Check a PERM application filed on or after May 31, 2023 in the Department of Labor’s FLAG Case Status Search, using the complete case number with its dashes. For an earlier filing, use the legacy PLC system identified by FLAG. Then compare the case’s own status with OFLC’s monthly processing-time page. Queue dates and average days are administrative snapshots—not promised decision dates. As of October 5, 2026, OFLC says a filer may contact the PERM Helpdesk when the application was filed more than three months before the month shown on the queue page.
What you need before checking a PERM case
Have the employer’s ETA Form 9089 filing information and the full Department of Labor case number available. The filing date determines which status system applies, while the complete case number is required for a FLAG search.
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- Filing date: You need to know whether the application was filed on or after May 31, 2023.
- Complete case number: Enter every character, including dashes. A partial number can prevent the record from being found.
- Employer or attorney records: Keep the filing confirmation, submission receipt, and any DOL correspondence nearby so you can compare dates and status labels.
- Current queue information: OFLC updates its PERM processing-time information monthly, and the page may change its labels or displayed months.
A status search shows administrative information about the application. It does not by itself explain why a case is delayed, establish that a case was mishandled, or provide a guaranteed adjudication date.
Step 1: Identify which status system applies
Applications filed on or after May 31, 2023
Use the FLAG Case Status Search for PERM applications filed on or after May 31, 2023. FLAG is the Department of Labor’s current portal for these cases and includes the case-status and case-details functions.
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Applications filed before May 31, 2023
The FLAG status-search page directs users to the legacy PLC system for applications filed before May 31, 2023. Do not assume that an older case will appear in the newer FLAG search. Confirm the filing date from the employer’s or attorney’s records, then follow the legacy-system instruction shown by the Department of Labor.
This cutoff is about the filing generation, not the date you happen to search. A case filed before the cutoff remains an older-generation case even if you are checking it years later.
Step 2: Search FLAG with the complete case number
- Open FLAG’s PERM Case Status Search. Select the PERM status-search function rather than trying to locate the case through an unrelated application type.
- Enter the full number. Include all digits, letters, and dashes exactly as issued. The search interface permits up to 30 case numbers at one time, which is useful for an employer or representative checking multiple filings.
- Submit the search and review the returned record. Use the case number and filing details to confirm that the result belongs to the correct employer and application.
- Open Case Details when available. For a submitted case with an assigned number, Case Details can open the submitted application PDF and show available actions.
The Department of Labor’s 2023 release information specifically describes searching with the complete case number. Treat the punctuation as part of the identifier, not optional formatting.
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What if the case was just submitted?
A newly submitted application may not immediately have its permanent FLAG case number. The FLAG FAQ says cases usually remain in the “pre-submitted” phase for under fifteen minutes; after that, the status generally updates to “submitted” and the official case number becomes available.
That period is an initial assignment delay, not evidence that the application has entered Analyst Review or another adjudication stage. If the pre-submitted display persists beyond the usual interval, preserve the submission confirmation and ask the filing employer or representative to verify the submission record before treating it as a processing-time problem.
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Step 3: Read the case-specific status
FLAG groups records by stages such as initiated, pending-case-number, assigned-case-number, and historical. Within the assigned-case-number grouping, the 2024 user guide gives examples including Analyst Review, RFI Issued, and Audit Review. The portal’s live label controls if the interface changes.
| What you see | How to use it |
|---|---|
| Pre-submitted | The submission is still in the short initial period before the permanent number is normally assigned. The FLAG FAQ says this is usually under fifteen minutes. |
| Submitted or pending case number | The filing has been submitted, but the permanent case identifier may not yet be available. Check the record again after the initial assignment window. |
| Assigned case number | A permanent number is available. Case Details may provide the submitted application PDF and available actions. |
| Analyst Review | The record is shown under an assigned status used for analyst adjudication. Compare it with the Analyst Review queue snapshot, but do not convert that snapshot into a personal deadline. |
| RFI Issued | The portal indicates that a request for information has been issued. Review the notice and any response instructions in Case Details or the employer’s correspondence. |
| Audit Review | The case is displayed in the audit-review category. Compare it with the Audit Review queue information, recognizing that its queue and average measures are separate from Analyst Review. |
| Historical | The record is grouped as historical in the interface. Use the case details and official notices to determine what action, if any, remains available. |
These labels describe where the record is categorized in the portal; they do not, on their own, disclose the cause of a delay or the date a determination will be issued. Save a dated screenshot or PDF of the status for your records if the display later changes.
Step 4: Compare the status with OFLC’s processing-time page
OFLC publishes two different kinds of information for PERM: a priority-date queue snapshot and an average number of processing days. They answer different questions and must not be substituted for one another.
| Measure | As of October 5, 2026 | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst Review priority date | December 2025 | A queue snapshot showing the filing-priority month OFLC listed for Analyst Review. |
| Audit Review priority date | December 2025 | A separate queue snapshot for cases in Audit Review. |
| PERM reconsideration requests to the Certifying Officer priority date | May 2026 | A queue snapshot for that reconsideration category, not for every pending PERM application. |
| Average Analyst Review determination time | 336 calendar days for August 2026 | An OFLC average processing duration for that reporting period, not the age or remaining time of your case. |
| Average Audit Review determination time | N/A for the reported period | No average was listed for Audit Review in that update. |
The priority-date figures tell you which filing month the agency reported as being reached in a particular queue. The 336-day figure is an average for Analyst Review determinations reported for August 2026. Neither figure is a service-level agreement, a promised completion date, or a prediction for one employer’s application.
