Foreign Labor Certification Processing Times and Dates

The times for processing labor certification applications vary greatly between regional offices and State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) based upon their workload. Regional offices and SWAs located in high volume areas with high populations of immigrants take more time to complete labor certification applications. The volume of applications received is the main factor that influences the length of time required to review and make a decision on labor certification applications.

The dates provided in the tables below represent the date stamped on the labor certification application when it was received at the regional or state offices. If you know the date your application was transferred by the State Workforce Agency to the regional office, you can estimate how close the regional office is to reviewing your application.

For information pertaining to the status of a particular case, you may contact the appropriate regional office. Each regional office has a telephone information retrieval system that allows interested parties to receive an automated response to the status of a case by using either the case number or the employer telephone number. If the application has not reached the regional office which has jurisdiction over the SWA where the application was filed, you may contact the State Workforce Agency for updated information.

LCA Processing Times

For LCAs electronically filed on our web site, a response can be expected in minutes or, in the case of a question regarding the prevailing wage source, the next working day. Assistance in electronically filing LCAs may be obtained by contacting: LCAHelp@doleta.gov

> For LCAs submitted by facsimile, the response can be expected within two workdays. If you have submitted a Labor Condition Application for an H-1B, and two days have passed, and you have not yet received a response, please call 1-877-872-5627 to report this, or e-mail us at LCAFAX@doleta.gov.