ETA Issues Interim Final Rule to Address Backlog in Pending Applications for Labor Certification; Comments Requested by August 20
The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has issued an interim final rule to address an existing backlog in pending applications for labor certification for the permanent employment of aliens in the United States. This amendment to the regulations governing labor certification applications for permanent employment will allow the National Certifying Officer to transfer to a centralized ETA processing center(s) applications now awaiting processing by State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) or ETA Regional Offices. This interim final rule does not affect the pending proposal to streamline procedures for permanent labor certification under 20 CFR part 656, which was published in the May 6, 2002 FEDERAL REGISTER, and which is expected to be finalized in 2004. This interim final rule affects only applications filed under existing regulations, while the streamlined certification regulation
will govern processing of new applications filed after that regulation takes effect.
This interim final rule is effective August 20, 2004. Interested
persons are invited to submit written comments on this interim final
rule. To ensure consideration, comments must be received on or before
August 20, 2004.
The July 21 FEDERAL REGISTER provides full background on this rulemaking with instructions on the submission of comments.
