Summary: Google will restart its green card sponsorship program in 2026 after a three-year pause, but only for employees in roles requiring degrees and work experience who maintain “moderate impact” performance ratings and work from Google offices. Remote workers must agree to relocate. Eligible employees will be contacted by Google’s immigration law firms in Q1 2026.
Google will restart its green card sponsorship program for employees in 2026, marking the end of a three-year pause that began during mass layoffs in January 2023. The tech giant informed staff in a December 2025 newsletter that it will “ramp up” applications through the PERM process next year, offering relief to H-1B visa holders and other foreign workers seeking permanent U.S. residency. However, there’s a significant catch: remote workers won’t be eligible unless they relocate to a Google office.
What Google Announced About PERM Sponsorships
Google’s internal memo, reviewed by Business Insider, confirmed the company will significantly scale up U.S. Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) applications starting in 2026. PERM is the first formal step for foreign workers to transition from temporary work visas like H-1B to permanent residency in the United States.
Timeline for 2026 Green Card Applications
Eligible employees will be contacted by Google’s external immigration law firms in the first quarter of 2026. While Google filed PERM applications for a small number of employees during 2025, the 2026 initiative represents a broader restart of green card sponsorships after nearly complete suspension.
When will Google contact employees about green cards?
Google will contact eligible employees through external immigration law firms in Q1 2026. The company paused most PERM applications in January 2023 and is now ramping up sponsorships for qualifying workers.
Context Behind the Three-Year Pause
Google suspended PERM applications in January 2023, the same month it announced layoffs affecting 12,000 employees. The pause stemmed from Department of Labor regulations requiring companies to prove that laid-off workers aren’t qualified for positions they intend to fill with foreign workers. Amazon and Meta implemented similar pauses during the same period as tech-wide layoffs flooded the job market.
Strict Eligibility Requirements for Google Employees
Google has established clear criteria that employees must meet to qualify for green card sponsorship in 2026.
Role and Education Requirements
Workers must be in roles requiring both a formal degree and prior work experience. Employees at Level 3 or below are considered less likely to meet these requirements. The memo doesn’t specify exact job titles, but PERM regulations typically favor specialized technical roles that demonstrate the need for advanced skills not readily available in the U.S. labor market.
Performance Rating Threshold
“Googlers must have a MI rating or higher to be eligible for PERM,” the memo stated, referring to the “moderate impact” rating used in Google’s annual performance reviews. This means employees must maintain at least moderate impact status and be in good standing with the company to qualify.
What performance rating do you need for Google green card sponsorship?
Employees must maintain at least a “moderate impact” (MI) rating in annual performance reviews and be in good standing. Workers at Level 3 or below are less likely to meet eligibility requirements.
Office Location Mandate
All applicants must work from a Google office. This requirement represents a significant barrier for remote employees and signals Google’s continued emphasis on in-office work despite broader industry trends toward remote flexibility.
Why Remote Workers Won’t Qualify
“Remote Googlers must agree to transfer to an office to be PERM eligible,” the memo explicitly stated. This policy creates a difficult choice for remote employees on work visas who may have relocated away from major tech hubs or built lives outside traditional Google office locations.
Relocation Requirements Explained
Remote workers seeking green card sponsorship must formally transfer to a Google office location before becoming eligible. The memo doesn’t specify whether Google will provide relocation assistance or which office locations qualify, leaving remote employees to navigate these logistics independently while maintaining their performance ratings.
Understanding the PERM Process
The PERM process is complex, multi-stage, and time-consuming.
What PERM Actually Means
PERM stands for Program Electronic Review Management and refers to the permanent labor certification given by the U.S. Department of Labor. It allows a company to hire a foreign worker to work permanently in the country by demonstrating that no qualified U.S. workers are available for the specific role.
What is the PERM process for green cards?
PERM (Program Electronic Review Management) is the first step toward a green card, requiring employers to prove no qualified U.S. workers are available for the role. The Department of Labor certification process can take 6-18 months.
How Long Does PERM Take
While PERM is the first step, the complete green card process typically takes several years and involves multiple stages: PERM labor certification, I-140 immigrant petition, and finally adjustment of status or consular processing. Current processing times vary significantly by country of origin due to annual green card caps, with workers from India and China facing the longest backlogs.
Industry-Wide Immigration Challenges
Google’s announcement comes during a period of heightened uncertainty for foreign workers in tech.
Why Tech Companies Paused PERM in 2023
The 2023 wave of tech layoffs created a fundamental problem for PERM applications. With thousands of experienced tech workers suddenly entering the job market, companies struggled to justify under PERM rules that they couldn’t find qualified U.S. workers for positions they wanted to sponsor. Amazon, Meta, and other major tech firms implemented similar pauses, with Meta’s process reportedly taking “a year or more” even before full suspension.
