Department of Labor’s Proposal to Expand Green Card Eligible Occupations Advances After OMB Review

The U.S. Department of Labor’s proposal to seek public input for potential expansion of the “Schedule A” list of occupations exempt from the PERM labor certification process has completed the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) review. The forthcoming proposal is expected to invite public comments on expanding “Schedule A” to include STEM and other occupations facing a shortage of U.S. workers. Aligned with an immigration-related mandate in the recent Executive Order on artificial intelligence (AI), the move aims to enhance the attraction and retention of foreign AI talent.

The OMB clearance paves the way for the Department of Labor to publish a request for information (RFI) within the next few days, seeking public input on identifying AI and other STEM-related occupations with an inadequate number of qualified U.S. workers. The proposal, once published in the Federal Register, will outline the submission deadline for public comments. Following this, the Department of Labor may issue a proposed or interim final rule to amend Schedule A, allowing for additional public input on any proposed changes. Stay tuned for further updates on this significant development in employer-sponsored green card processing.

Source: Fragomen