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Re-engineered Permanent Labor Certification Program (PERM)

eta. Employment And Training Administration United States Department Of Labor. Re-engineered Permanent Labor Certification Program (PERM). Effective: March 28, 2005. History and Background.

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Re-engineered Permanent Labor Certification Program (PERM)

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  1. eta Employment And Training Administration United States Department Of Labor Re-engineered Permanent Labor Certification Program (PERM) Effective: March 28, 2005

  2. History and Background • A labor certification is required prior to petitioning USCIS for permanent residence (“green card”) for certain employment-based immigrant visas • DOL certifies: • not sufficient U.S. workers • no adverse effect on U.S. workers • Application certified or denied by DOL

  3. History and Background (continued) • Previous process criticized as: • complex • time consuming • resource intensive • duplicative • New system streamlines process

  4. History and Background (continued) • NPRM on May 6, 2002 • Approximately 200 comments • Approximately 1,100 pages of comments • Final regulation responsive to public comments • Final rule published on December 27, 2004 • Regulation effective March 28, 2005

  5. Highlights of Re-engineered Program • Employers must conduct recruitment before filing applications • SWAs provide prevailing wage determinations, but will no longer accept or process permanent applications once the regulation is effective • Employers have the option of web-based filing • Must offer at least 100% of the prevailing wage • Employer retains supporting documentation for audit purposes for five (5) years • Business necessity included in final rule

  6. General Instructions • Representation by agents or attorneys allowed • Filing options (ETA Form 9089): • mail-in • web-based • No facsimile (fax) applications • Pin/Password process for e-filing

  7. General Instructions (continued) • Applications will be processed in either the Chicago or Atlanta National Processing Center – based upon work state • Incomplete applications will not be accepted or, in the case of paper applications, will be denied

  8. Basic Permanent Labor Certification Process

  9. Filing Date & Re-filing of Pending Cases • Date stamping of applications accepted for processing • Re-filing applications under the final rule • must meet final rule recruitment requirements • must be identical application • current application must be withdrawn • re-file is considered a withdrawal • withdrawal allowed prior to re-filing, must re-file within 210 days • re-filed applications may take longer to process than other ETA Form 9089s

  10. Pre-filing Recruitment • Separate Professional and Nonprofessional occupation recruitment requirements • Professional occupations are listed in Appendix A to the Preamble • All occupations not listed in Appendix A to the Preamble are considered non-professional for purposes of this recruitment

  11. Pre-filing Recruitment (continued) • Placement of job order with SWA • Two Sunday newspaper advertisements – professional journal optional in certain cases • Additional recruitment steps for professional occupations

  12. Contents of Advertisements • Employer name • Wage rate (optional) • Description of vacancy and geographic area of employment

  13. Job Opportunity • Business necessity available • No foreign language requirement, unless justified by business necessity • Combination occupations permitted when justified • Alternative experience requirements permitted

  14. Job Opportunity (cont.) • Job requirements must represent employer’s actual minimum requirements • Alien’s background must satisfy actual minimum requirements • Alien’s qualifying experience cannot be gained with the employer, except in limited circumstances • Definition of “employer” determined by EIN

  15. Other Requirements • Notification to laid-off U.S. workers by the employer applicant • Prohibition against alien influence and control over job opportunity

  16. Recruitment Report • Recruitment steps undertaken • Results achieved and lawful reasons for rejection of U.S. workers, as applicable • Maintain resumes/application materials for documentation/audit purposes (5 years)

  17. Specific Occupations

  18. Schedule A Occupations • Physical therapists • Professional nurses • Aliens of exceptional ability in the sciences or arts • Performing artists of exceptional ability – previously special handling

  19. Other Occupations • Labor certification requirements for sheepherders – direct to USCIS • Optional recruitment and documentation for college and university teachers – alternative recruitment • Live-in household domestic service workers – additional documentation required

  20. Permanent Labor CertificationCase Processing

  21. Bona Fides • Employer existence • Sponsorship • Publicly available databases

  22. Audit Letters • Based on: • review of application • selection for quality control purposes • Required documentation based upon the particulars of the application – some will be requested by the audit letter • 30-day response time for submittal of application documentation – one extension at COs discretion • CO may ask for additional information • Failure to comply, application denied and future applications audited • Application may be denied after review of supplied documents

  23. Supervised Recruitment Directed by Certifying Officer • Advertising requirements for the job opportunity • Detailed written recruitment report • 30-day response time

  24. Labor Certification Determinations by Certifying Officer • Application either certified or denied • Final notification to employers in writing • Possibility of supervised recruitment up to two years • Employer request for reconsideration or review within 30 days

  25. BALCA Review of Denials • Request by employer to denying CO by certified mail • Assembly of appeal file by certifying officer • sent to BALCA • copy to employer

  26. Consideration by and Decisions of BALCA • Briefs and Statements of Position within 30 days • Notification of decision • Hearings – notification and procedure • No remands • Review on the record

  27. Substitutions and Invalidations of Labor Certifications • After issuance, subject to invalidation for fraud or willful misrepresentation • Substitution of alien beneficiaries • Issuance of duplicate certifications

  28. Fraud or Willful Misrepresentation in Certification Applications • If possible fraud discovered before certification, referred to USCIS, DOL Inspector General, etc. • If subject to judicial process, application processing halted • If fraud found, application invalidated and processing terminated • 90-day notification period

  29. Revocation of Approved Labor Certifications • Basis - Certifying Officer finds certification was not justified • Employer receives notice of intent to revoke

  30. Prevailing Wage Determination Process for Permanent Labor Certification Purposes

  31. Process for Obtaining a Prevailing Wage Determination • Request prevailing wage determination from SWA serving area of intended employment on their form • Validity period 90 days to 1 year from determination date • Employers must file their applications or begin recruitment within the validity period specified by the SWA

  32. Process for Obtaining a Prevailing Wage (continued) • SWA determination sources: • CBA when appropriate • employer provided survey • must meet all requirements listed in the regulations • median acceptable if no mean • DBA and SCA may be utilized by employers – no longer mandatory • OES • Guidance forthcoming on 4 wage levels • The SWA must consider one supplemental submission concerning the wage determination

  33. Prevailing Wage Review • Request from employer within 30 days of the determination by the SWA • CO reviews determination based on the record • Employer may request BALCA review of CO determination within 30 days of the date of the decision

  34. Application for Permanent Employment Certification

  35. Form ETA 9089 (pg. 1)

  36. Form ETA 9089 (pg. 2)

  37. Form ETA 9089 (pg. 3)

  38. Form ETA 9089 (pg. 4)

  39. Form ETA 9089 (pg. 5)

  40. Form ETA 9089 (pg. 6)

  41. Form ETA 9089 (pg. 7)

  42. Form ETA 9089 (pg. 8)

  43. Form ETA 9089 (pg. 9)

  44. Form ETA 9089 (pg. 10)

  45. Address and Contact Information • Employment and Training Administration Office of National Programs Division of Foreign Labor Certification 200 Constitution Ave., NW C-4312 Washington, DC 20210 • DFLC website http://www.ows.doleta.gov/foreign/ or http://www.workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/foreign/ • Send questions to PERM.DFLC@dol.gov

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