The Department of Labor’s latest data shows that PERM applications remain subject to lengthy processing times. As of October 5, 2026, the agency was conducting analyst and audit reviews for applications filed in December 2025.
DOL also reported an average analyst-review processing time of 336 calendar days for PERM determinations completed in August 2026. These delays matter to international students and professionals whose employers are sponsoring them for employment-based permanent residence. (flag.dol.gov)
The October 5 update is slightly newer than the September data reported by Fragomen on October 2. The official DOL figures currently show:
| Processing category | Cases currently being reviewed |
|---|---|
| PERM analyst review | December 2025 filings |
| PERM audit review | December 2025 filings |
| Reconsideration requests | May 2026 filings |
| Average PERM analyst review time | 336 calendar days for August 2026 determinations |
| PERM prevailing wage requests | June 2026 filings |
| H-1B prevailing wage requests | June 2026 filings |
| PERM prevailing wage redeterminations | July 2026 requests |
| H-1B prevailing wage redeterminations | August 2026 requests |
The prevailing wage figures are current as of September 30, 2026, while the PERM queue was updated on October 5. DOL generally updates both sets of processing data after the end of each month. (flag.dol.gov)
The published queue month should not be treated as a guaranteed decision date. DOL notes that individual cases can take more or less time depending on their facts, and the agency may still be completing some applications filed before the month displayed.
PERM is an employer-driven labor certification process that is frequently required before an employer can submit an I-140 immigrant petition in the EB-2 or EB-3 green card process.
Before filing PERM, the employer generally obtains a prevailing wage determination and completes the required recruitment process. DOL then reviews the PERM application to determine whether qualified U.S. workers are available and whether hiring the foreign worker would adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed workers. (dol.gov)
Because these stages occur sequentially, delays at the prevailing wage or PERM stage can push back the entire employment-based green card timeline. A case selected for audit may take longer than a case processed through standard analyst review.
Once DOL certifies a PERM application, the employer generally has 180 days to submit the certification with Form I-140 to USCIS. The PERM filing date is also ordinarily used as the worker’s priority date. (dol.gov)
International students and professionals should not confuse a pending PERM case with immigration status or employment authorization. PERM is one step in an employer-sponsored permanent residence case; filing it does not by itself extend F-1 status, OPT, STEM OPT or H-1B status.
The current processing times create several practical considerations:
For Day 1 CPT students, the DOL update does not change CPT rules or create new work authorization. Students pursuing employer-sponsored permanent residence must continue following their school’s CPT requirements and all applicable F-1 regulations independently of the PERM process.
DOL’s next monthly update will show whether analyst review advances beyond December 2025 filings and whether prevailing wage processing moves past June 2026 requests.
Applicants should rely on the official FLAG processing-times page for the newest agency data and coordinate case-specific planning with their employer and immigration counsel. DOL states that employers may contact the PERM Helpdesk when an application was filed more than three months before the currently posted processing month. (flag.dol.gov)