The Green Card Process Starts With PERM — and Data Wins
For most employment-based (EB-2 and EB-3) green card applicants, the journey starts with a PERM Labor Certification filed with the Department of Labor. PERM is famously slow, complex, and prone to denials that reset the clock entirely.
But PERM data is public — and the Work Visa Insights PERM module puts it to work so you can evaluate employers on their green card filing track record before you accept an offer.
What Is PERM?
Permanent Employment Certification (PERM) is a DOL process in which an employer demonstrates that:
- No qualified U.S. worker is available for the sponsored role
- The offered wage meets or exceeds the prevailing wage
- The employer conducted a proper recruitment effort
Only after PERM certification is the employer allowed to file an I-140 immigrant petition with USCIS. PERM is the foundation of the EB green card process.
What the PERM Module Shows
Employer PERM Profile
- Total PERM filings (lifetime and by year)
- Certification rate — the share that DOL certified vs. denied
- Denial patterns — most common denial reasons
- Audit rate — how frequently DOL audits this employer's PERM filings
- Processing time — median days from filing to decision for this employer
- Job category breakdown — which roles they file PERM for most
- Attorney patterns — which immigration law firms handle their filings
National PERM Trends
- Year-over-year certification rates by industry
- Processing time trends (critical for backlog planning)
- Denial rate by job category and SOC code
- State-by-state PERM volume and outcomes
Step 1 — Find Your Target Employer's PERM History
Search for the employer by name on PERM → Employers. Key metrics to evaluate:
Certification Rate
A certification rate above 85% is a strong signal that the employer runs a disciplined PERM process with experienced immigration counsel. Below 70% is a warning sign — repeated denials add years to your green card timeline.
Audit Frequency
DOL audits PERM filings when documentation is incomplete or the recruitment process looks suspect. A high audit rate slows processing and can indicate structural issues with the employer's PERM program.
Annual Filing Volume
An employer that files fewer than 5 PERMs per year may not have a mature immigration program. Low volume can mean:
- Inexperienced immigration counsel
- Case-by-case approach (less standardised, more variance)
- Limited commitment to EB sponsorship
Step 2 — Check PERM Processing Time
PERM processing times vary dramatically based on whether DOL selects a case for audit. Navigate to PERM → Trends to see:
- Current average processing time (non-audit cases: 3–6 months historically; audit cases: 12–24+ months)
- How times have changed year over year
- Whether backlog is growing or clearing
For Indian and Chinese nationals, PERM processing time is less critical than the I-485/visa availability backlog — but a PERM denial resets everything, making certification rate even more important.
Step 3 — Evaluate the Job Category Risk
Not all PERM categories have equal denial risk. The PERM module shows denial rates by SOC code and job category.
Historically high-denial categories include:
- Software developers at IT consulting firms (aggressive USCIS audit posture)
- Roles with subjective qualification requirements
- Positions in industries with high U.S. worker availability
If your target role falls in a high-denial category, verify the employer has a strong track record specifically for that category — not just overall.
Step 4 — Cross-Reference With H1B Data
A powerful workflow: use the PERM module alongside the H1B module to build a complete picture.
| Signal | What to check |
|---|---|
| H1B approval rate | Does this employer get H1Bs approved? |
| PERM certification rate | Do their green card filings succeed? |
| H1B filing volume | Are they scaling visa sponsorship? |
| PERM filing volume | Are they committed to permanent residency paths? |
An employer with strong H1B approval but poor PERM certification may be fine as a temporary work visa employer but frustrating as a long-term green card sponsor.
Key Questions to Ask Before Accepting an Offer
- What is the employer's PERM certification rate over the last 3 years? (Find this on Work Visa Insights — don't just ask HR)
- What law firm handles their PERM filings? (Experienced firms = fewer denials)
- How many PERMs have they filed for the same job category you're in?
- What is their typical timeline from offer letter to PERM filing? (Some employers delay PERM by 1–2 years after hire)
Start Your PERM Research
The PERM module is live with multiple years of DOL filing data. Open PERM Intelligence → and evaluate your potential employer's green card track record today.