Department of Labor information:
DOL Latest News
The DOL continued to implement its policy agenda in January. The new leadership team, confirmed late last year, began settling into their roles and driving the Administration's priorities forward. This period marked a transition from post-shutdown recovery to active policymaking and enforcement. The focus remained on the regulatory agenda outlined in the previous months, with employers and stakeholders closely watching for the anticipated notices of proposed rulemaking on issues like independent contractor classification—a classification that can be particularly relevant to unskilled workers in the gig economy or temporary labor roles. The new composition of the NLRB also began to take shape, setting the stage for potential shifts in labor law precedent affecting unskilled worker protections.
January 2026
January 2026 BDV Immigration Update
The new year began with a continuation of the steady, reliable performance that defined the previous quarter at BDV for unskilled workers. Approval numbers remained robust and consistent, with the team once again surpassing 150 I-140 approvals for the unskilled category while also managing a healthy volume of green cards and PERM certifications. This pattern of sustained output demonstrates that the operational efficiencies gained over the past year have become firmly embedded, providing clients with confidence and clarity in their case timelines regardless of the external policy environment.
BDV Approvals (January 2026):
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19 - Green Card approvals
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93 - Labor Certification (PERM) approvals
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168 - I-140 approvals
USCIS Visa Bulletin
The February Visa Bulletin brought a pause to the forward movement seen in previous months for unskilled workers.
Final action date: 01SEP21 (no movement)
Dates for filing: 1DEC21 (no movement)
USCIS will continue to use the Dates for Filing Chart, meaning unskilled applicants with priority dates before 1DEC21 remain eligible to file.