The US Department of Justice has announced a 'landmark' agreement with Apple to resolve allegations that the company illegally favoured the hire of immigrant workers over US citizens and green card holders for certain jobs.

Under the agreement, Apple is required to pay up to $25 million in backpay and civil penalties, with the agency saying that it was the largest award that the department has recovered under the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality act (INA).

Apple will be required to pay $6.75 million in civil penalties and $18.25 million to an unspecified number of affected workers.

The agency found that Apple did not advertise job openings that were eligible for the permanent labour certification (PERM) programme on its website as it regularly does for other roles. It also said that the company required applicants to these roles to submit paper applications rather than the typical digital applications.

Assistant attorney general Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, said: “Creating unlawful barriers that make it harder for someone to seek a job because of their citizenship status will not be tolerated. This resolution reflects the Civil Rights Division’s commitment to ending illegal discriminatory employment practices.”

In a statement, Apple said that violated the programme’s requirements “unintentionally”, adding that: “We have implemented a robust remediation plan to comply with the requirements of various government agencies as we continue to hire American workers and grow in the US.”

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