Suspension of the Green Card Lottery: What It Means for Companies and International Professionals

The U.S. Administration has announced the immediate suspension of the Diversity Visa Program, commonly known as the Green Card Lottery. This programme, in place since the 1990s, granted around 50,000 permanent residence visas each year to citizens of countries with historically low levels of immigration to the United States.

The decision follows confirmation that the perpetrator of a recent shooting had obtained permanent residence through this mechanism. As a result, the Department of Homeland Security has ordered the programme to be halted while its future is reviewed.

Although the announcement is forceful, it is important to underline one key point: the programme is regulated by an Act of Congress. This opens the door to legal challenges and creates a scenario of legal uncertainty rather than an immediate and definitive elimination.

What Is the Diversity Visa Lottery and Who Did It Affect?

The Diversity Visa Program was based on an annual random lottery, although not an automatic one. Being selected did not guarantee a Green Card: applicants still had to pass security checks, attend consular interviews, and demonstrate a minimum level of education or professional experience.

Key features of the programme:

• Up to 55,000 visas per year, allocated by region.

• No single country could receive more than 7% of the total.

• Countries with high levels of prior immigration (such as Mexico, Colombia or Venezuela) were excluded.

• In 2025, almost 20 million people entered the lottery.

The suspension leaves both individuals with pending applications and companies that relied on this route to attract international talent without direct corporate sponsorship in an administrative limbo.

Practical Impact on Companies and International Talent Management

From a business perspective, the visa lottery was never a reliable strategic tool for talent planning, precisely because of its random nature. However, its suspension has relevant indirect effects:

Fewer “passive” pathways to international talent

Companies can no longer assume that certain profiles will arrive in the U.S. through this channel without corporate involvement. This reinforces the need for active international mobility strategies and visa sponsorship.

Greater pressure on employment-based visas

With the lottery on hold, demand is expected to increase for:

• Employment-based Green Cards (EB-2, EB-3).

• Temporary visas with a pathway to permanent residence (H-1B, L-1, O-1).

• Labour certification (PERM) processes.

This may result in longer waiting times, greater competition and increased complexity.

Risk of rushed decisions

Regulatory uncertainty may lead companies and candidates to delay strategic decisions or choose incorrect pathways. In this context, specialised legal advice becomes essential.

 

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What Alternatives Exist Today to the Green Card Lottery?

The suspension of the diversity programme does not close the door to permanent residence in the U.S., but it does require better planning. Some common alternatives include:

• Employment-based Green Cards: for qualified professionals, technicians, executives or specialists.

• Intra-company transfer visas (L-1): for transfers within corporate groups.

• Visas for highly qualified talent (O-1).

• Combined strategies: temporary visa + transition to permanent residence.

Each route has specific requirements, different timelines and risks that must be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

What Companies and Professionals Should Consider Going Forward

In light of this new scenario, it is advisable to:

• Not assume that the suspension is definitive, but also not base decisions on its potential reversal.

• Review internal international mobility policies.

• Anticipate foreign talent needs with greater planning.

• Analyse viable legal alternatives based on profile, sector and country of origin.

• Avoid improvised processes or those dependent on political changes.

The key is to move from a reactive approach to a strategic and structured one.

Do You Need Advice on International Mobility and Global Talent?

The suspension of the Green Card Lottery reinforces a clear trend: the United States is increasingly prioritising migration systems based on employment, qualifications and corporate sponsorship.

At Adlanter, we support companies and professionals in international mobility processes, migration planning and foreign talent management, analysing each case from a legal, labour and strategic perspective.