The Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) has resumed processing applications for both temporary and permanent employment programs, the United States Department of Labor (DOL) said. This comes after a nearly month-long hiatus due to a federal funding lapse during the US government shutdown.
The Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) portal and the SeasonalJobs.dol.gov website have reopened after being offline since around September 30. They disrupted essential services for employers who depend on foreign workers in fields such as technology, healthcare and other industries. With the portal now fully operational, employers can submit new Labor Condition Applications (LCAs) for H-1B visas, a special work visa widely used by skilled professionals, and track the status of existing applications.
What did the Department of Labor say?
“The Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) system is now accessible and allows users of the system to prepare and submit new applications, as well as submit and receive information associated with their applications until a final decision. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your patience as OFLC transitions back to a fully functional state,” the department said on its website.
The renewal also includes Program Electronic Review Management (PERM) labor certifications, which are the first step for U.S. employers who want to sponsor foreign workers for green cards through permanent positions. These practices help protect the wages and working conditions of American workers.
OFLC manages the labor certification process that U.S. employers must complete before hiring foreign workers under programs such as H-1B, H-2A, H-2B, and PERM. Applications are submitted through the FLAG portal, which serves as the official online platform for filing, document uploading and case tracking.
The suspension disproportionately affected Indian professionals, who make up nearly 70 percent of all H-1B visa holders. Many rely on immediate LCA and PERM approvals to maintain legal immigrant status and remain employed in the United States. The shutdown put thousands of cases on hold, including prevailing wage determinations, LCAs and PERM applications. Immigration lawyers noted that this situation created uncertainty for workers whose visas were about to expire.
Meanwhile, as of July 2025, some cases filed as far back as March 2024 remained unresolved, raising concerns about the legal status of workers due to delays and potential visa expirations, according to India Today.
