PERM Labor Certification (ETA-9089)

Official PDF downloads

• ETA-9089 Application for Permanent Employment Certification, U.S. Department of Labor (PDF)
• ETA-9089 Instructions, U.S. Department of Labor (PDF)

What this is

Department of Labor PERM labor certification (ETA Form 9089) approved on behalf of the beneficiary. Required for EB-2 PERM and EB-3 cases. Not required for EB-1 or EB-2 NIW cases.

Case-specific: Whether this document matters depends on category, facts, or relationship to the case.

Who usually needs it

Employment-based applicants and the employers or sponsors supporting those cases.

When it usually appears

Usually during petition preparation, later eligibility review, or interview follow-through in employment cases.

What changes by process, path, or post

The exact records depend on the employment category, whether PERM is involved, and what USCIS or DOS still needs to reconfirm.

Common format or evidence traps

• Treating every employment path as if it uses the same employer packet.
• Using credentials or job records that do not clearly connect to the approved case theory.

Related pages

• Petition stage guideUnderstand what petitions decide and what they do not.
• Consular processing guideSee the immigrant-visa route abroad.
• Adjustment of status guideSee the USCIS route inside the United States.

Related glossary terms

Employment preference category · PERM labor certification · Form I-140

Examples from current exact-support flows

Coverage posture: Current public exact-support flows include multiple direct examples for this document, but exact requirements still depend on the route, process stage, and official instructions.

• Needed in some cases

  Bring a copy of the approved PERM labor certification (ETA Form 9089) from the Department of Labor. Required for EB-2 PERM and EB-3 cases. EB-1 extraordinary ability, EB-1 outstanding professor/researcher, EB-1 multinational manager/executive, EB-2 NIW, EB-5, and Gold Card cases do not require PERM. (Sources: USCIS I-140 page, USCIS employment-based immigration overview, DOS Step 10)

  Shown when: scope.green_card_path: employment-based · scope.processing_context: consular-processing · employment.perm_required: true

• Needed in some cases

  Include a copy of the approved PERM labor certification (ETA Form 9089) from the Department of Labor. Required for EB-2 PERM and EB-3 cases. EB-1 extraordinary ability, EB-1 outstanding professor/researcher, EB-1 multinational manager/executive, EB-2 NIW, EB-5, and Gold Card cases do not require PERM. (Sources: USCIS I-140 page, USCIS employment-based adjustment of status overview, USCIS Policy Manual Vol. 7 Part F Ch. 2)

  Shown when: scope.green_card_path: employment-based · scope.processing_context: adjustment-of-status · employment.perm_required: true