Labor Certification for the Permanent Employment of Aliens in the United States; Implementation of New System

The Department of Labor (DOL) is amending its regulations governing the filing and processing of labor certification applications for the permanent employment of aliens in the United States to implement a new system for filing and processing such applications. The new system requires employers to conduct recruitment before filing their applications. State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) will provide prevailing wage determinations to employers, but will no longer receive or process applications as they do under the current system. Employers will be required to place a job order with the SWA, but the job order will be processed the same as any other job order. Employers will have the option of filing applications electronically, using web-based forms and instructions, or by mail.