Department Of Labor Issues New Rules For Labor Certifications
On May 17, 2007, the Department of Labor (DOL) amended its administrative regulations as they relate to labor certifications. The new rules will go into effect on July 16, 2007. Cases already pending with the DOL will not be affected by the new provisions.
Many foreign employees in the U.S. would like for their employers to sponsor them for their green cards, or permanent residency. The first step in this process is obtaining a labor certification that has been approved by the DOL. A labor certification attests that there are not sufficient workers able, willing, qualified and available to perform the work, and that the employment of the foreign workers will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of U.S. workers in similar positions. Once these certifications are made, the DOL will approve a labor certification.
The new rules issued by the DOL, however, drastically change the way labor certifications are handled. For example, current rules allow for substitution, where employers can replace one foreign worker in a labor certification for another without losing the employer's place in the processing line. The final regulation eliminates this practice, making it difficult for an employer to make a substitution should a worker be terminated or voluntarily leave the company.
The DOL will now also ban an employer from recouping the costs associated with the labor certification process from the foreign employee, including legal costs. From now on, any costs associated with preparing, submitting, and obtaining a permanent labor certification must be paid by the sponsoring employer and not paid by the employee. Many small to mid-sized companies ask their employees to pay legal costs associated with the employee's labor certification; the new rules do away with this, which may put a financial strain on employers.
The final rule also provides a 180-day validity period for approved labor certifications; employers will have 180 calendar days within which to file with Immigration Services an approved permanent labor certification in support of a Form I-140 Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker. The rule also prohibits the sale, barter, or purchase of permanent labor certifications and applications.
