The US Department of Labor (DOL) has released its latest update on PERM labor certification and prevailing wage determination (PWD) processing times, providing employers and foreign workers with a clearer indication of which filing periods the agency is currently reviewing.
The latest update shows that DOL continues to work through PERM applications filed in late 2025, while prevailing wage requests filed during mid-2026 are currently being processed.
The agency was also conducting audit review for PERM applications filed in December 2025 or earlier.
For employers and employees waiting for the next stage of the employment-based green card process, these processing timelines remain an important factor in overall immigration planning.
DOL was additionally processing PERM reconsideration requests filed in April 2026 or earlier.
This applied to both OEWS-based and non-OEWS prevailing wage requests.
The agency was also processing:
Employers should therefore take processing times into account when planning sponsorship and determining when to initiate the relevant stages of an employment-based immigration strategy.
PERM analyst review: December 2025 or earlier
PERM audit review: December 2025 or earlier
PERM reconsideration requests: April 2026 or earlier
PERM and H-1B PWDs: June 2026
PERM PWD redeterminations: July 2026
H-1B PWD redeterminations: August 2026
PERM and H-1B Center Director Reviews: July 2026
These processing dates are useful for assessing where a case may currently sit within the DOL's workload and for planning the next steps of the US employment-based immigration process.
The latest update shows that DOL continues to work through PERM applications filed in late 2025, while prevailing wage requests filed during mid-2026 are currently being processed.
PERM Processing Times
As of September 22, 2026, DOL was conducting analyst review for PERM applications filed in December 2025 or earlier.The agency was also conducting audit review for PERM applications filed in December 2025 or earlier.
For employers and employees waiting for the next stage of the employment-based green card process, these processing timelines remain an important factor in overall immigration planning.
DOL was additionally processing PERM reconsideration requests filed in April 2026 or earlier.
Prevailing Wage Determinations
As of September 30, 2026, DOL was issuing prevailing wage determinations for PERM and H-1B requests filed in June 2026.This applied to both OEWS-based and non-OEWS prevailing wage requests.
The agency was also processing:
- PERM prevailing wage redeterminations requested in July 2026
- H-1B prevailing wage redeterminations requested in August 2026
- PERM and H-1B Center Director Reviews from July 2026
What Employers Should Keep in Mind
PERM and prevailing wage processing are important stages in many US employment-based immigration cases. Delays at either stage can affect recruitment planning, green card timelines and, in some circumstances, decisions concerning an employee's continued immigration status.Employers should therefore take processing times into account when planning sponsorship and determining when to initiate the relevant stages of an employment-based immigration strategy.
Current Processing Snapshot
Based on the September 2026 DOL updates:PERM analyst review: December 2025 or earlier
PERM audit review: December 2025 or earlier
PERM reconsideration requests: April 2026 or earlier
PERM and H-1B PWDs: June 2026
PERM PWD redeterminations: July 2026
H-1B PWD redeterminations: August 2026
PERM and H-1B Center Director Reviews: July 2026
These processing dates are useful for assessing where a case may currently sit within the DOL's workload and for planning the next steps of the US employment-based immigration process.
Pros and Cons Summary
Pros
- The latest DOL update provides greater visibility into current processing queues.
- Employers can use the dates to improve immigration workforce planning.
- Current PWD timelines provide a useful indication of when new cases may be processed.
- PERM review and reconsideration stages are clearly identified by filing period.
Cons
- PERM applications filed in late 2025 are still awaiting agency review.
- Processing delays can extend overall employment-based green card timelines.
- Reconsideration and audit cases may require additional waiting time.
- Actual processing times can vary depending on the individual case and type of review.