PWD processing time: DOL is on June 2026 requests
As of September 30, 2026, DOL is issuing prevailing wage determinations for PERM requests filed in June 2026. At that pace, a new PWD request waits about 3 months.
Updated September 30, 2026
A PWD request filed now waits about
104 days
It peaked at 469 days in April 2023
How many requests are ahead of yours
The table adds up the open requests by filing month. If you filed in a given month, roughly this many requests sit at or ahead of yours.
| Filing month | Open that month | Open through that month |
|---|---|---|
| April 2026 | 8 | 8 |
| May 2026 | 36 | 44 |
| June 2026 | 3,532 | 3,576 |
| July 2026 | 15,959 | 19,535 |
| August 2026 | 14,980 | 34,515 |
| September 2026 | 14,519 | 49,034 |
How the PWD wait has changed
Each point is the gap between the date DOL published and the filing month it was working on, roughly how long a request waited then. The longest was about 469 days in April 2023; it is about 104 days now.
PERM processing time After the PWD comes PERM.
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Questions about the prevailing wage
What is a PWD and why does it come before PERM?
A prevailing wage determination is DOL’s ruling on the minimum wage the job must pay in its location. Every PERM application has to use a valid PWD, so it is the first step of the employment-based green card process.
What is the difference between OEWS and non-OEWS requests?
Most requests are priced from DOL’s Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) data. Requests that rely on a survey, a collective bargaining agreement or another source are non-OEWS. Each type has its own queue and they can move at different speeds.
How soon after the PWD must PERM be filed?
A PWD has a validity period, and the employer has to start recruitment or file PERM within it. The exact dates are on the determination; confirm them with your attorney.
How often is this page updated?
DOL updates at the end of the first work week of each month, and we refresh soon after. The next update is expected around December 4, 2026.