PERM Report: February 2026
Monthly analysis of PERM labor certification cases
Total Cases
14,329
+1,485 vs prev
Certification Rate
93.9%
+1.0% vs prev
Avg Processing
497 days
-5 days vs prev
Audit Rate
N/A
Case Outcomes
Summary
February 2026 PERM labor certification data reflects a robust and healthy approval environment, with 13,449 of 14,329 total cases certified — a 93.9% certification rate. This strong rate suggests that employers are increasingly well-prepared in meeting DOL recruitment and documentation requirements before filing. The average processing time of 497 days (approximately 16.5 months) remains a significant bottleneck, underscoring the importance of early PERM filing as a strategic priority for EB-3 applicants and their employers. The occupational distribution reveals a striking dual-track pattern: the top occupations span from highly-compensated technology roles (Software Developers at $144,655 average wage) to low-wage essential workers (Meat Cutters at $10,970 and Fast Food Workers at $16,724). This reflects EB-3's unique scope as a visa category that covers both skilled professionals and unskilled/other workers. California dominates case volume with 2,750 filings and leads major states in certification rate at 95.0%, consistent with its concentration of tech employers. Notably, Florida shows the lowest certification rate among top states at 86.7%, which may indicate higher rates of incomplete documentation or audit-trigger roles in that state's filing mix. At the employer level, several large corporations — Koch Foods of Gadsden, Devereux Foundation, and Deloitte Consulting — achieved 100% certification rates, suggesting mature, compliance-optimized PERM programs. The Finance & Insurance industry led all sectors with a 97.3% certification rate, followed closely by Manufacturing at 96.6%, while Healthcare lagged at 88.3% — likely reflecting the complexity and scrutiny around healthcare occupational requirements and recruitment documentation.
Key Insights
- • The 93.9% overall certification rate is strong and suggests employers filing in February 2026 are well-prepared; a denial rate of only 3.1% (442 cases) indicates DOL audits and denials remain the exception rather than the rule.
- • The average processing time of 497 days (~16.5 months) means employers should initiate PERM recruitment at least 18–20 months before the intended I-140 filing date to avoid delays in the overall green card timeline.
- • Software Developers account for 23.9% of all PERM filings (3,421 cases), making it by far the most common occupation — EB-3 remains heavily utilized by the tech industry despite EB-2 being available for many of these roles, likely due to priority date strategy.
- • The co-existence of high-wage tech roles ($144K+) and very low-wage food processing/service roles in the top occupations highlights EB-3's breadth: both the 'skilled worker' (EB-3A) and 'other worker' (EB-3C) subcategories are actively used.
- • California's 2,750 filings represent 19.2% of all national cases, confirming its dominance as the primary labor market for PERM-dependent employers; its 95.0% cert rate above the national average suggests high filing quality from experienced immigration counsel in the region.
- • Florida's relatively low 86.7% certification rate among top states warrants attention — applicants with Florida employers should ensure particularly thorough recruitment documentation and prevailing wage compliance before filing.
- • Healthcare's below-average certification rate of 88.3% compared to Finance (97.3%) and Manufacturing (96.6%) suggests higher regulatory scrutiny or documentation complexity in healthcare PERM cases, and applicants in this sector should anticipate a higher likelihood of audits or requests for additional information.
Top States
Top Industries
Top Occupations
Industry Analysis
Source: DOL PERM Disclosure Data
Report generated: May 23, 2026