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labor certification

Labor certification is issued by Department of Labor (DOL) and must be obtained by U.S. employers seeking to hire foreign workers to perform services in the U.S.

The DOL must certify, based on the employer’s submissions, to that there are no qualified U.S. workers able, willing, qualified and available to accept the proposed job at the prevailing wage for that occupation in the area of intended employment and that employment of the foreign worker will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers. Once the application is certified (approved), the employer must petition the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for a work visa on behalf of the foreign worker.

Foreign labor certification programs are generally designed to ensure that the admission of foreign workers to work in the United States on a permanent or temporary basis will not adversely affect the job opportunities, wages and working conditions of American workers similarly situated.

Definition from Nolo’s Plain-English Law Dictionary

A required procedure for many foreign nationals who have a job offer from a U.S. employer and want to use it to apply for U.S. permanent residence (a green card). In most cases, the job offer alone is not enough to qualify the potential immigrant for a green card. First, the employer must prove that there are no qualified U.S. workers available and willing to take the job. To do so, the employer must conduct an advertising and hiring process and then turn to the U.S. Department of Labor for individual approval of a labor certification. At that point, the intending immigrant can continue with the process and apply for a green card. This process is also referred to as "PERM," meaning Program Electronic Review Management.

Definition provided by Nolo’s Plain-English Law Dictionary.

August 19, 2010, 5:18 pm

US Department of Labor, www.foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov/mission.cfm

USICS, www.uscis.gov

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Temporary Employment of Foreign Workers in The United States, 20 CFR 655 Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}

Labor Certification Process for Permanent Employment of Aliens In The United States, 20 CFR 656