PERM processing times
DOL does not publish one PERM processing time. FLAG reports the priority-date month each queue is working through and the recent average days in that queue. It can set expectations, but it cannot predict an individual PERM case.
Source
FLAG
Fetched
Jun 19, 2026
Status
completed
FLAG PERM processing-time context last verified .
How to read it
FLAG breaks PERM timing into separate queues. Each one reports the priority-date month currently being processed and a recent average in calendar days.
The standard PERM queue every case enters. FLAG shows the priority-date month OFLC analysts are currently working through, plus the recent average number of calendar days cases spent in analyst review.
A separate, slower track for cases DOL pulls for audit. FLAG lists the priority-date month being processed and the average calendar days in audit review — typically much longer than the standard analyst queue.
Where an employer asks the Certifying Officer to reconsider a denial. FLAG reports the month of requests currently being worked, which signals the appeal-stage backlog.
FLAG publishes a recent average processing time in calendar days for each queue. It is a backward-looking average across many cases, not a promised decision date for any single PERM application.
How PERM works
The FLAG queues above only cover the DOL review stage. A full PERM runs through these steps in order — the priority date FLAG reports against is the ETA-9089 filing date.
Before filing, the employer requests a prevailing wage determination from the DOL National Prevailing Wage Center. The PWD sets the minimum wage the role must offer and runs in its own queue with separate processing times.
The employer runs required recruitment to test for available US workers. This recruitment window runs for a fixed period and is controlled by the employer, not DOL, before the PERM (ETA-9089) can be filed.
Once recruitment is complete the employer files Form ETA-9089. The case enters the DOL analyst-review queue, and its filing date becomes the priority date FLAG reports timing against.
DOL may certify, deny, or select the case for audit. Audited cases move to the slower audit-review queue. A certified PERM is the labor-certification step only — it is not an approved green card on its own.
Extracted context
These snippets are shown so you can see what public context the page is relying on.
Processing Times | Flag
PERM Prevailing Wages Wage Data Wage Data OFLC Wage Search OFLC Wage Data Downloads H-2A Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWRs) H-2A Labor Supply State Determinations H-
Processing Times SUPPORT Support Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Video Tutorials User Guides Contact Related Links Related Links Find Your State Workforce Agency Foreign Labo
Processing Times Update Schedule PWD: Updated COB at the end of first work week of each month for data ending at 12am EST at the first of each month PERM: Updated COB at end o
Prevailing Wage Determination Processing Times (as of 6/8/2026) Processing Queue OEWS Receipt Date i Non-OEWS Receipt Date i CW-1 April 2026 -- H-1B March 2026 March 2026 H-2B
PERM March 2026 March 2026 Redeterminations H-1B: March 2026 PERM: March 2026 Center Director Reviews CW-1: February 2026 H-1B: N/A H-2B: December 2025 PERM: Februa
prevailing wage determination for the H-2B program at least 60 days before the date the determination is needed
processing times indicate the average processing time for all prevailing wage applications received in a specific month
processing time for each request may vary from the average depending on the material facts and individual circumstances of the case
PERM Receipt Month ii Remaining Requests ii November 2025 4 December 2025 32 January 2026 163 February 2026 273 March 2026 7,739 April 2026 16,070 May 2026 18,524 [
prevailing wage determination for the H-2B program at least 60 days before the date the determination is needed
PERM Processing Times (as of 5/31/2026) Processing Queue Priority Date Analyst Review April 2025 Audit Review November 2025 Reconsideration Request to the CO
PERM Helpdesk for a status on the application at oflc
PERM Applications Determinations Month Calendar Days Analyst Review March 2026 501 Audit Review March 2026 343 These dates reflect the amount of time to process app
processing times for each employer’s PERM application may vary from the average depending on material facts and individual circumstances of the case
processing time for all PERM applications for the most recent month
Processing Times (updated as of close of business 6/13/2026) I
Processing Times (measured in calendar days) Processing Activity Total Cases Current Status Average Number of Days to Process Complete 2 Cases (cumulative over th
Processing Times (updated as of close of business 6/16/2026) Applications Received for Requested Date of Need from October 1, 2025 through March 31, 2026 STE
Processing Times (updated as of close of business 6/13/2026) STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4 Month of Receipt Total Cases Submitted 6 & Positions Requested
Keep researching
These views keep the official-source trail close to the employer PERM and LCA records the timing context applies to.
LCA and PERM rows are filing signals, not USCIS approvals, green-card approvals, legal advice, or outcome predictions.
FAQ
DOL does not publish a single PERM processing time. The FLAG processing-times page reports the priority-date month the Office of Foreign Labor Certification is currently working through in each queue (Analyst Review and the slower Audit Review) plus the recent average number of calendar days cases spent in each queue. Those averages are backward-looking across many cases, so treat them as general context rather than a date for any one application.
Analyst Review is the standard PERM queue every ETA-9089 enters. Audit Review is a separate, slower track for cases DOL pulls for audit. FLAG shows a different priority-date month and a longer average processing time for Audit Review, which is why an audited case usually waits considerably longer than a case that clears analyst review.
It is imported from the public DOL FLAG (Foreign Labor Application Gateway) processing-times page at flag.dol.gov/processingtimes, the same source DOL OFLC uses to publish PERM, prevailing-wage, and H-2 timing context. The page shows when the snapshot was fetched so you can judge how current it is.
For PERM, the priority date is the date the ETA-9089 was filed with DOL. FLAG lists the priority-date month each queue is currently processing — for example, if Analyst Review shows an earlier month than your filing date, your case is likely still ahead in the queue. It indicates queue position, not a guaranteed decision date.
No. FLAG processing times are official general context. They should not be read as a prediction for a specific PERM case.
The importer stores fetched timestamps and checksums so Railway jobs can refresh the page periodically and show source freshness.
No. A DOL-certified LCA is not the same as USCIS H-1B petition approval. It is an official labor-condition filing signal that should be interpreted with that limit.
No. PERM certification is one step in an employment-based green card process. It does not mean a green card, I-140 petition, or adjustment of status was approved.
No. Official filing history can show recent activity, roles, worksites, and wage signals, but it does not guarantee future sponsorship or predict legal outcomes.