The Labor Department has posted updated processing times for permanent labor certification (PERM) applications and prevailing wage determination (PWD) requests.

PERM Processing: As of Jan. 31, the department was adjudicating applications filed in August and earlier, conducting audit reviews on applications filed in April and earlier, and reviewing appeals for reconsideration filed in August and earlier.

Average PERM processing times:

  • Adjudication – 169 days.
  • Audit review – 301 days.

PWD Processing: As of Jan. 31, the National Prevailing Wage Center was processing PWD requests filed in August and earlier for H-1B (OES) cases, May and earlier for H-1B (non-OES) cases, August and earlier for PERM (OES) cases and April and earlier for PERM (non-OES) cases, according to the Labor Department. Redeterminations were being considered on appeals filed January and earlier for H-1B cases and December and earlier for PERM cases. Center director reviews were being conducted for PERM cases filed in December and earlier.

BAL Analysis: BAL’s internal case tracking is consistent with the Labor Department’s published processing times. BAL is seeing approvals for PERM applications filed in August and earlier and is starting to see PWDs for requests filed in August and earlier for H-1B (OES) cases, May and earlier for H-1B (non-OES) cases, August and earlier for PERM (OES) cases and April and earlier for PERM (non-OES) cases.

This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice group. For additional information, please contact berryapplemanleiden@bal.com.

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