PERM Backlog Reduction Act of 2026

H.R. 10051, the PERM Backlog Reduction Act of 2026, would direct the Secretary of Labor to create an optional, fee-based expedited processing program for form ETA-9089, the application employers file to obtain a permanent labor certification for foreign workers. Under the program, the Labor Department would have to process the form within 30 days (15 days if an employer requests a status update after that deadline passes). The fee would be set at $1,200, adjusted annually for inflation starting in fiscal year 2028, and deposited into a dedicated Treasury account used to fund staffing, training, adjudication, system upgrades, and fraud detection for the program. The bill also requires that standard (non-expedited) processing times not be harmed by the new program, and it exempts implementation from certain rulemaking and paperwork-reduction requirements when compliance would slow rollout.

The bill primarily affects employers seeking to sponsor immigrant workers through the PERM labor certification process, as well as the Department of Labor offices that administer it; workers awaiting certification would be affected indirectly through processing speed.

The bill was introduced in the House on August 6, 2026, by Rep. Glenn Grothman with Rep. Correa, and referred to the House Judiciary Committee. It has not yet received a committee vote, floor vote, or further action.

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