Labor Department Updated Visa Processing Timelines
The latest updates on processing times for PERM applications and wage determinations affect visa-dependent employees and employers.
Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Employment
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The Department of Labor released updated processing timelines for various immigration-related applications as of September 2026. These updates provide clarity on current review stages for households and employers waiting on work-authorized visa processes.
Why it matters
Understanding current processing windows helps families and businesses manage their financial planning and employment expectations for visa-dependent roles. These timelines clarify the agency's progress in clearing backlogs for critical work-related documentation.
The Department of Labor is currently reviewing PERM applications filed through December 2025, while H-1B prevailing wage redeterminations are being addressed for requests filed in August 2026. These figures represent the agency's most recent capacity status for pending applications.
The players
Department of Labor
The federal agency that oversees labor standards, including the certification of foreign labor applications and the administration of prevailing wage determinations.
The details
The agency updates processing times for several categories including PERM analyst reviews, audits, and reconsideration requests. Prevailing wage determinations and redeterminations are also tracked by filing month to manage the workload of visa-related applications. Households and employers can monitor these specific cutoff dates to understand where their files stand in the queue.
Timeline
December 2025 was the cutoff date for PERM analyst and audit reviews as of September 22, 2026.
April 2026 was the cutoff date for processed reconsideration requests as of September 22, 2026.
June 2026 was the filing month for issued prevailing wage determinations as of September 30, 2026.
July 2026 was the request month for processed PERM redeterminations and Director Reviews as of September 30, 2026.
August 2026 was the request month for processed H-1B prevailing wage redeterminations as of September 30, 2026.
Money Landscape
The current processing windows follow a standard administrative cycle for verifying labor conditions under the Immigration and Nationality Act. These timelines reflect the agency's operational capacity to handle the steady volume of workforce visa certifications required for hiring.
Households awaiting visa outcomes should review the latest cutoff dates to estimate the potential timeline for pending employment decisions. Consult a qualified immigration attorney or tax professional regarding how these processing delays impact your long-term income and housing plans.
The takeaway
Maintaining awareness of agency processing backlogs is critical for households relying on H-1B or PERM-related employment stability. Keep a record of your filing date and verify it against the latest status report from the agency to manage your household budget expectations effectively.
Further reading
For more on how these regulations impact your career, explore Employment.
More information
View the current status of your application or review the latest benchmarks on the DOL FLAG processing times page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Fragomen - Immigration attorneys, solicitors, and consultants worldwide - Brazil: Visa Requirement Date for Nationals of Australia, Canada and the United States Postponed.
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