PERM Labor Certification News Flash

Department of Labor Provides Important Updates Regarding the Impact of Worksites, Telecommuting/Remote Working, and Traveling on PERM Labor Certification Applications

September 29, 2022

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Given the changing nature of the workplace, the actual location where an individual works is becoming more irrelevant. The Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) emphasized that the definition of a U.S. employer includes the employer having a physical location in the U.S. to which U.S. workers can be referred.

 

Whenever there is a situation involving telecommuting, teleworking, and traveling, OFLC still follows and old policy memo stating that employers should use the headquarters as the filing address, as well as the address for the worksite, recruitment, and the prevailing wage. Where employees work from home, OFLC indicated their home address should not be listed as their worksite. Instead, employers should continue to use the headquarters address for this location. OFLC confirmed that a P.O. Box or a private mailbox (such as a UPS mailbox), is not acceptable. OFLC recognizes that there may not always be a “headquarters” in the traditional sense. Whenever an employer registers in the United States as a business and is issued a Federal Employer Identification Number, the employer must provide an address that is traditionally the same as the headquarters address. OFLC has indicated that employers should use that headquarters address as the worksite address.

 

If there is a situation where an individual is not “stuck at a desk” all day long, then the employer should try to provide additional details to help OFLC understand the nature of the position. A generic statement of “unanticipated job sites” is not helpful. One should consider any of the following: Is there telecommuting/remote working? Does the person have to relocate? Is there traveling involved? Details addressing these questions can be included as part of the job description and special skills. Where there is actual travel, the employer should provide details. Additionally, it must be disclosed if an individual is splitting time between worksites. The employer must pick one of the locations as the “headquarters” and be consistent. OFLC has indicated that they cannot give guidance on which one an employer should choose. That said, OFLC has indicated that an employer should be able to document and defend the choice.

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OFLC Announces Permanent Issuance of Electronic PERM Labor Certifications

September 25, 2020

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The Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) announced that it is permanently adopting the electronic issuance of PERM labor certifications to employers (and their authorized attorneys or agents).

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On March 24, 2020, OFLC announced that—due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic—that it would electronically issue PERM labor certifications to employers (and their authorized attorneys or agents) through June 30, 2020. On June 16, 2020, OFLC announced that it was extending the period during which it would electronically issue PERM labor certifications through September 30, 2020.

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On July 30, 2020, the Department of Labor (Department) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Among other things, the MOA provides DHS access to all applications for permanent labor certification submitted to OFLC through the PERM online system, including the ability to verify that a PERM application has been certified. The enhanced information sharing and collaboration under the MOA also eliminates the need for duplicate certification requests and increases the integrity of the PERM program by supporting efforts to combat instances of fraud and abuse in connection with labor certification and employment-based immigrant and non-immigrant programs.

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DHS regulations require that—in order to file a USCIS Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers (Form I-140), with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)—employers must concurrently submit an original labor certification issued by the Department, unless the original labor certification was already provided to USCIS in support of a different petition.

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When a permanent labor certification was granted in the past, OFLC would send the original certified ETA 9089 Form, Application for Permanent Employment Certification, and a Final Determination letter on "security paper" to the employer (or their authorized attorney/agent). To be valid, a certified ETA 9089 Form must contain the following completed sections:

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• Section O - Signed and dated by the OFLC Certifying Officer;

• Section L - Signed and dated by the foreign worker;

• Section M - Signed and dated by the form preparer, if applicable; and

• Section N - Signed and dated by the employer; and

• Footer on each page identifying the validity period of the certification.

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The employer (or their authorized attorney/agent) then would submit the original signed paper ETA Form 9089, along with the USCIS Form I-140 and all other supporting documentation and appropriate fees, to USCIS.

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As of March 24, 2020, employers (or their authorized attorney/agent) who file a PERM application and are granted a permanent labor certification by OFLC have received the certified ETA Form 9089 and Final Determination letter by email. In circumstances where employers (or their authorized attorneys or agents) submit the application for permanent labor certification by mail and are not able to receive the certified ETA Form 9089 documents by email, OFLC has and will continue to send the original security paper ETA Form 9089 and Final Determination letter by mail. At this time, OFLC expects to continue using UPS regular delivery to send the documents (i.e., approximately 2 to 8 days depending on delivery location).

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Before filing a Form I-140 with USCIS, the electronic copy of the certified ETA PERM Form 9089 that is provided by OFLC via email, must be printed, signed, and dated in the appropriate sections by the:

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• Foreign worker;

• Preparer (if applicable);

• and Employer.

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Important Reminder: To ensure receipt of electronic permanent labor certification documents and all other correspondence from the Atlanta National Processing Center, OFLC reminds stakeholders to add plc.atlanta@dol.gov to their address book or "safe list" within email system(s) to avoid being filtered as spam.

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Department of Labor Regulations Overhauls Labor Certification System!

March 28, 2005

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On March 28, 2005, the Department of Labor (DOL) overhauled the regulations concerning the Labor Certification system (required to obtain an employment-based "Green Card"). 

The most significant changes concern the requirements for the Labor Certification recruitment process. While in the past there were two options (Supervised Recruitment or Reduction in Recruitment), there is now only one system by which a Labor Certification can be obtained. This system is called Program Electronic Review Management ("PERM"). 

Under PERM, the employer is required to conduct recruitment using multiple sources (newspaper, Internet, etc.) that includes the company name and a specific job description; and post an internal notice announcing the filing (including the salary) at the worksite and in any in-house media. The employer then must file an extensive, application with the DOL attesting to not only the recruitment, but also attesting to having complied with numerous other requirements prior to the filing. A computer system then checks the application to screen for any "red flags." Those applications that raise red flags are audited. 

 

Check out our PERM Labor Certification Overview page for more information on this online system and its role in the Labor Certification process.

Changes have also been made to the positions and beneficiaries that are eligible for Labor Certification. Labor Certification applications that are no longer eligible under PERM include those which: pay less than 100% of a Prevailing Wage that is assigned by the DOL prior to filing; and include an employee who has had influence over the position he or she holds (e.g. a high level manager).