How to Check Status of ETA Form 9089

ETA Form 9089 is also called the Application for Permanent Employment Certification. It is the first form that U.S. employers file, with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), in order to start the process of petitioning to get a green card (lawful permanent residence) for a prospective employee.

The form asks the DOL to confirm that the employer has gone through an appropriate process of recruitment, but failed to find a U.S. worker who is ready, willing, and able to take the job being offered -- and that (after further steps in the application process) the employer should be allowed to hire the foreign-born worker, who has the required experience, training and education needed to fulfill the position.

Submitting ETA Form 9089

Employers may submit ETA Form 9089 by mail or online. However, DOL strongly encourages online filing. For one thing, the system will not let applicants submit the application until it is complete, which prevents the delays that come from employers mailing in an application that DOL then has to mail back with a request for further information.

Online filing is done via the website http://www.plc.doleta.gov/. As part of the filing process, the employer will need to register and set up an account.

Checking ETA Status

How long the employer should expect to wait for approval of ETA-9089 depends on various circumstances such as the visa category type and how backed up DOL happens to be at the time. While certain applications are processed by the DOL in as little as two weeks, a more typical timeframe is one to three months between employer filing and DOL's decision.

The employer can check into the status of its application using the DOL website and its registration information.

Hiring Legal Counsel

Most employers choose to hire a lawyer before filing Form ETA 9089 -- a good idea, given the complexities of understanding what types of employees are eligible for lawful permanent residence under the U.S. immigration laws, and how to successfully complete the recruitment and filing process within a reasonable time frame.