DOL Latest News

September was a busy month for policy announcements from the Department of Labor, with developments directly impacting the unskilled worker PERM process. Early in the month, the DOL unveiled its Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions, which signaled the Administration's intent to revise regulations to spur job creation and eliminate red tape, a move that could eventually streamline prevailing wage determinations for entry-level positions . Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer emphasized that the agenda was about "flexibility, transparency, and common-sense reform" .

Later in September, the DOL launched a significant new enforcement initiative called "Project Firewall," designed to safeguard the rights and wages of American workers by ensuring employers prioritize qualified U.S. candidates for the jobs they seek to fill with foreign labor, including unskilled positions . This program is particularly relevant for the PERM process, as it underscores the importance of stringent recruitment steps. Additionally, the department continued its "America at Work" listening tour, highlighting investments in workforce training programs for roles that often compete directly with unskilled foreign labor.