2019 will be a good year for immigrants who apply for their green card through their employer. While there will be some economic issues this year, including slowing growth and higher prices due to the trade wars, the good news is that the unemployment rate is likely to stay at historic lows. Employers are having a very hard time finding U.S. workers to fill positions. This means employers who file PERM labor certification applications will have an easier time convincing the US Department of Labor that there is a shortage of U.S. workers ready, willing and able to do the job.
Second, the U.S. Department of Labor and USCIS are not affected by the government shutdown. The U.S. Department of Labor is funded through September 30, 2019, and will be able to continue processing PERM labor certifications, as well as prevailing wage requests and labor condition applications at its normal rate. This means, the first step of the labor certification process, where the employer first obtains a prevailing wage determination and then files a PERM labor certification application, should go as smoothly as ever.
USCIS is funded by the USCIS filing fees that applicants have to pay, and so they are continuing to adjudicate Forms I-140 employer immigrant petitions as well as Forms I-485 applications for adjustment to permanent residency. USCIS is also not affected by the government shutdown.
Third, backlogs in employment-preference visa numbers for the worldwide categories are either nonexistent, or are very reasonable. The US State Department Visa Bulletin for February 2019 shows second, third and fourth employment preferences for the worldwide category as all current, as well as the other workers employment preference. That’s fantastic! No backlogs! The first employment preference for the worldwide category is backlogged to December 1, 2017, a little more than one year, which is not bad at all in immigration time.
Fourth, because they are having such a hard time finding qualified employees, employers are more likely to be willing to go through with the labor certification process, which for the employer is time-consuming and expensive. Thus, it will be easier for immigrants to find employers who are eager to sponsor them.