Overview
The Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ) adjudicates several types of immigration-related cases that originate from the Employment and Training Administration. The Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals (BALCA) principally hears appeals brought by employers whose applications to certify non-U.S. citizens to work in the U.S. have been denied.
Individual ALJs also adjudicate cases involving non-immigrant worker programs, such as H-1B, H-2A and H-2B cases brought by the Wage and Hour Division. See Information for Aliens and Employers.
Interested persons may obtain information about the status of a BALCA appeal or immigration case by using the Case Status Lookup.
Laws and Policies
- Immigration and Nationality Act:
- 8 U.S.C. § 1101-1537
- 8 U.S.C. § 1101 Definitions.
- 8 U.S.C. § 1182 Inadmissible aliens.
- 8 U.S.C. § 1184 Admission of nonimmigrants.
- Code of Federal Regulations:
- Temporary Employment of Foreign Workers in the United States
- 20 C.F.R. Part 655 (ETA certification) (eCFR.gov)
- 29 C.F.R. Part 501 (WHD enforcement) (eCFR.gov)
- Permanent Employment of Aliens in the United States
- 20 C.F.R. Part 656 (eCFR.gov)
- 20 C.F.R. Part 656 (2005) (original PERM regulations)
- Administrative Matters:
- Notice of Internal Board En Banc Procedures (Eff. Feb. 26, 2019; reissued as Memorandum Jan. 24, 2020)
- Designation of USDOL ALJs Serving on BALCA (Jan. 24, 2020)
- Effective March 1, 2017, BALCA discontinued service of non-party alien-beneficiaries with documents issued by BALCA
- Temporary Employment of Foreign Workers in the United States
Texts
- LCA Digest
- Prevailing Wage Guidance (Nov. 2009)
- Digests of PERM Decisions
- En Banc Decisions 1987 to 2004
- En Banc Decisions 2006 to 2016
- Dec. 2010 and prior
- Aug. 2015 | Sept. 2015 | Oct. 2015 | Nov. 2015 | Dec. 2015
- Jan. 2016 | Feb. 2016 | Mar. 2016 | Apr. 2016 | May 2016 | June 2016 | July 2016 | Aug. 2016 | Sept. 2016 | Oct. 2016 | Nov. 2016 | Dec. 2016
- Jan. 2017 | Feb. 2017 | Mar. 2017 | Apr. 2017 | May 2017 | June 2017
Caselists
- Federal Court Decisions
Selected decisions relating to permanent and temporary alien labor certification. - ACM Decisions
Decisions involving enforcement of the limitations imposed on employers using alien crew members for longshore activities in U.S. ports; Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. 1288(c) and (d); 20 C.F.R. Part 655, Subpart G (D cases) - ARN Decisions
Decisions involving attestations by facilities using nonimmigrant aliens as registered nurses; Immigration Nursing Relief Act of 1989; 20 C.F.R. Part 655, Subparts D and E (H1-A cases), and 20 C.F.R. Part 655, Subparts L and M (H1-C cases) - ETA, ESA, JSA and WPA Decisions
Decisions involving the Job Service Complaint System; Wagner-Peyser Act of 1933, as amended, 29 U.S.C. 49 et seq.; 38 U.S.C. Chapters 41 and 42; 20 C.F.R. Part 658 - JSW Decisions
Appeals of prevailing wage determinations made by the ETA at the request of the Wage and Hour Division pursuant to 20 C.F.R. §655.731(d) during the course of an investigation into an employer's H-1B Labor Condition Application (LCA). These appeals reference the procedures used in Job Service Complaint System hearings. - LCA Decisions
Decisions involving labor condition applications and requirements for employers using aliens on H-1B visas in specialty occupations; 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b), 1182(n); 20 C.F.R. Part 655, Subparts H and I - PED Decisions
Debarment and revocation appeals relating to PERM, H-1B, and H-2B labor certification programs; 20 C.F.R. § 655.31(e)(4) and (5); 20 C.F.R. § 655.182(f)(2) and (3); 20 C.F.R. § 655.171(b) and 655.181(b)(2) and (3); 20 C.F.R. §§ 656.26(a), 656.31(f), 656.32. - PWD Decisions
Prevailing Wage Determination appeals relating to PERM, H-1B, and H-2B labor certification applications - TAE Decisions
Decisions involving temporary alien employment arising under the Immigration & Nationality Act, 8 USC 1101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(a); 1188(c) (H-2A and H-2B visas - ESA enforcement actions) [29 C.F.R. Part 501] - TLC Decisions
Decisions involving temporary labor certification arising under 8 USC 1101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(a); 1188(c) (H-2A visas - ETA actions) [20 C.F.R. Part 655, Subpart B] - TLN Decisions
Decisions involving temporary labor certification arising under 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(b) (H-2B visa - ETA actions) [20 C.F.R. Part 655, Subpart A] - TNE Decisions
Decisions involving temporary nonagricultural alien employment (H-2B visas) - WHD enforcement actions [20 C.F.R. § 655.71] - For decisions involving the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Workers Protection Act ("MSP"), see the Miscellaneous Traditional caselist.
Job Descriptions
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook On Line
- Dictionary of Occupational Titles
- O*Net Online
- O*Net-SOC Code Connector
Wage Information
- FLCDataCenter.com
- Online Wage Library
- Agricultural Wage Library
- Adverse Effect Wage Rates by State
- DBA/SCA Wages
- BLS National Compensation Survey
- BLS National Compensation Survey - Wages
- Occupational Employment Statistics
Additional Information
Employment and Training Administration (ETA)
Wage and Hour Division (WHD)
- Wage and Hour Division
- Wage and Hour Division (Immigration Programs)
Office of the Solicitor (SOL)
- Division of Employment and Training Legal Services (ETA cases)
- Division of Fair Labor Standards (WHD cases)
- Regional Offices (WHD cases)
USCIS