PERM labor certification: what the employer has to prove (Form ETA-9089)

Описание: For many employment green cards, the Department of Labor has to certify something first. What is a labor certification, who asks for it, and what does the employer have to prove? A plain walk through the PERM step: the two things the employer must show, which categories need it, the Schedule A exception, and where the certified application goes next. This is the second episode of Citizen You: Employment Track.

The voices in this episode are AI. Maya and Derek are AI hosts performing a script that I write and edit with an AI assistant, check against official sources, and have other people review. They are not real people, lawyers or experts.

General information, not legal advice. Not affiliated with USCIS or any government agency. For your own case, talk to an immigration attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative.

What's covered:
• What a labor certification is, and that the Department of Labor issues it
• Why it is the employer's responsibility, not the worker's
• Form ETA-9089 and the PERM program
• The two things the employer has to prove
• Which categories need it: EB-3 yes, EB-2 usually, EB-1, EB-4 and EB-5 no
• The Schedule A exception
• Where it goes next: to USCIS, with Form I-140

Forms shown on screen (first pages only; government seals removed; for illustration, not to be filled out from the video): ETA-9089, I-140. Always use the current edition from the issuing agency.

Sources (as of November 2026):
• Permanent Labor Certification — U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/fore...
• DOL forms (Form ETA-9089): https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/fore...
• EB-3 — USCIS: https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-...
• EB-2 — USCIS: https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-...
• Permanent Workers — USCIS: https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-...

Rules change. If something here is out of date or wrong, say so in the comments and I'll fix it.

Part of Citizen You: Employment Track. To see the other tracks, start with the overview.

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