PERM Labor Certifications

Most employment-based permanent residency applications require the applicant to go through the PERM labor certification process where the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) certifies that there are not sufficient U.S.

Continue Reading Schedule A I-140: Fast-Track Green Card for Nurses and Physical Therapists

On April 21, 2023, the Department of Labor (DOL)’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) announced that after May 15, 2023, at 6:59 p.m. EST, they would no longer accept

Continue Reading After May 15, 2023, PERMs Must Be Filed Via DOL’s FLAG System

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) announced a three-prong approach to ensuring U.S. employers are hiring legally authorized workers. ICE’s strategy focuses on:

  • Compliance, through increased I-9 inspections, civil fines and referrals for debarment from immigration benefit programs like Labor Condition Applications and PERM Labor Certifications;
  • Enforcement, through arrests of not only of workers employed without proper authorization but also of the employers who hire them; and
  • Outreach, through the Ice Mutual Agreement between Government and Employers (IMAGE) program.


Continue Reading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Releases Comprehensive Worksite Enforcement Strategy

Three recent BALCA decisions give employers some flexibility when preparing and filing PERM Labor Certification applications.  Specifically, the decisions address: (1) employer website recruitment efforts; (2) using alternate wage surveys at the prevailing wage stage; and (3) Sunday newspaper circulation and the definition of “area of intended employment.”  Below are the three cases:

Continue Reading Three Recent BALCA Decisions Provide Subtle, Yet Important Pro-Employer Holdings For PERM Filings