Labor Certification Application Laws - Chicago Attorney

U.S. Permanent Residency Process

Labor Certifications

If a business, large or small, is in need of qualified workers and cannot find enough U.S. workers (citizens, permanent residents, or work authorized) to fill those jobs, the company can go through the labor certification process to sponsor for permanent residency employees from other countries who meet the specific requirements for the job opportunity.

Often, these workers have specific technical skills, machinery operational skills, or bilingual skills and may include teachers, engineers, computer professionals, nannies, machine operators, craftsman, or physicians in medically underserved areas. At the Badia-Tavas Law Group, Ltd., in Chicago, Illinois, our immigration attorney has been helping clients through the complex labor certification process since 1993.

The Process of Filing an Application for Labor Certification (LC) under the PERM Regulations

Corporations who want to sponsor non-U.S. workers for permanent residency often have to meet certain requirements for labor certification of the specific occupation and job opportunity in the area of intended employment. They need to show a scarcity of U.S. workers who are specifically qualified, able, willing, and available to do the job offered. The employer must be actively involved in the legal process. The employer must document their genuine recruitment efforts to prove they have tried to fill the position with a U.S. worker.

Required recruitment efforts must include mandatory steps for all positions and three additional steps for professional positions. They include (but are not limited to) two Sunday newspapers ads, 10 business days internal postings at the work site, posting in electronic media of the employer, job orders with the state Department of Labor, headhunters / recruiters, professional trade journals, job fairs, on-campus recruitment and radio and TV ads. Potential U.S. workers need to be willing to work in the immediate geographic area within normal commuting distance.

The employer must attest to the recruitment efforts using a government based electronic filing system. The PERM regulations require employers to maintain the evidence of recruitment documents for a minimum period of five years. Our thorough and attentive immigration lawyer helps employers meet all of these requirements and make the process as smooth as possible.

Contact Us for a Consultation to Discuss Labor Certifications

If you have questions regarding the steps to help qualified foreign workers obtain permanent residency through labor certification under the PERM regulations and system please contact our immigration law firm of Badia-Tavas Law Group, Ltd., in Chicago, Illinois. Our immigration attorney specialized in labor certifications charges a reasonable fee of $100 per hour for the initial consultation. We stay current with all of the changing government regulations, and use a variety of creative approaches to help you meet your hiring goals.

Our Chicago law office is located close to the "L" brown line, and provides clients with online case management services so they can monitor the status of their case at all times as they become available. Se Habla Español.