Government Oversight: DOJ Takes Control of OpenAI Hiring and Green Card Sponsorships

The Department of Justice Civil Rights Division announced a major settlement with OpenAI and its former subsidiary Statsig on Wednesday. The agreement places three full years of federal oversight on the tech company hiring practices. Federal investigators alleged that both companies intentionally blocked qualified American workers from applying for positions earmarked for immigrant employees seeking permanent United States residency.

While neither OpenAI nor Statsig admitted to any wrongdoing, both organizations agreed to pay $3.2 million to settle the federal claims. Out of that total cash settlement, $1.2 million goes toward civil fines. The remaining $2 million sits in a dedicated restitution fund reserved for qualified American job applicants who faced discrimination while applying for those specific roles.

Federal prosecutors alleged that both companies systematically violated core provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. According to the filing, the firms failed to search for qualified domestic candidates before filing permanent labor certifications. Investigators found that OpenAI and Statsig avoided posting job openings on public digital job boards, ran required job ads on late-night radio broadcasts, and required applicants to mail physical paper applications instead of using basic online portals.

The investigation targeted fewer than ten specific job roles, yet the resulting settlement places strict rules on future hiring. Federal officials gain complete oversight over all labor certification roles across both companies. Under the three-year monitoring period, government officials must review and approve all hiring policies regarding permanent worker sponsorship. OpenAI must also submit detailed reports twice a year tracking international worker applications, American candidate interviews, and overall hiring statistics.

OpenAI originally acquired testing platform Statsig in September 2025 before selling off parts of the business in May 2026. Federal investigators launched inquiries into both firms before the acquisition, tracking five specific cases at OpenAI between 2023 and 2025 along with an additional case at Statsig.

This settlement forms part of a broader federal push to enforce domestic hiring requirements across major tech hubs. The governing immigration laws date back to 1952, and federal regulators have consistently used them to investigate corporate hiring habits. During previous federal crackdowns, tech giants like Facebook and Apple signed similar settlements to resolve claims over employee sponsorship tactics. OpenAI must now navigate strict government oversight while hiring top technical talent in an intensely competitive market.