after a cautious two-year pause. As the tech industry evolves and hiring rebounds, this step has potential ripple effects, impacting immigration pathways for skilled foreign workers and shaping workforce trends in the U.S. Though political and regulatory uncertainties remain, Amazon’s decision underscores the importance of consistent labor strategy in addressing both domestic and global talent demands.

To learn more about the PERM process and related green card requirements, you can visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s official page on PERM certifications.

Amazon to Resume Green Card Applications in 2025

Amazon plans to restart green card applications for foreign workers on January 6, 2025, after a two-year pause, according to a leaked company memo. This marks a major shift in the e-commerce giant’s immigration policy amid evolving labor market conditions.

Why it matters: The move signals potential optimism about the U.S. job market, particularly in the tech sector, and highlights the impact of immigration policies on workforce planning at major companies like Amazon.

The big picture:
– Amazon paused green card filings in 2023-2024, citing “labor market conditions.” The process, known as PERM, is the first step in obtaining a green card for foreign employees.
– This comes as Amazon recently conducted mass layoffs, cutting over 27,000 jobs since late 2022.
– The tech industry’s overall hiring targets show signs of recovery, with average hiring for software engineers up 12% year-over-year in 2024, per HR software maker Karat.

What they’re saying:
Amazon’s spokesperson stated, “We evaluate our PERM program based on market analysis and have been planning to reopen it for the last 9 months.” Richard Herman, an immigration lawyer, described the decision as a potential “rebound” in the labor market.

Between the lines:
Tech companies must navigate strict regulations when filing PERM applications.
– Employers must prove laid-off U.S. workers are not qualified for the jobs intended for foreign hires.
– They must also notify any laid-off employees within the last six months before proceeding.

State of play:
This decision aligns with trends across the tech industry:
– Meta has continued green card sponsorships but at a slower pace.
– Google has halted PERM filings until at least Q1 2025 and is lobbying for updates to immigration rules, citing growth in AI-related roles.
– Stripe, despite layoffs, is planning to expand its headcount by 1,000 in 2024.

Yes, but: Political uncertainties may complicate workforce planning.
– Former President Donald Trump has proposed granting green cards to foreign graduates of U.S. colleges, sparking debate within the Republican Party.
– Immigration experts warn that a potential policy shift under a new administration could restrict skilled labor immigration, creating further complications for companies like Amazon.

The bottom line:
Amazon’s decision to resume green card applications underscores the company’s strategic pivot amid a changing labor market and immigration landscape. While challenges remain, the move could signal confidence in tech hiring trends and offer new opportunities for skilled foreign workers.

Learn Today

PERM (Program Electronic Review Management): A U.S. Department of Labor process verifying no qualified U.S. workers are available before hiring foreign workers.
Green Card Sponsorship: Employer-supported process enabling foreign workers to apply for permanent residency in the U.S. through job opportunities.
Layoffs: Termination of employees due to economic challenges or workforce restructuring, often impacting large numbers within an organization.
Compliance: Adhering to legal and procedural requirements, often involving rigorous documentation to meet immigration or labor standards.
Immigration Reforms: Legislative changes aimed at adjusting policies on foreign workers, residency, and border control to address labor and political concerns.

This Article in a Nutshell

Amazon’s decision to resume green card sponsorships via the PERM process on January 6, 2025, marks a pivotal shift in tech hiring. After layoffs halted filings for two years, Amazon’s move reflects market stability. This highlights skilled immigration’s role in innovation and sparks hope for foreign talent eyeing U.S. opportunities.
— By VisaVerge.com