Prevailing Wage Determination Processing Times (as of 1/31/2024)
Processing Queue | OEWS Receipt Datei | Non-OEWS Receipt Datei |
CW-1 | - | - |
H-1B | November 2023 | June 2023 |
H-2B | February 2024 | March 2024 |
PERM | October 2023 | March 2023 |
Redeterminations | H-1B: November 2023 PERM: November 2023 | |
Center Director Reviews | CW-1: None Pending H-1B: August 2023 H-2B: November 2023 PERM: August 2023 | |
iThe above dates reflect the month and year in which applications were filed (request date) or submission date of the appeal request for Redeterminations or Center Director Review. The Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) encourages employers to request a prevailing wage determination for the H-2B program at least 60 days before the date the determination is needed. For various reasons, OFLC may be completing the processing of applications filed prior to the month posted.
ii Withdrawn and voided requests are excluded from the total, which may cause the numbers for previous months to fluctuate.
iii Determinations issued does not include requests for Redetermination or Center Director Reviews.
iv These processing times indicate the average processing time for all prevailing wage applications received in a specific month. The processing time for each request may vary from the average depending on the material facts and individual circumstances of the case.
CW-1 | |
Receipt Monthii | Remaining Requests |
January 2024 | 1 |
February 2024 | 95 |
March 2024 | 266 |
H-1B | |
Receipt Monthii | Remaining Requests |
April 2023 | 1 |
May 2023 | 3 |
June 2023 | 7 |
July 2023 | 4 |
August 2023 | 8 |
September 2023 | 9 |
October 2023 | 20 |
November 2023 | 149 |
December 2023 | 173 |
January 2024 | 247 |
February 2024 | 297 |
March 2024 | 500 |
H-2B | |
Receipt Monthii | Remaining Requests |
January 2024 | 2 |
February 2024 | 106 |
March 2024 | 488 |
PERM | |
Receipt Monthii | Remaining Requests |
February 2023 | 3 |
March 2023 | 34 |
April 2023 | 93 |
May 2023 | 86 |
June 2023 | 108 |
July 2023 | 115 |
August 2023 | 221 |
September 2023 | 771 |
October 2023 | 1,165 |
November 2023 | 11,131 |
December 2023 | 12,222 |
January 2024 | 15,013 |
February 2024 | 15,833 |
March 2024 | 16,923 |
| Processing Queue | Priority Date |
|---|---|
| Analyst Review | March 2023 |
| Audit Review | December 2022 |
| Reconsideration Request to the CO | May 2023 |
These dates reflect the month and year in which cases were filed and are currently being adjudicated. The Reconsideration Request to the CO date reflects the month and year in which cases that are currently being reviewed were appealed. For various reasons, OFLC may be completing the processing of applications filed prior to the month posted. If your application was filed more than three months prior to the month posted, you may contact the OFLC PERM Helpdesk for a status on the application at plc.atlanta@dol.gov.
| Determinations | Month | Calendar Days |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst Review | February 2024 | 397 |
| Audit Review | February 2024 | 477 |
These dates reflect the amount of time to process applications. Actual processing times for each employer’s PERM application may vary from the average depending on material facts and individual circumstances of the case. OFLC is reporting the average processing time for all PERM applications for the most recent month.
H-2A Processing Times (updated as of close of business 4/6/2024)
| Case Receipt Week | Total Cases Submitted1 | Total Cases Issued First NOA or NOD | Percent Receipt Week Issued NOA or NOD |
|---|---|---|---|
| MOST RECENT WEEK COMPLETED | |||
| Mar 24 - 30 | 307 | 307 | 100% |
| CURRENT PROCESSING STATUS | |||
| Mar 31 - Apr 6 | 293 | 165 | 56% |
| Processing Activity | Total Cases | Current Status |
|---|---|---|
| Average Number of Days to Process Complete2 Cases (cumulative over the last 2 weeks) | 669 | 21 Calendar Days |
| Average Number of Days to Process Incomplete Cases (cumulative over the last 2 weeks) | 245 | 33 Calendar Days |
[1] Withdrawn and rejected applications are excluded from the total, which may cause these numbers to fluctuate.
[2] A complete H-2A application is defined as one containing all the documentation (e.g., housing inspection report, workers' compensation information, recruitment report) necessary for the OFLC Certifying Officer to issue a final determination 30 days before the start date of need.
