PERM Processing Time Hits 336 Days in 2026

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has released its September 2026 update for Prevailing Wage Determination (PWD) and PERM processing times, showing that employer-sponsored green card cases continue to face lengthy waits.

As of August 31, 2026, DOL was conducting analyst review on PERM applications filed in November 2025. For PERM cases completed in August, the agency reported an average processing time of 336 calendar days—roughly 11 months.

For international students and professionals moving from F-1 or OPT into longer-term employer sponsorship, the important point is that the 336-day figure covers only the PERM adjudication stage. It does not include the earlier prevailing wage and recruitment steps required before an employer can file PERM.

September 2026 PERM and Prevailing Wage Processing Times

DOL's latest processing data shows the following queues as of August 31:

DOL also reported that PERM applications receiving analyst-review determinations in August 2026 took an average of 336 calendar days. Individual cases can take more or less time depending on their circumstances, so this number should not be treated as a guaranteed processing timeline.

The processing month shown by DOL also does not necessarily mean every application from that month is being completed at the same time. The agency notes that it may still be processing applications filed before the month listed on its website.

Why the Full PERM Timeline Is Longer Than 336 Days

For workers considering an employment-based green card, the most important distinction is between PERM processing time and the full employer-sponsored green card timeline.

Before an employer can submit a PERM application, DOL requires the employer to obtain a valid Prevailing Wage Determination from the National Prevailing Wage Center. The employer must then complete the required recruitment and Notice of Filing procedures before submitting the PERM application.

In simplified form, the process is:

1. Employer requests a Prevailing Wage Determination.
2. DOL issues the prevailing wage.
3. Employer completes the required recruitment process.
4. Employer files the PERM application.
5. DOL reviews and decides the PERM case.
6. After certification, the employer can generally proceed with the employment-based immigrant petition with USCIS.

That means the current 336-day PERM average begins after several earlier steps have already taken place. With prevailing wage requests currently being processed from May 2026, workers should not interpret the 11-month figure as the total time required to reach the next stage of an employment-based green card case.

What This Means for F-1, OPT, and H-1B Workers

The September update does not change F-1, CPT, OPT, or H-1B rules. It is a processing-time update. However, it is relevant to international students and professionals whose employers plan to sponsor them for permanent residence.

For an F-1 student working through OPT or STEM OPT, the PERM process is controlled primarily by the sponsoring employer. DOL specifically states that the employer must obtain the prevailing wage and complete the required recruitment before filing the labor certification.

For H-1B professionals, the extended timeline makes the date an employer begins green card sponsorship increasingly important. A worker may hear that "PERM takes about 11 months," but the complete pre-I-140 process can be substantially longer once the prevailing wage and recruitment stages are included.

Workers who are already being sponsored should know which stage their case has reached—PWD, recruitment, filed PERM, audit, or reconsideration—rather than relying only on the overall DOL processing average.

The Key Takeaway From the September DOL Update

There is no new PERM rule in this update. The main development is the continued length of DOL processing.

As of August 31, 2026, PERM analyst review was focused on November 2025 filings, while the average case completed through analyst review in August took 336 days. Prevailing wage requests for PERM were being processed from May 2026.

For international students and professionals considering employer-sponsored permanent residence, those numbers make early planning particularly important. DOL updates its PWD and PERM processing information monthly, so employers and sponsored workers should continue checking the official processing-time page rather than relying on a fixed estimate.

Sources:

• U.S. Department of Labor — OFLC Processing Times
• U.S. Department of Labor — Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) Program
• Reddy Neumann Brown PC — DOL Update: PWD and PERM Processing Times, September 2026