Stories circulate online about people promised a fast track to a green card through a job offer that never existed. A recruiter claims they can “guarantee” approval. An employer says they can skip government steps. Someone asks for payment before any paperwork is filed. These stories spread because they hit on a real fear: that something as important as permanent residence could be lost to a promise that sounded easy.
The truth is more structured than those stories suggest. A job offer can lead to a green card, but the path depends on a process set by the Department of Labor and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. One of the earliest stages is known as PERM labor certification. It confirms the job offer, the wage, and the employer’s good-faith effort to find qualified U.S. workers. When you understand this step, it becomes easier to tell the difference between a real opportunity and a claim that is too good to be true.
This process can feel technical when you first hear about it, but it follows a steady order. Each stage has a purpose, and understanding that order helps the whole path make sense. The steps below give you a grounded view of how a job offer can move toward permanent residence under the rules set by the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
How the PERM process starts
PERM is the system the U.S. Department of Labor uses to review permanent labor certification applications. The name comes from the original Program Electronic Review Management system used for this process. This stage appears in many employment-based green card cases. It examines the job offer, the wage, and the employer’s effort to find qualified U.S. workers. The goal is to make sure the job is offered under fair conditions that match the local labor market. Once the Department of Labor approves this stage, the employer can move to the next part of the immigration process.
How the employer’s role works
The employer handles most of the work in the PERM stage. They request the prevailing wage from the U.S. Department of Labor, run the required recruitment, review applicants, and prepare the job offer details. These steps help the government confirm that the wage meets local standards and that no qualified U.S. workers are available for the job. When the employer completes these requirements, they can file the PERM application for review.
How this stage usually moves forward
Many people feel unsure about what happens after an employer decides to sponsor a worker, so the outline below gives a grounded view of how a case may move.
Prevailing wage determination
The employer asks the U.S. Department of Labor for a prevailing wage. This wage sets the minimum pay the employer must offer for the job. The employer must also show it can pay at least that amount when filing the I-140 petition.
Recruitment
The employer completes the recruitment required by the Department of Labor. These steps help show whether qualified U.S. workers are available for the job. Employers follow specific rules during this part so the government can see that the job was offered in a fair way.
Filing Form ETA-9089
Once recruitment is finished, the employer files Form ETA-9089. This filing places the case under formal review with the Department of Labor. The form contains details about the job, the recruitment, and the worker’s qualifications.
Department of Labor review
The Department of Labor reviews the filing and issues a decision. If the case is certified, it means the Department of Labor has approved this stage and the employer can move forward.
Form I-140 immigrant petition
After certification, the employer files Form I-140 with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. This step shows that the worker qualifies for the job and that the employer can support the job offer.
Green Card application stage
When a visa number is available, the worker applies for permanent residence either inside the United States through Adjustment of Status or outside the United States through consular processing. This is the final step that leads to arrival as a permanent resident or a green card issued inside the country.
Warning signs when an offer seems too good to be true
Some workers worry about job offers that promise results that do not match the government process. The most common red flags involve guarantees, shortcuts, or requests for payment. U.S. employers do not pay the government to speed up the PERM stage, and no one can skip the steps required by the Department of Labor or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. A real offer does not promise approval, does not ask the worker to pay for recruitment, and does not offer to bypass government requirements.
How PERM fits into the Green Card path
PERM certification is often the first major milestone in an employer-sponsored green card case. It confirms the job offer and the employer’s role in the sponsorship process. Once this stage is certified and the I-140 petition is approved, the case enters the part of the process that leads to permanent residence when a visa number becomes available. PERM does not grant the green card on its own, but it establishes the foundation the worker and employer rely on as the case moves toward the final application for permanent residence.
Conclusion
A job offer can lead to a green card when the employer follows the steps required by the Department of Labor and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. PERM certification helps confirm the job offer and the employer’s responsibilities in the sponsorship process. When these stages are completed and a visa number becomes available, the worker can move to the application for permanent residence. Understanding how the process usually works makes it easier to avoid offers that promise results that cannot be delivered or claim to skip government requirements.
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