OFLC expressly cautions that “Actual processing times for each employer’s PERM application may vary from the average depending on material facts and individual circumstances of the case.” A case can therefore move faster or slower than the published average even when its category and filing month appear to match the page.
How to make a useful comparison
- Write down the case’s filing date and current FLAG category.
- Record the queue priority month for that same category, using the date shown on OFLC’s live page.
- Record any published average separately, including its reporting month and whether the unit is calendar days.
- Compare the case’s age with the queue snapshot only as an administrative signal.
- Do not add the average to the queue month or subtract it from your filing date to manufacture an individual decision date.
Step 5: Decide whether a delay meets OFLC’s inquiry threshold
As of October 5, 2026, OFLC stated that a filer may contact the PERM Helpdesk when the application was filed more than three months before the month displayed on the processing-time page. This is a published threshold for an administrative status inquiry, not a promise that the case will be expedited or decided after contact.
Apply the rule to the correct queue month and case category. Keep the page’s as-of date with your notes because OFLC updates the information monthly. If the live page has changed, follow its current wording and contact details rather than relying on an old copy.
Helpdesk contact information
The October 5, 2026 guidance listed the PERM Helpdesk address as [email protected] and also listed [email protected]. Re-check the current OFLC page before sending a message, because administrative contact details and instructions can change.
What to include in an inquiry
- Complete PERM case number, including dashes.
- Employer name and the filing date.
- Current FLAG status and the date you observed it.
- The queue category and priority month you used to apply the three-month threshold.
- A short, factual description of the status question.
Keep the message focused on locating or clarifying the case. Avoid sending confidential personal information that the helpdesk did not request, and retain a copy of the inquiry and any response.
How to respond while a case is pending
First, verify the record rather than guessing about the cause
Check the case number, filing generation, current status, and last correspondence. A mismatch between a company’s internal tracking sheet and FLAG can result from a transcription error, a newly assigned number, or a status-category change. Resolve the identity of the record before drawing conclusions from elapsed time.
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Second, act promptly on an RFI or other notice
If FLAG shows RFI Issued or Case Details contains a notice, give the notice to the employer and authorized representative immediately. Follow the response instructions and deadline in that notice. A status inquiry is not a substitute for responding to a request for information.
Third, maintain a dated case file
- Save submission confirmations and the assigned case number.
- Keep copies of the ETA Form 9089 and documents made available through Case Details.
- Log each status check with the date, displayed label, and any queue figures used for comparison.
- Store helpdesk messages and replies with the case record.
This record makes later conversations more precise without assuming that a delay has a particular legal explanation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common mistakes that create confusion
Using the wrong portal
The May 31, 2023 cutoff is the most important routing rule. Searching an older filing only in FLAG can make a valid case appear missing. Use the legacy PLC path identified on the FLAG page for pre-cutoff filings.
Leaving out dashes from the case number
FLAG’s instructions call for the complete number. Re-enter it exactly as issued before concluding that no record exists.
Treating “under fifteen minutes” as a processing promise
The under-fifteen-minute statement applies to the usual transition from pre-submitted to submitted and assignment of the official number. It is not an estimate for Analyst Review, Audit Review, or a final determination.
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Confusing a queue month with an average
A priority date is a queue snapshot. A number such as 336 calendar days is an average for a specified reporting period and category. They are not interchangeable units and cannot produce a guaranteed personal timeline.
Assuming a delayed case should be withdrawn or appealed
The official status pages explain how to check a record and when an administrative inquiry may fit. They do not establish that withdrawal, appeal, or another legal strategy is appropriate merely because time has passed. Obtain individualized immigration advice before taking a legal step.
When professional advice may be appropriate
OFLC’s helpdesk can address administrative status questions, but it is not a substitute for individualized immigration legal advice. Consider consulting a qualified immigration professional when you need an assessment of a request for information, an audit-related issue, a reconsideration request, a material change in the employer’s circumstances, or the effect of a decision on a specific person’s immigration plan. Base that consultation on the actual case documents and notices, not only on the public queue page.
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A practical delay-response checklist
- Confirm whether the filing was before or on/after May 31, 2023.
- Use FLAG for the newer filing generation or the legacy PLC system for the older one.
- Search with the entire case number, including dashes.
- If the case is new, allow the usual pre-submitted interval described in the FLAG FAQ.
- Record the exact live status label and date observed.
- Match that status to the corresponding OFLC queue category.
- Write down the priority month and any average processing figure separately.
- Check whether the filing is more than three months earlier than the month currently posted, using OFLC’s current wording.
- If the threshold fits, send a concise inquiry to the current PERM Helpdesk address listed by OFLC.
- Respond to any formal notice according to its instructions, and seek individualized legal advice before making a withdrawal, appeal, or other legal decision.
What a status check can—and cannot—tell you
A careful check can identify the correct system, confirm that the number is recognized, show the portal’s current category, reveal whether a notice or document is available, and indicate whether OFLC’s published inquiry threshold may apply. It cannot reveal an unpublished reason for delay, guarantee a determination date, or convert an agency-wide average into a case-specific forecast. Keeping those limits clear prevents an administrative delay from being mistaken for a definitive legal outcome.
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