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.

OEWS requests
Jun 2026
Non-OEWS requests
Jun 2026
Approximate wait
104
days
Requests still open
49,034
requests

Source: DOL FLAG processing times, September 30, 2026. Next DOL update expected around December 4, 2026.

Updated September 30, 2026

A PWD request filed now waits about

104 days

It peaked at 469 days in April 2023

104 2021 2026
April 2026 8
May 2026 36
June 2026 3,532
July 2026 15,959
August 2026 14,980
September 2026 14,519
Open PERM prevailing wage requests by filing month (September 30, 2026)

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 monthOpen that monthOpen through that month
April 202688
May 20263644
June 20263,5323,576
July 202615,95919,535
August 202614,98034,515
September 202614,51949,034

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.

Save your case and see the latest date whenever you come back

A free account keeps your PERM filing date, category and country of birth, and recalculates after every DOL and Visa Bulletin update. Sign up with Google or email, no password. Pro adds alerts by email and Telegram.

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.