US PERM Processing Times September 2026: Analyst Review Now Processing December 2025 Filings as Backlog Grows
Updated: 11 hours ago
WASHINGTON, October 3, 2026 — The Department of Labor's Office of Foreign Labor Certification has published its September 2026 processing times, showing that analyst review has advanced to applications filed in December 2025 or earlier, while the pending queue continues to swell.
The data, available on the DOL FLAG processing times page, also reveals a widening gap between incoming PERM applications and completed adjudications.
PERM Processing: The Headline Numbers
Review Type | Priority Date |
Analyst Review | December 2025 |
Audit Review | December 2025 |
Reconsideration Request | April 2026 |
Average analyst review time stands at 336 calendar days for determinations completed in August 2026 — unchanged from the previous month's figure.
The Backlog Is Getting Worse
The most striking data point in the September report is the number of pending PERM applications by receipt month:
Receipt Month | Remaining Requests |
April 2026 | 8 |
May 2026 | 36 |
June 2026 | 3,532 |
July 2026 | 15,959 |
August 2026 | 14,980 |
September 2026 | 14,519 |
The jump from roughly 3,500 pending applications in June to nearly 16,000 by July represents a fourfold increase in a single month. This surge suggests either a spike in filings — possibly driven by employers rushing to beat fee increases or policy changes — or a slowdown in adjudication capacity, or both.
The total pending queue now exceeds 49,000 applications.
Prevailing Wage Determinations: Processing Dates
As of 30 September 2026, the National Prevailing Wage Center was issuing determinations for:
Queue | OEWS Receipt Date | Non-OEWS Receipt Date |
PERM | June 2026 | June 2026 |
H-1B | June 2026 | June 2026 |
H-2B | August 2026 | — |
CW-1 | August 2026 | — |
Redeterminations
Queue | Receipt Date |
H-1B | August 2026 |
PERM | July 2026 |
Center Director Reviews
Queue | Receipt Date |
CW-1 | September 2026 |
H-1B | July 2026 |
H-2B | June 2026 |
PERM | July 2026 |
What This Means for Employers
Plan for extended timelines. With analyst review at 336 days and December 2025 filings currently being processed, employers should assume a 12-month or longer wait for standard PERM adjudication.
Watch for audit risk. Audit review is at the same priority date as analyst review, meaning both tracks are moving in parallel. Audited cases typically take significantly longer.
Monitor reconsideration timelines. Reconsideration requests filed in April 2026 are now being processed — providing a benchmark for those considering appeals.
Factor PWD lead times. Prevailing wage determinations for PERM and H-1B are processing June 2026 filings — approximately a three-month lead time from submission.
File early. Given the growing backlog, employers should initiate PERM and PWD processes as early as possible in the hiring cycle.
Quick Reference Summary
Aspect | Details |
Data Date | September 2026 |
PERM Analyst Review | December 2025 filings |
Average Analyst Time | 336 calendar days |
PERM Audit Review | December 2025 filings |
Reconsideration Requests | April 2026 filings |
PWD – PERM/H-1B | June 2026 filings |
Pending PERM Queue | Over 49,000 applications |
Largest Monthly Backlog | July 2026 (15,959 pending) |
Read Also
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