After nearly a month-long pause due to a federal funding lapse, the US Department of Labor (DOL) has announced the full restoration of its foreign labor certification systems, allowing the processing of both temporary and permanent employment visa applications to resume.

The shutdown, which began around September 30, had paralyzed key immigration processes affecting thousands of US employers dependent on foreign professionals across industries such as technology, healthcare, and research. With systems now restored, employers can once again file Labor Condition Applications (LCAs) for H-1B visas and monitor existing cases through the Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) portal.

The reopening also covers Program Electronic Review Management (PERM) applications—an essential step in sponsoring skilled foreign employees for US Green Cards through permanent job offers. These certifications ensure that hiring foreign workers does not negatively impact American wages or job opportunities.

In a public notice released Friday, the DOL said, “OFLC’s FLAG system is now accessible and permits system users to prepare and submit new applications as well as manage information associated with pending applications.” The SeasonalJobs.dol.gov website has also been restored.

While the department didn’t explicitly attribute the downtime to the US government shutdown, multiple reports have confirmed the outage stemmed from the expiration of DOL funding during the budget impasse.

The DOL has cautioned that the interruption created a backlog and warned of slower processing speeds as systems return to full capacity. “Some stakeholders may experience longer than normal processing and response times. We appreciate your patience as OFLC transitions back to full operational status,” the statement added.

During the outage, employers were unable to file new wage requests, LCAs, or PERM applications—creating uncertainty for thousands of foreign workers, many of whom faced visa expiration risks. As of July 2025, some applications filed as early as March 2024 remained pending, deepening concerns about prolonged delays.

This update offers much-needed relief to Indian professionals, who make up nearly 70% of H-1B visa holders and often experience significant wait times in employment-based immigration processes. The DOL has assured that it is taking “all necessary steps” to restore normal operations and will issue further updates as the backlog is cleared.