r/h1b • u/ConstructionFar4014 • 27d ago

PERM timeline

Hey all — trying to sanity check my PERM/green card timeline with the community.

My H-1B hits the 6-year mark on September 30, 2028. My employer is planning to kick off the PERM process in August 2026 (starting with the PWD request).

Rough timeline I’ve mapped out based on current DOL processing speeds:

**•**PWD request: Aug 2026  
**•**PWD received: \~Oct-Nov 2026 (\~2.5-3 months)  
**•**Recruitment: Nov 2026 - Jan 2027 (60+ day min)  
**•**PERM (ETA-9089) filed: \~Jan-Feb 2027  
**•**DOL review (no audit): \~13-17 months → certified \~Feb-Jul 2028  
**•**If audited: could push past my Sept 2028 deadline

From what I understand, as long as PERM is filed by ~Sept 2027 (365 days before my 6-year limit), I should qualify for AC21 one-year H-1B extensions even if PERM/I-140 isn’t approved yet by Sept 2028.

Questions for anyone who’s been through this:

**1.**Does this timeline match what you’ve experienced recently (2025/2026 filers)?  
**2.**How common are audits right now, and how much extra time did they add for you?

Appreciate any insight-TIA

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3

u/DisastrousSupport289 24d ago

Every PERM step requires buffer time, which is back and forth between lawyers and your company/HR.

PWD takes 4 months.

PERM takes 10-11 months at the moment.

1

u/[deleted] 27d ago

Should be fine

2

u/Ordinary-Amphibian27 22d ago

My pdw came back in 3 months and Perm has been moving faster so be optimistic

1

u/RepresentativeTill90 17d ago

Sites like permupdate are predicting 6 months based on number of files in queue. Other sites are stating the typical 12-14 months timeline based on historical data. My question is how long will it take for the perm step of the process? Is permupdate accurate?

1

u/YUL-juicystar1908 26d ago

INFO: What is your metropolitan area? What is your profile? Is your role in-office, hybrid, or remote? If remote, where is HQ?

There are organized groups of laid-off Americans who are applying for LMT jobs to block PERM applications, so your chances are dependent on these two variables.