H-2B Processing Times (updated as of close of business 4/6/2024)
| STEP 1 | STEP 2 | STEP 3 | STEP 4 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Filing Window | Total Cases Submitted3 & Positions Requested | Total Cases Issued NOA or NOD | Percent Issued a First NOA or NOD | Total Cases Pending - Post NOA or NOD Issued4 | Total Cases Issued Final Decision & Positions Certified |
| July 2023 | 2,657 (52,487 Workers) | 2,657 | 100% | -- | 2,657 (44,874 Workers) |
| Aug 2023 | 573 (9,837 Workers) | 573 | 100% | -- | 573 (8,811 Workers) |
| Sep 2023 | 232 (5,330 Workers) | 232 | 100% | -- | 232 (4,853 Workers) |
| Oct 2023 | 318 (10,931 Workers) | 318 | 100% | -- | 318 (10,559 Workers) |
| Nov 2023 | 598 (12,946 Workers) | 598 | 100% | -- | 598 (12,068 Workers) |
| Dec 2023 | 1,248 (22,185 Workers) | 1,248 | 100% | 1 (8 Workers) | 1,247 (21,250 Workers) |
| Jan 2024 | 70 (665 Workers) | 40 | 57.1% | -- | 40 (304 Workers) |
| Feb 2024 | 3 (1 Workers) | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Total Cases Issued Final Decision and Positions Certified (for FY 2024 First Half Visa Cap) | 5,664 (102,719 Workers) | ||||
| STEP 1 | STEP 2 | STEP 3 | STEP 4 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Filing Window | Total Cases Submitted3 & Positions Requested | Total Cases Issued NOA or NOD | Percent Issued a First NOA or NOD | Total Cases Pending - Post NOA or NOD Issued4 | Total Cases Issued Final Decision & Positions Certified |
| Jan 2-4 Group A | 2,130 (33,596 Workers) | 2,130 | 100% | 8 (230 Workers) | 2,122 (30,753 Workers) |
| Jan 2-4 Group B | 1,249 (18,761 Workers) | 1,249 | 100% | 16 (211 Workers) | 1,233 (17,725 Workers) |
| Jan 2-4 Group C | 1,178 (18,559 Workers) | 1,178 | 100% | 39 (367 Workers) | 1,139 (16,730 Workers) |
| Jan 2-4 Group D | 1,165 (18,225 Workers) | 1,165 | 100% | 212 (2,933 Workers) | 953 (14,757 Workers) |
| Jan 2-4 Group E | 1,196 (17,719 Workers) | 1,196 | 100% | 1,094 (16,107 Workers) | 101 (1,425 Workers) |
| Jan 2-4 Group F | 1,099 (17,158 Workers) | 818 | 74.4% | 818 (12,732 Workers) | -- |
| Jan 2-4 Group G | 115 (2,205 Workers) | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Jan 2-45 | 6 (91 Workers) | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Jan 5-6 | 9 (69 Workers) | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Jan 7-13 | 43 (637 Workers) | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Jan 14-20 | 74 (844 Workers) | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Jan 21-27 | 47 (420 Workers) | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Jan 28 - Feb 3 | 222 (1,610 Workers) | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Feb 4-10 | 123 (1,011 Workers) | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Feb 11-17 | 695 (13,813 Workers) | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Feb 18-24 | 67 (779 Workers) | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Feb 25-Mar 2 | 61 (723 Workers) | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Mar 3-9 | 82 (661 Workers) | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Mar 10-16 | 50 (829 Workers) | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Mar 17-23 | 51 (481 Workers) | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Mar 24-30 | 35 (1,072 Workers) | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Mar 31-Apr 6 | 33 (504 Workers) | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Total Cases Issued Final Decision and Positions Certified (for FY 2024 Second Half Visa Cap) | 5,548 (81,390 Workers) | ||||
[3] Withdrawn and rejected applications are excluded from the total, which may cause these numbers to fluctuate.
[4] Total number of pending applications that received a NOA and are actively recruiting for U.S. workers or responding to a NOD.
[5] Applications submitted with requested date of need of April 2 or 3, 2024.
| STEP 1 | STEP 2 | STEP 3 | STEP 4 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month of Receipt | Total Cases Submitted6 & Positions Requested | Total Cases Issued NOA or NOD | Percent Issued a First NOA or NOD | Total Cases Pending - Post NOA or NOD Issued7 | Total Cases Issued Final Decision & Positions Certified |
| October | 164 (832 Workers) | 164 | 100% | 1 (15 Workers) | 163 (563 Workers) |
| November | 161 (714 Workers) | 161 | 100% | -- | 161 (424 Workers) |
| December | 118 (378 Workers) | 118 | 100% | -- | 118 (228 Workers) |
| January | 169 (667 Workers) | 169 | 100% | 15 (100 Workers) | 154 (389 Workers) |
| February | 149 (510 Workers) | 149 | 100% | 84 (285 Workers) | 65 (139 Workers) |
| March | 162 (668 Workers) | 136 | 84.0% | 132 (545 Workers) | 4 (0 Workers) |
| STEP 1 | STEP 2 | STEP 3 | STEP 4 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Type | Total Cases Submitted6 & Positions Requested | Total Cases Issued NOA or NOD | Percent Issued a First NOA or NOD | Total Cases Pending - Post NOA or NOD Issued7 | Total Cases Issued Final Decision & Positions Certified |
| New CW-1 Visas8 | 635 (2,759 Workers) | 583 | 91.8% | 128 (588 Workers) | 455 (1,173 Workers) |
| Renewal of CW-1 Visas9 | 503 (1,854 Workers) | 316 | 62.8% | 106 (361 Workers) | 210 (570 Workers) |
| TOTALS | 1,138 (4,613 Workers) | 899 | 79.0% | 234 (949 Workers) | 665 (1,743 Workers) |
6Withdrawn and rejected applications are excluded from the total, which may cause these numbers to fluctuate.
7Total number of pending applications that either received a NOA and actively recruiting for U.S. workers or responding to a NOD.
8Indicates employer is requesting to hire a foreign worker who is not already performing work in the CNMI in CW-1 visa status.
9Indicates employer is requesting to extend the employment of a foreign worker in CW-1 visa status.