OFLC Budget Plan For FY2016 Introduces Fee for PERM and Backlog Reduction
As posted on the Oh Law site.
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07/10/2015: DOL Plan to Reduce PERM Backlogs and Improvement in FY 2016
OFLC has been experiencing increased delays and backlogs in foreign labor certification programs. The FY 2016 budget proposes to convert the current filing fee free PERM applications to fee-based PERM program. Additionally, The FY 2016 request includes a one-time request for funding of $13,000,000 to support 17 Term FTE to reduce the escalating backlog of Permanent Labor Certification Program (PERM) cases. With these resources, OFLC projects that 96,450 PERM applications will be processed – a 36 percent increase from FY 2014 and over 16,000 more applications than are expected to be received in FY 2016. On top of these two changes, DOL's initiation of PERM Modernization program as part of Obama Immigration Action which includes proposed launch of Premium Processing Services is likely to improve the PERM processing system and backlog reduction in the next fiscal year. For the budget proposal, please
click here.
The actual text in the budget proposal document (page 27) is:
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The programs currently administered by the Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) include the: immigrant Permanent Labor Certification Program (PERM) or the “Green Card”;
nonimmigrant H-1B and H-1B1 Specialty Occupations Programs; E-3 Specialty Worker Program; H-2A Temporary Agricultural Program; H-2B Temporary Non-agricultural Program;
Determination of Prevailing Wages; and D-1 Longshore Crew member Program.
For FY 2016, the Department requests $61,589,000 and 189 FTE for Federal Administration. These resources will support the operation, management, and oversight of the Foreign Labor Certification programs. The FY 2016 request includes a one-time request for funding of $13,000,000 to support 17 Term FTE to reduce the escalating backlog of Permanent Labor Certification Program (PERM) cases. With these resources, OFLC projects that 96,450 PERM applications will be processed – a 36 percent increase from FY 2014 and over 16,000 more applications than are expected to be received in FY 2016.
and
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The Budget proposes legislation to allow the Department to charge fees for new applications filed under the Permanent and H-2B foreign labor certification programs, to improve the speed and quality of certification processing. The Budget also proposes legislation to allow DOL to retain fees for certified applications filed under the H-2A temporary labor certification program and modify the fee to cover full program costs. The fees would partially offset Federal costs for administering these programs and, once fully implemented, would eliminate the need for appropriations for this purpose.
61,574 Applications were remaining as of March 31, 2015 according to figures released by OFLC.
