To check the status of a prevailing wage determination, log into the Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) at flag.dol.gov using the account that filed Form ETA-9141, or use the public case status search at flag.dol.gov/case-status-search if you have the case number but not the login. Both routes show where your request sits in the National Prevailing Wage Center (NPWC) review pipeline. With PERM determinations currently averaging over 500 calendar days, knowing how to monitor your case and respond quickly to agency actions is what keeps a sponsorship timeline intact.1U.S. Department of Labor. Processing Times
What You Need Before You Check
Every prevailing wage request starts with Form ETA-9141, the Application for Prevailing Wage Determination.2U.S. Department of Labor. Form ETA-9141 General Instructions When the form is submitted through FLAG, the system assigns a unique case number. It appears on the confirmation page and in the automated email receipt sent to the account holder. Keep that number accessible. Every status check and every agency communication references it. The format follows a pattern like G-100-12345-123456.
You’ll also need the login credentials for the FLAG account used to file. That means the registered email and password belonging to the employer or authorized legal representative who submitted the form. If several people in your organization file immigration applications, confirm which account owns the specific case before you start searching. Logging into the wrong account is the most common reason people can’t find a case they know was filed.
Checking Status Inside FLAG
Log into FLAG at flag.dol.gov with the credentials tied to the original submission. From the main menu, open the Case Management area. This dashboard shows every active and historical filing submitted under that account in one consolidated view.
Search by case number or sort by submission date to find the specific prevailing wage request. A dedicated column shows the current status of each filing. Clicking the case number opens a detail view with recent activity, any agency actions, and the dates those actions occurred. If you manage a high volume of cases, filter tools let you narrow the list by application type or date range.
Using the Public Case Status Search
FLAG also offers a public lookup at flag.dol.gov/case-status-search that doesn’t require a login.3U.S. Department of Labor. Case Status Search Enter the case number and the system returns the current status. This is useful when a colleague or outside counsel needs a quick update without full portal access. It won’t show the internal activity detail you get from the logged-in view, but it confirms where the case stands.
What Each Status Label Means
The status column uses specific labels that tell you where your case sits in review:
- Pending / In Process: The NPWC is still reviewing the job duties, geographic area, and occupational data. No action is needed from you.
- Issued: The wage determination is final. You can download the result and move forward with the underlying filing, whether that’s a PERM application or a labor condition application for H-1B.
- Request for Information (RFI): The certifying officer needs more documentation or clarification before deciding. This requires a timely response.
- Redetermination: The employer has formally challenged the initial result, and the NPWC is conducting a secondary review.
- Withdrawn: The application was cancelled by the filer before a final decision. A new ETA-9141 must be submitted to continue the visa process.
Of these, only the RFI status demands immediate attention. Every other label is either a waiting state or a completed action.
Responding to a Request for Information
An RFI means the certifying officer couldn’t decide based on what was submitted and needs more detail, often about job duties, minimum requirements, or the occupational classification. Respond through FLAG, not by email or mail.
Open the case from the Assigned Case Number tab. In the Action drop-down, select “RFI Response.” A pop-up window appears with a document upload section where you can drag and drop files or browse to select them. Accepted file types are PDF, Word (.doc or .docx), plain text, and Excel, with a 30 MB size limit per file. You can upload multiple documents by repeating the process. Add a description in the free-text field, then submit. An on-screen confirmation records the response.4U.S. Department of Labor. PERM FLAG User Guide
Don’t sit on an RFI. Missing the response window can result in denial, which forces you to start over with a new ETA-9141 filing at the back of the queue.
What the Current Wait Looks Like
The Department of Labor publishes updated processing times on the FLAG Processing Times page, and the numbers as of March 2026 explain why status monitoring matters.1U.S. Department of Labor. Processing Times The NPWC is currently working on cases with the following receipt dates:
- H-1B: December 2025 (OEWS and non-OEWS)
- H-2B: February 2026 (OEWS and non-OEWS)
- PERM: December 2025 (OEWS and non-OEWS)
- CW-1: January 2026
The average calendar days to process a PERM prevailing wage determination hit 503 as of February 2026. That’s roughly 16 to 17 months from filing to issuance. H-2B cases tend to move faster; H-1B and PERM regularly face comparable backlogs. Redeterminations run behind the initial queue, with H-1B and PERM redeterminations currently processing cases from November 2025.
Given those timelines, checking every few weeks is reasonable. Status won’t change daily, and refreshing the portal every morning accomplishes nothing. Monthly check-ins are enough to catch an RFI quickly, which is the only status that puts a clock on your response.
Contacting the NPWC About a Delay
If your case has been pending longer than the published processing times suggest it should be, you can email the agency directly. For prevailing wage issues before a determination is issued, write to FLC.PWD@dol.gov. This is also the address to request a duplicate copy of a PWD if the original was lost.5U.S. Department of Labor. National Prevailing Wage and Helpdesk Center Prevailing Wage Frequently Asked Questions
For PERM-related applications specifically, you can reach the OFLC PERM Helpdesk at oflc.plc@dol.gov if your case was filed more than three months before the month currently posted in the processing queue.1U.S. Department of Labor. Processing Times Contacting them before that threshold usually won’t produce a substantive answer. Include your case number in any correspondence so the agency can locate your file.
One more thing to check the moment a determination is issued: the validity period. The NPWC sets a window of between 90 days and one year on each determination, and you must file the underlying application or begin required recruitment inside that window or file a new ETA-9141 and wait through the queue again.6eCFR. 20 CFR 656.40 – Determination of Prevailing Wage for Labor Certification Purposes Note the expiration date the same day it lands.