Google Plans Major Green Card Policy Shift in 2026, Report Says

Google is preparing to restart green card sponsorship applications in 2026, ending a pause that's been in place since early 2023. The move was outlined in an internal memo reviewed by Business Insider and signals a notable shift in the company's immigration and hiring strategy following years of layoffs and uncertainty.

Why This Matters

After freezing most green card filings for nearly three years, Google's decision to resume sponsorships suggests renewed confidence in its workforce planning. Given Google's influence in the tech industry, the change could also prompt other major employers to follow suit—potentially affecting thousands of foreign workers waiting for permanent residency in the U.S.

What's Changing

According to a December internal memo, Google plans to “ramp up” green card applications through the U.S. Department of Labor’s Program Electronic Review Management (PERM) system beginning in 2026.

PERM is the first—and often most critical—step in the employment-based green card process. It allows foreign workers to move from temporary visas, such as the H-1B, toward permanent residency, as long as the employer can demonstrate that they do not qualify U.S. worker is available for the role.

While Google approved only a small number of PERM applications in 2025, the 2026 restart will apply to a broader group of employees. That said, eligibility will still be tightly defined.

Who Will Be Eligible

Not every Googler will qualify. The memo outlines several key requirements:

Role requirements: Positions must require a formal degree and prior work experience.

Work location: Employees must be physically based in a Google office. Remote workers will need to agree to transition to in-office work to qualify.

Performance standards: Applicants must have a “Moderate Impact” (MI) rating or higher in annual performance reviews. Employees at Level 3 or below are unlikely to be eligible.

Employment status: Candidates must remain in good standing with the company.

Why Google Hit Pause in the First Place

Google originally suspended most PERM applications in January 2023, around the same time it laid off 12,000 employees. Other tech giants, including Amazon and Meta, made similar moves. Layoffs complicate PERM compliance, which requires employers to show that they do not qualify U.S. workers are available for the sponsored role.

During the pause, Google continued filing PERM applications for only a very limited number of employees.

At the time, immigration attorney Ava Benach told Business Insider that Google's decision had ripple effects across the industry:

"Tech companies have been following Google's lead and taking their foot off the pedal in terms of green card applications. Google has an outsized influence. It has a reputation for treating workers well and leading on these things, so if Google stepped back, this gives other tech companies cover to step back, too."

What Happens Next

Eligible employees can expect to be contacted by external immigration legal counsel in the first quarter of 2026. Google has not yet clarified whether workers will be able to self-nominate or check their eligibility in advance.

For now, the message is clear: after years of uncertainty, Google is slowly reopening the door to permanent residency for its foreign workforce—and the rest of the tech world will be watching closely.