PERM

PERM stands for “Program Electronic Review Management” and is a bureaucratic process run by the US Department of Labor. Any company that wants to help a foreign employee obtain a Green Card — that is, a permanent residence and work permit — must first complete this process. The core of the matter: the employer must prove that it conducted an intensive search for an American candidate and did not find a suitable one. Only once the Department of Labor confirms this can the next step toward the Green Card be initiated. PERM itself does not yet grant the employee a residence permit — it is merely the entry ticket to the actual process.

PERM in the competition for tech talent

For the technology industry, PERM is a central issue because many companies hire developers, engineers, and data scientists from abroad. Without a successful PERM process, these employees cannot apply for permanent residency — they remain dependent on temporary visas, such as the H-1B visa.

This creates uncertainty on both sides. An employee whose visa expires must leave the country, even if they have worked for the same employer for years. For companies, this means: anyone who wants to retain international talent in the long term cannot avoid the PERM process. In the political debate about immigration and the shortage of skilled workers, PERM therefore comes up regularly.

How the PERM process works

First, the employer defines the exact requirements of the position. Then it must actively and demonstrably search for American applicants — the law specifically mandates this: job postings in daily newspapers, on job boards, and with the state employment agency are required. All applications must be documented and reviewed. Anyone rejecting an American candidate needs a legitimate, job-related reason for doing so.

After that, the employer submits the actual PERM application electronically to the Department of Labor. The agency reviews whether the recruitment process was carried out correctly. This typically takes several months, and in some cases more than a year. If the application is approved, the employee can initiate the next step: the so-called I-140 petition, through which the employer officially becomes the sponsor for the Green Card.

A common misconception is confusing PERM with the Green Card itself. The process is only the first of several hurdles. Depending on the country of origin and category, many more years can pass between an approved PERM and an issued Green Card.

PERM in the news

In tech and business media, PERM mainly appears when political changes affect the process. In the US, debates have taken place under various administrations about tightening or loosening the requirements. Companies like Google, Amazon, or Microsoft sponsor thousands of PERM applications each year for their international employees — accordingly, attention is high whenever the rules change.

Lawsuits also play a role: if a PERM application is denied, employers can file an appeal or go to court. Since processing times have risen sharply in recent years, the process is regularly the subject of criticism from the business community. Anyone reading news about skilled-worker migration, H-1B visas, or Green Card reforms will almost inevitably come across PERM.