Labor Department Updated PERM Processing Timelines
Employers seeking foreign talent face specific wait times for visa-related wage determinations and application reviews.
Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Employment
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The U.S. Department of Labor released updated processing timelines for PERM applications and prevailing wage determinations as of late September 2026. These updates clarify the current status of backlogs affecting companies utilizing H-1B and permanent labor certification programs.
Why it matters
These timelines dictate the operational calendar for businesses relying on foreign-born talent to fill specialized roles. Understanding these processing windows is critical for firms projecting hiring capacity and managing immigration compliance timelines.
The Department of Labor is currently reviewing PERM applications filed through December 2025 and processing prevailing wage determinations for requests submitted in June 2026. This official update provides the definitive status for various visa-related backlog queues as of September 30, 2026.
The players
Department of Labor
The federal agency responsible for overseeing labor standards, workplace safety, and the certification processes for employment-based visa programs.
The details
The Department of Labor updates these queues to indicate the oldest applications being processed for specific visa categories. Companies must align their recruitment strategies with these timelines, as PERM analyst and audit reviews currently lag by approximately nine months from the filing date. Wage determinations and subsequent redetermination requests operate on separate tracks, with current processing for H-1B redeterminations reaching August 2026 requests.
Timeline
December 2025 marked the cutoff for PERM analyst and audit review processing.
April 2026 was the cutoff for reconsideration request processing.
June 2026 served as the filing month for issued prevailing wage determinations.
July 2026 filings for PERM redeterminations and Director Reviews were processed.
August 2026 H-1B prevailing wage redetermination requests were cleared.
Market Landscape
This timeline update tracks the ongoing execution of the Immigration and Nationality Act's labor certification provisions. It marks a continued effort by the Department of Labor to provide transparency into the administrative backlog that governs employment-based immigration workflows.
Review your current hiring calendar against these processing milestones to adjust onboarding expectations for prospective foreign talent. Consult with immigration counsel to determine how these specific delays impact your firm's immediate ability to fill specialized or seasonal vacancies.
The takeaway
The Department of Labor processing windows are the definitive clock for talent acquisition compliance. Regularly monitor the FLAG portal to update your internal hiring projections and manage applicant expectations accordingly.
Further reading
Operators can track broader labor market trends and regulatory impacts in the Employment section.
More information
View the most recent status updates on the DOL FLAG processing times page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Fragomen - Immigration attorneys, solicitors, and consultants worldwide - Brazil: Visa Requirement Date for Nationals of Australia, Canada and the United States Postponed.
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