Got Immigration? The World’s Best Damn Blog About U.S. Immigration

The Department of Labor released its Quarterly Performance Report today, covering April 2009-June 2009.  According to the DOL, PERM processing rose to completion of 17% of cases within six months of filing.  Wait…what was that?  PERM processing rose to a completion rate of 17%??  The DOL’s snail-pace when it comes to PERM is turning the Labor Certification process into a laughing stock.  It’s very depressing to read the DOL’s Performance Report.  The rate of PERM completion within six months of filing was 94% in the quarter ending June 30, 2008.  A year later, that rate is RISING to 17%.  Between September and December 2008, the rate of PERM completions fell by about 50%, and it fell to a low of 11% in March 2009.  The stated reason for this tanking – “The overall decrease in this measure from one year ago is due to the impact of increasing integrity activities in light of the declining economy and continued filings for positions where there are US workers. (Increased integrity activities are being implemented to protect U.S. workers and satisfy statutory responsibilities and require additional processing time.)”  Translation of DOL-speak to English – “the economy stinks, fewer PERMs are being filed, and, since we now have more time, and are looking out for our own jobs too, we’ll pick apart each PERM to see if the job offer is bona fide.”  I don’t speak DOL fluently, but I’m pretty sure that’s an accurate translation.  The DOL can justify its paltry 17% completion rate however it wants; the sad reality is that skilled foreign workers are going to leave the U.S. in droves if they’re indefinitely stuck in PERM-limbo.  President Obama needs to light a fire under the DOL’s proverbial buttox if we want to remain competitive in a globalized world where skilled workers are a prime commodity.  Anything less will cause America to go the way of other great nations that failed to grasp how rapidly the world can change.