PERM Report: March 2026
Monthly analysis of PERM labor certification cases
Total Cases
14,814
+485 vs prev
Certification Rate
92.1%
-1.7% vs prev
Avg Processing
490 days
-6 days vs prev
Audit Rate
N/A
Case Outcomes
Summary
March 2026 PERM labor certification data reflects a robust and competitive labor market for foreign national workers, with 14,814 cases processed and an impressive overall certification rate of 92.1%. The data reveals that California remains the dominant state for PERM filings with 3,573 cases — nearly three times the volume of second-place Texas — while tech-heavy states like CA, TX, and NY maintain certification rates above 92%, suggesting strong employer compliance and well-prepared petitions in these markets. Illinois and Florida lag slightly behind at 89-90%, potentially indicating higher scrutiny or more complex workforce dynamics in those labor markets. Processing times remain a significant concern for EB-3 applicants, with the average standing at 490 days — over 16 months from filing to decision. This prolonged timeline underscores the importance of early strategic planning, particularly for workers in countries with high visa demand such as India and China where priority date backlogs compound the PERM wait. The Finance & Insurance industry leads all sectors with a 95.5% certification rate, while Manufacturing follows closely at 94.3%, suggesting these industries tend to produce the most compliant and well-documented PERM applications. Professional Services, while the largest category by volume (4,222 cases), posts a slightly below-average 91.9% certification rate, likely reflecting the complexity and scrutiny applied to tech and consulting roles. Occupation-level data confirms the continued dominance of software-related roles in the PERM pipeline: Software Developers alone account for 3,597 filings — nearly 24% of all cases — with average prevailing wages of $149,627. The presence of Fast Food and Counter Workers as the third most common occupation (526 cases, avg. wage $20,637) highlights the dual nature of EB-3 demand, serving both highly-skilled tech professionals and unskilled/semi-skilled workers under the EB-3 'Other Workers' subcategory. Top employers like Cisco and NVIDIA achieving near-perfect or perfect certification rates (99.6–100%) demonstrates that large, experienced corporate sponsors with dedicated immigration teams consistently outperform the overall market average.
Key Insights
- • The 92.1% overall certification rate is a strong signal — nearly 9 in 10 filed PERM applications result in approval, meaning denial risk is relatively low when applications are properly prepared with documented recruitment efforts and correct prevailing wage determinations.
- • Average processing time of 490 days (~16 months) means EB-3 applicants should initiate PERM as early as possible; the PERM clock does not count toward priority date, so delays here directly extend total green card timelines.
- • California accounts for 24% of all PERM filings nationally, reflecting its outsized tech and professional services workforce — applicants in CA benefit from slightly above-average certification rates (92.6%), but face intense competition for employer sponsorship.
- • Finance & Insurance (95.5%) and Manufacturing (94.3%) industries post the highest certification rates, suggesting these sectors tend to have clearer job requirements, more straightforward recruitment documentation, and lower audit risk compared to Professional Services.
- • Software Developers represent nearly 1 in 4 PERM filings (3,597 cases) with average wages of $149,627 — applicants in this occupation should expect heightened scrutiny given the volume, and employers must document robust U.S. worker recruitment with care.
- • The Fast Food and Counter Workers occupation category ($20,637 avg. wage) appearing in the top 5 highlights active use of the EB-3 'Other Workers' path for unskilled roles — a viable but often overlooked route for workers without a college degree or specialized skills.
- • Top employers with 100% certification rates (Cisco, TW Services, Napoli PSC, Management Health Systems) demonstrate that experienced sponsors with dedicated legal teams virtually eliminate denial risk — applicants should prioritize employers with strong PERM track records when possible.
Top States
Top Industries
Top Occupations
Industry Analysis
Source: DOL PERM Disclosure Data
Report generated: May 23, 2026