PERM Processing Times June 2026: Signs of Improvement for EB-3 Processing Speed

The Department of Labor's PERM labor certification program, a mandatory first step for most employment-based green cards including EB-3, has recently shown measurable improvement in processing times. After years of significant backlogs that stretched timelines to 18 months or more, recent data indicates the DOL is making headway in clearing its queue of pending applications. For EB-3 applicants — including skilled workers, professionals, and unskilled workers — PERM approval is the critical gateway before an employer can file an I-140 immigrant petition. Any reduction in PERM wait times directly compresses the overall green card timeline, which is especially meaningful for nationals of high-backlog countries such as India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines. Despite the encouraging trend, immigration practitioners are urging caution. Processing time improvements can be fragile and may reverse quickly due to surges in new filings, staffing changes at the DOL, or shifting audit rates. The current administration's broader immigration enforcement posture also introduces uncertainty that could affect agency resource allocation. Employers and foreign national employees in active PERM cases are advised to monitor DOL processing statistics closely and maintain current documentation. Those in the audit queue should work proactively with counsel to prepare complete responses. Filing strategies, such as timing new PERM applications to take advantage of current processing windows, should be discussed with an immigration attorney.