What is PERM?

PERM (Program Electronic Review Management) is the first step many employer-sponsored green card cases take. Through PERM, a U.S. employer asks the Department of Labor (DOL) to certify that there are no qualified, willing, and available U.S. workers for a specific position, and that hiring a foreign worker will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers.

The PERM steps

  1. Prevailing Wage Determination (PWD): The employer requests the DOL's prevailing wage for the role and location.
  2. Recruitment: The employer conducts a series of required recruitment efforts (newspaper ads, job postings, etc.) to test the U.S. labor market.
  3. Filing the ETA-9089: If no qualified U.S. worker is found, the employer files the PERM application with the DOL.
  4. DOL Review: The DOL adjudicates the application and issues a Certified or Denied decision. Some cases are selected for audit.

Where PERM fits in the green card journey

PERM → I-140 (immigrant petition) → I-485 or consular processing → green card → (eventually) citizenship. PERM is only the first milestone, but it is often the longest single waiting period in the early stages.

How long does PERM take?

Processing time depends on DOL workload and whether a case is audited. Our timeline predictor estimates a date range from real DOL disclosure data. See current numbers on the processing time dashboard.

Immigration Timeline is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.