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Prevailing wage processing times

Official FLAG prevailing wage determination context

The prevailing wage determination (PWD) is a separate DOL queue that comes before PERM. FLAG reports the receipt-date month the National Prevailing Wage Center is working through in each queue — it can set expectations, but it cannot predict an individual ETA-9141 request.

Source

FLAG

Fetched

Jun 3, 2026

Status

completed

Official FLAG pageDate retrieved: Jun 3, 2026PERM processing timesSearch LCA & PERM recordsSource status

FLAG prevailing wage processing-time section last verified against flag.dol.gov/processingtimes.

PWD vs PERM

Where the prevailing wage step sits — and why it is a separate wait

A prevailing wage determination runs at the National Prevailing Wage Center on Form ETA-9141, before recruitment and before the PERM (ETA-9089) is filed. FLAG reports it in its own section, so a full green-card timeline stacks the PWD queue ahead of the PERM analyst-review queue.

Two separate queues
Wage source: OEWS vs survey

OEWS-based requests follow the standard wage-library lookup, while non-OEWS requests tied to an employer-provided survey need extra review of the survey's methodology — which is why FLAG reports the two queues separately.

Program and visa type

A single prevailing wage request is filed on Form ETA-9141 for H-1B, H-2B, CW-1, or PERM. FLAG reports the receipt-date month per program, so the queue you read depends on the case the wage feeds.

Where it sits before PERM

A PWD is step one, before recruitment and before the ETA-9089 PERM filing. The PWD validity window has to still cover the recruitment and filing dates, so the PWD queue is a separate wait that comes ahead of the PERM analyst-review queue.

Redetermination and review add separate waits

If an employer disputes an issued wage, the redetermination and Center Director Review queues add their own receipt-date backlogs on top of the initial determination time.

How to read it

The FLAG prevailing wage queues, explained

FLAG splits prevailing wage timing into queues by wage source and review stage. Each reports the receipt-date month the National Prevailing Wage Center is currently processing.

Official FLAG queues
OEWS receipt-date queue

Requests where the prevailing wage is set from the DOL Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. FLAG lists the receipt-date month the National Prevailing Wage Center is currently working through for OEWS-based requests, by program (including H-1B and PERM).

Non-OEWS receipt-date queue

Requests that rely on an employer-provided or other approved wage survey instead of OEWS. FLAG reports a separate receipt-date month for this queue, which usually runs differently from the OEWS queue because survey review takes added analyst time.

Redeterminations

Where an employer asks the National Prevailing Wage Center to redetermine an issued wage. FLAG shows the receipt month of redetermination requests currently being worked for H-1B and PERM — a separate, typically slower track than an initial determination.

Center Director Review

The appeal stage after a redetermination, where the NPWC Center Director reviews the wage. FLAG lists the month of Center Director Review requests being processed, signalling the backlog at the final administrative-review step before BALCA.

Extracted context

Latest imported prevailing-wage snippets

These snippets are pulled from the same FLAG snapshot so you can see what public prevailing-wage context the page is relying on.

From the FLAG snapshot

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-

Prevailing Wage Determination Processing Times (as of 04/30/2026) Processing Queue OEWS Receipt Date i Non-OEWS Receipt Date i CW-1 March 2026 -- H-1B February 2026 February 2

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

prevailing wage determination for the H-2B program at least 60 days before the date the determination is needed

Keep researching

Move from timing context into the filing data

These views keep the official-source trail close to the prevailing-wage, PERM, and LCA records the timing context applies to.

Official DOL data
PERM processing timesThe next queue after the prevailing wage step — DOL FLAG Analyst Review and Audit Review timing context for the ETA-9089.Search LCA and PERM recordsLook up an employer's H-1B LCA and PERM disclosure filings, including the prevailing-wage fields on each record.Source statusCheck when the FLAG processing-time snapshot was last fetched, with row counts and job status.

LCA and PERM rows are filing signals, not USCIS approvals, green-card approvals, legal advice, or outcome predictions.

FAQ

Common questions

How long does a prevailing wage determination take?

DOL does not publish a single prevailing wage processing time. The FLAG processing-times page reports the receipt-date month the National Prevailing Wage Center is currently working through in each queue — OEWS and non-OEWS — plus the months of redetermination and Center Director Review requests being processed. Those are backward-looking queue positions across many requests, so read them as general context rather than a date for any one ETA-9141.

What is the difference between prevailing wage and PERM processing times?

They are two separate DOL queues. The prevailing wage determination (PWD) runs at the National Prevailing Wage Center and comes first — it sets the minimum wage the role must offer. PERM (the ETA-9089 labor certification) is filed afterward and runs in its own Analyst Review and Audit Review queues. FLAG reports each separately, so a 'PW - PERM processing time' is really two waits in sequence: the PWD queue, then the PERM queue.

What is the difference between the OEWS and non-OEWS prevailing wage queues?

OEWS requests set the wage from the DOL Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. Non-OEWS requests use an employer-provided or other approved wage survey, which needs added analyst review of the survey itself. FLAG lists a separate receipt-date month for each queue because they typically move at different speeds.

Where can I track prevailing wage determination processing times?

The authoritative source is the public DOL FLAG processing-times page at flag.dol.gov/processingtimes, in its 'Prevailing Wage Determination Processing Times' section. VisaSignal imports that snapshot and shows when it was fetched so you can judge how current it is, instead of relying on crowd-sourced trackers.

What affects how long a prevailing wage determination takes?

Mainly the wage source (OEWS versus an employer-provided survey), the program the wage feeds (H-1B, H-2B, CW-1, or PERM), and whether the request becomes a redetermination or Center Director Review. Each of those is a separate FLAG queue with its own receipt-date backlog.

Is the prevailing wage processing time a prediction for my case?

No. FLAG prevailing wage processing times are official general context showing queue position by receipt month. They should not be read as a prediction for a specific ETA-9141 request.

Does an LCA certification mean an H-1B petition was approved?

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.

Does a PERM certification mean a green card was approved?

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.

Can this data prove an employer will sponsor a candidate?

No. Official filing history can show recent activity, roles, worksites, and wage signals, but it does not guarantee future sponsorship or predict legal outcomes.