Major changes are coming in the employment-based immigration world as the Department of Labor announced its plans of introducing a new permanent labor certification (PERM) form (Form ETA 9089) and case management system. DOL's revisions are intended to modernize the current form and system, which have been in place since 2005. DOL issued proposed revisions back in 2020, and after the required notice and comment period during which the DOL accepted comments from practitioners and other stakeholders, the DOL announced last month that it is ready to implement the changes.

The employment-based green card process has three steps: a permanent labor certification issued by the DOL; an approved immigrant petition for alien worker form filed by an employer for an employee; and the foreign national's application for a green card once they become eligible.