A labor certification from the U.S. DOL is the necessary first step in most employment-based immigrant visa petitions. This link provides a general overview of the steps involved in this complex process.
This DOL information assists an employer in preparing a Labor Certification Application (Form ETA 9035) in any one of the several employment-based visa programs.
The Foreign Labor Certification Data Center is the location of the Online Wage Library for prevailing wage determinations, and the disclosure databases for the temporary and permanent programs. You can access the DOL databases or downloadable files.
The Occupational Outlook Handbook is a nationally recognized source of career information, designed to provide valuable assistance to individuals making decisions about their future work lives. The Handbook describes what workers do on the job, working conditions, the training and education needed, earnings, and expected job prospects in a wide range of occupations.
The DOT was created by the Employment and Training Administration. It is included on this web site because it is a standard reference in several types of cases adjudicated by the Office of Administrative Law Judges, especially labor-related immigration cases. The DOT has been replaced by the O*NET.
O*NET, the Occupational Information Network, is an easy-to-use database accessible from any web browser. It contains comprehensive information on job requirements and worker competencies. O*NET replaces the Dictionary of Occupational Titles and offers a more dynamic framework for exploring the world of work. With O*NET, employers of all sizes and across all fields have a powerful means for accessing critical information that impacts their bottom-line every day.
Check the processing dates for labor certification applications. The times for processing labor certification applications vary greatly between regional offices and State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) based upon their workload.
