PERM Report: April 2025
Monthly analysis of PERM labor certification cases
Total Cases
14,597
+1,303 vs prev
Certification Rate
95.0%
+0.5% vs prev
Avg Processing
489 days
+1 days vs prev
Audit Rate
N/A
Case Outcomes
Summary
April 2025 PERM labor certification data reflects a robust and high-performing labor market certification environment, with 14,597 total cases processed and an exceptional overall certification rate of 95.1%. Of the cases resolved, the vast majority — 13,875 — received certification, while only 145 (less than 1%) were denied outright. The relatively small denial pool suggests that most employers are submitting well-prepared applications, with the more significant attrition coming from withdrawals (577 cases, or ~3.95%), which may indicate employer or applicant circumstances changing during the lengthy processing window. Processing times remain a critical pain point for EB-3 applicants, with an average of 489 days — approximately 16 months from filing to decision. This extended timeline underscores the importance of early, proactive PERM filing as part of any EB-3 strategy, particularly given annual visa backlogs that compound total immigration wait times. California continues to dominate case volume with 3,518 filings (over 24% of the national total), and it also posts one of the highest state-level certification rates at 97.2%, reflecting a mature and well-practiced employer ecosystem for PERM filings in the state. Professional Services is the leading industry sector by a wide margin, accounting for 4,587 cases — nearly one-third of all April filings — with a strong 96.2% certification rate. Notably, IT consulting and staffing firms such as Akash Management LLC, Capgemini, and Wipro appear among the top employers, a pattern that reflects the continued high demand for sponsored foreign-national workers in tech-adjacent roles. The presence of companies like Microsoft and Salesforce reinforces the technology industry's outsized reliance on the PERM pathway, especially for EB-3 and EB-2 professional positions.
Key Insights
- • The 95.1% national certification rate signals that denials are rare — employers who invest in proper recruitment documentation and attorney preparation face very low rejection risk, making the PERM stage itself less of a barrier than the subsequent visa queue wait.
- • At 489 average processing days (~16 months), PERM remains a major bottleneck. EB-3 applicants should push employers to file as early as possible to minimize total immigration timeline, especially for nationals from backlogged countries like India and China.
- • California accounts for 24% of all PERM cases and has a 97.2% certification rate — the highest among top-5 states — reflecting its concentration of tech and professional services employers who are experienced with the PERM process.
- • New York has the lowest certification rate among top states at 91.6%, which may indicate more complex labor market conditions, higher scrutiny from the regional DOL office, or a more diverse employer base with less PERM-filing experience.
- • Accommodation & Food Services has the lowest certification rate across top industries (93.5%), likely due to higher labor market competition scrutiny and the nature of the positions, which may attract more qualified U.S. worker applicants during recruitment.
- • IT consulting and staffing firms (Akash Management LLC at 750 cases, Capgemini and Wipro each at 205) dominate the employer leaderboard, confirming that body-shop and consulting models continue to drive high PERM volumes — a pattern EB-3 applicants should understand when evaluating employer stability.
- • Wipro's 100% certification rate across 205 cases and Microsoft's 99.2% rate across 354 cases demonstrate that large, established corporations with dedicated immigration teams achieve near-perfect outcomes, suggesting employer size and experience are meaningful predictors of PERM success.
Top States
Top Industries
Top Occupations
Industry Analysis
Source: DOL PERM Disclosure Data
Report generated: May 20, 2026