Reviewed by the PERM Processing Time Editorial Team · Updated August 5, 2026
What does a PERM status tell me?
A PERM case status is a short procedural label. It can indicate that an application is in ordinary analyst review, in audit review, waiting on information, under reconsideration, certified, denied, or withdrawn. The explainer above translates the label you select into three practical parts: what the label generally means, what to confirm next, and what the label cannot establish by itself.
The selected status is user-provided. This site does not retrieve or independently verify an individual case. Choose only the exact wording shown by the U.S. Department of Labor or in an official case communication. Similar-sounding labels can describe different procedural positions and should not be treated as interchangeable.
How should I use the PERM case status explainer?
Start with the most recent exact status available from an official source. Select that label above and read the meaning, next step, and limitation together. The meaning gives a plain-language description of the procedural stage. The next step identifies a fact worth confirming with the employer, representative, or official notice. The limitation explains what cannot be concluded from the PERM case status alone.
Do not combine an older label with a newer communication or assume that a status changed because time passed. If two sources show different labels, confirm which one is current before relying on the explanation. The explainer is most useful as a structured reading aid: it helps frame the right follow-up question, but it cannot replace the case record, interpret evidence, calculate a response deadline, or determine legal strategy.
What do common PERM case status labels mean?
Analyst Review
Analyst Review indicates that the application is in the ordinary analyst-review path. This PERM case status can be read alongside the current public analyst queue for dated program-level background, but that queue does not reveal the application's place in line, the number of cases ahead, or a personal decision date.
Audit Review
Audit Review indicates that DOL is reviewing an audit response. An audit is a separate procedural path from ordinary analyst review. Confirm that the response was submitted, who is responsible for follow-up, and whether an official notice contains a deadline. The public audit queue is context for the program, not a forecast for one response.
RFI Issued
RFI Issued indicates that a request for information was issued. The label alone does not disclose what DOL requested or when a response is due. Those facts must come from the official notice and the employer or qualified counsel. This page does not accept notice text and cannot evaluate whether a response is complete.
Reconsideration Review
Reconsideration Review indicates that a reconsideration request is under review. For processing-time comparisons, the reconsideration request date is different from the original PERM filing date. The public reconsideration queue may provide stage-level context, but it cannot determine the procedural posture or outcome of an individual request.
Certified
Certified indicates that the PERM labor-certification stage received certification. It does not mean a green card was issued or that the entire immigration process is complete. A possible next step is a separate Form I-140 petition with USCIS, and the filing requirements and timing depend on the individual situation.
Denied
Denied indicates that the PERM application was denied. The label does not explain the reason, available response, or deadline. Those details must be reviewed in the official decision with qualified counsel. Public processing-time data cannot determine legal options.
Withdrawn
Withdrawn indicates that the application was withdrawn. The label does not show who requested withdrawal, why it occurred, or whether another filing exists. Confirm those facts with the employer or representative responsible for the case.
Why is public queue context shown for only some statuses?
DOL publishes current processing queues for Analyst Review, Audit Review, and Reconsideration Review. When a current verified snapshot is available, the explainer can show the matching queue month, published average, average period, and official data date beside the selected PERM case status.
These values describe program activity. They do not identify an individual application, establish a place in line, count cases ahead, predict approval, or promise a completion date. RFI Issued and final statuses do not have an equivalent queue comparison in this explainer, so the page omits the panel rather than inventing one.
Is PERM case status the same as PERM processing time?
No. A status describes the procedural label attached to an individual application. Processing-time data describes public program-level activity. The two can be read together, but one cannot replace the other.
Use current PERM processing time when you want to compare a filing or request date with the published queue. Use this page when you already know the official status and want to understand its meaning. Use PERM Timeline when you want to organize PWD, recruitment, filing, review, and later events from dates and a status you provide.
What information stays private on this page?
The explainer asks only for a supported PERM case status selection. It does not request an identifier, name, employer, attorney, address, notice text, or contact information. Selecting a status does not create a case profile.
If you choose Add status to Timeline, only the normalized stage is stored in browser-local Timeline data on the same device. Timeline storage is optional and clearable. For the broader data-boundary explanation, read how our PERM data works.
Where should I go next?
Use the explanation as a reading aid, then confirm case-specific facts against the official communication held by the employer or representative. A notice deadline, response strategy, denial issue, or later immigration filing requires the underlying documents and may require qualified legal advice.
For the regulatory framework, consult 20 CFR Part 656. This independent page provides public-data interpretation, is not affiliated with the U.S. government, and is not legal advice.