10/22/2008

The DOL completed streamlining of permanent labor certification applications based on online filing and processing system. It is followed by the current move of streamlining of temporary labor certification applications of H-1B, H-2A and H-2B online filing systems. 

The PERM online system and the temporary labor certification online systems will eventually be integrated into one account system from the perspectives of the agency's management of the labor certification application programs.

Currently, these programs have been developed on the basis of FY 2006-FY 2011 (Five-Year) Strategic Plan. The Plan shows that the target of processing rate of PERM applications "within six (6) months" in 2011 is only 78%.

The ongoing processing delays in clean and straightforward PERM applications and tremendous delays in processing of a large number of "audit" cases may be more or less probably anticipated in the five-year strategic plan.

The employment-based immigration may have to learn to live with a frustrating journey ahead from all accounts, including the continuing visa number retrogressions, protracted labor certification process, potential elimination of concurrent filing procedures, protracted employment-based immigration reform buried in the comprehensive immigration reform legislation process, mounting backlogs in petitions and application of the immigration agencies.