Current Visa Processing Delays
U.S. consulates are experiencing significant visa processing delays, with some H-1B and H-4 visa appointments pushed into 2026 due to new social media screening requirements implemented in December 2025. Google’s lawyers have advised some employees on work visas to avoid international travel due to these processing delays and the risk of being unable to return promptly.
What Eligible Employees Should Do Now
If you’re a Google employee on a work visa, here’s how to prepare for potential PERM sponsorship.
Expected Contact Timeline
Wait for contact from Google’s external immigration law firms in Q1 2026. The company hasn’t provided a specific process for employees to self-nominate or inquire about their eligibility status.
Documents to Prepare
While waiting, gather documentation including:
- Educational credentials and degree certificates
- Employment verification letters showing prior work experience
- Performance review documentation showing MI rating or higher
- Current visa documentation and travel history
- Resume detailing role responsibilities and technical skills
Consult with immigration attorneys early if you have questions about your specific situation, especially regarding office relocation requirements or performance rating concerns.
- Path to permanent residency: Eligible employees can finally pursue green cards after three-year pause
- Career stability: Permanent residency reduces visa-related job mobility constraints
- Timeline clarity: Q1 2026 contact timeline provides planning certainty
- Broader scale: “Ramp up” suggests more sponsorships than 2025’s limited filings
- Performance-based: Clear MI rating threshold provides objective eligibility standard
- Remote workers excluded: Must relocate to office, creating geographic and family disruption
- Performance pressure: MI rating requirement adds stress to already demanding roles
- Junior employees disadvantaged: Level 3 and below less likely to qualify
- No guaranteed sponsorship: Meeting criteria doesn’t guarantee selection
- Processing delays: Current visa backlogs may extend overall timeline
- Limited transparency: No self-nomination process or eligibility pre-check available
PERM Eligibility Requirements at Google (2026)
Education & Experience:
- Role requires formal degree (Bachelor’s or higher)
- Prior work experience required
- Level 4+ positions more likely to qualify
Performance:
- Minimum: Moderate Impact (MI) rating in annual reviews
- Must be in good standing with company
Location:
- Must work from Google office location
- Remote workers must agree to office transfer
- Specific qualifying office locations not disclosed
Timeline:
- Q1 2026: External law firm contact for eligible employees
- Est. 6-18 months: PERM labor certification processing
- Additional 2-4 years: Complete green card process (country-dependent)
Exclusions:
- Fully remote workers (unless relocating)
- Level 3 and below positions (case-by-case)
- Employees not meeting MI performance threshold
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can remote Google employees get green card sponsorship in 2026?
No, remote Google employees cannot receive green card sponsorship unless they agree to transfer to a Google office location. The December 2025 memo explicitly states “Remote Googlers must agree to transfer to an office to be PERM eligible”.
Why did Google pause green card applications in 2023?
Google paused PERM applications in January 2023, the same month it laid off 12,000 employees. Department of Labor regulations require companies to prove laid-off workers aren’t qualified for positions they intend to fill with foreign workers, making PERM sponsorships difficult during mass layoffs.
What is the moderate impact rating requirement for Google PERM?
Google requires employees to have at least a “moderate impact” (MI) rating in their annual performance reviews to be eligible for PERM sponsorship. This is part of Google’s internal performance evaluation system and represents a baseline performance standard for green card eligibility.
How long does the PERM process take at Google?
The PERM labor certification process typically takes 6-18 months for Department of Labor approval. However, the complete green card process involves additional steps (I-140 petition, adjustment of status) and can take 2-4+ years depending on your country of birth due to annual caps.
Which other tech companies paused PERM applications?
Amazon and Meta also paused PERM applications during 2023 alongside Google. Amazon announced it would continue pausing new PERM applications through 2024, while Meta significantly slowed its process with timelines extending to “a year or more”.
Do I need to contact Google about PERM eligibility?
No, eligible employees will be contacted by Google’s external immigration law firms in Q1 2026. The company hasn’t announced a process for employees to self-nominate or check their eligibility status proactively.
Will Google provide relocation assistance for remote workers?
The December 2025 memo does not specify whether Google will provide relocation assistance for remote workers who need to transfer to an office to qualify for PERM sponsorship. This detail will likely be communicated when eligible employees are contacted in Q1 2026.
Can Level 3 Google employees get green card sponsorship?
Employees at Level 3 or below are considered less likely to meet PERM eligibility requirements. While not explicitly excluded, the role must require both a formal degree and prior work experience, criteria that higher-level positions more typically satisfy.
