In addition to the layoffs, Google paused its Program Electronic Review Management (PERM), a key step in obtaining an employer-sponsored green card in the United States.
Google has sent an email to foreign employees informing them that the tech giant will halt any new PERM filings, leaving foreign workers in the dark. The email was posted on Team Blind, an anonymous social networking site for certified IT workers, by a Google employee. A PERM application is an important first step in the green card (permanent residence) application process. Employers must demonstrate that there are no qualified US workers available for the specific role, which has become an increasingly difficult position for us to support given the current labour market.