PERM Report: January 2026
Monthly analysis of PERM labor certification cases
Total Cases
12,844
+3,606 vs prev
Certification Rate
92.8%
+3.0% vs prev
Avg Processing
502 days
+15 days vs prev
Audit Rate
N/A
Case Outcomes
Summary
January 2026 PERM data reflects a robust labor certification environment with 12,844 total cases processed and an overall certification rate of 92.8% (11,922 certified). This high approval rate signals that employers are generally submitting well-prepared petitions and that the Department of Labor continues to find genuine labor shortages across key sectors. However, the average processing time of 502 days — roughly 16.7 months — remains a critical bottleneck for EB-3 applicants, meaning that even approved PERM cases add well over a year to an already lengthy green card pipeline before an I-140 can even be filed. Geographically, California leads by volume with 2,435 cases (19% of all national filings), reflecting the state's continued dominance as a destination for skilled foreign workers. Notably, Georgia stands out with both high volume (981 cases) and the highest certification rate among top states at 96.7%, suggesting strong employer compliance practices or favorable labor market conditions in Atlanta-area industries. Texas and New York round out the top states but trail Georgia's certification success rate, with Texas at 91.3% being the only top-five state below the national average. Occupation data reveals a sharp bifurcation in the EB-3 pipeline. Software Developers account for a disproportionate 21.3% of all cases (2,737 filings) with an average prevailing wage of $142,843, dominating the skilled worker category. At the opposite end, Helpers–Production Workers (SOC 51-9198.00) appear with 411 cases and a striking average wage of just $10,479 — a figure likely reflecting part-time or piece-rate positions and representing the classic EB-3 'Other Worker' pathway for unskilled labor. This dual-track structure illustrates how PERM simultaneously serves both high-wage tech professionals and low-wage production roles under the same regulatory framework.
Key Insights
- • The 92.8% national certification rate is strong, but the 4.3% withdrawal rate (559 cases) may indicate employers abandoning cases mid-process — possibly due to beneficiaries finding other visa pathways or employers losing patience with the 502-day average timeline.
- • At 502 average processing days, PERM alone consumes ~16.7 months before I-140 filing. EB-3 applicants from backlogged countries (India, China) should account for PERM + I-140 + visa queue when projecting total green card timelines.
- • Georgia's 96.7% certification rate — highest among top-volume states — may reflect a concentration of well-organized staffing agencies and food processing employers (e.g., JCG Foods of Georgia) with established PERM compliance processes.
- • Microsoft Corporation's 83.1% certification rate stands out against peers like Intel (100%) and Management Health Systems (100%), suggesting possible audit scrutiny, more aggressive wage-level disputes, or a higher proportion of complex or contested filings from a major tech employer.
- • Software Developers (SOC 15-1252.00) represent over 1-in-5 PERM filings nationally at an average wage of $142,843 — employers in this category should verify their prevailing wage determinations carefully, as DOL wage disputes are a primary denial driver in high-wage tech roles.
- • The presence of Helpers–Production Workers (avg wage $10,479) and Medical Laboratory Technologists (avg wage $46,919) in the top occupations highlights that EB-3 remains one of the few green card routes accessible to lower-wage and mid-skill workers, not just tech professionals.
- • Top employers Management Health Systems (371 cases, 100% cert rate) and Labor Guys LLC (340 cases, 99.7% cert rate) suggest that specialized immigration staffing companies filing in bulk tend to achieve near-perfect outcomes, likely due to systematized recruitment documentation and attorney expertise.
Top States
Top Industries
Top Occupations
Industry Analysis
Source: DOL PERM Disclosure Data
Report generated: May 23, 2026