Fast-track labor visas for employers who pay—with no public oversight
H.R. 10051 — PERM Backlog Reduction Act of 2026 · Filed by Glenn Grothman (R-WI) · 2 cosponsors · Introduced Aug 6, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill creates an optional fast-track program for employers to expedite processing of permanent labor certification forms (ETA-9089) from the standard timeline to 30 days, in exchange for a $1,200 fee per application. The fees collected are deposited into a dedicated Treasury account and used to staff and operate the expedited program, with inflation adjustments beginning in 2028.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core mechanism is straightforward—a fee-based expedited processing option—but it is paired with broad exemptions from standard administrative and transparency requirements, which is the substantively notable feature.
- Sections exempting the program from Administrative Procedure Act, Freedom of Information Act, Privacy Act, and Paperwork Reduction Act oversight are substantively unrelated to the fee-collection mechanism itself.
What the text implies
- The exemption from Administrative Procedure Act rulemaking means the Secretary of Labor can set fees, adjust them, and modify program rules without notice-and-comment rulemaking or public input, reducing transparency in how the program evolves.
- The exemption from Paperwork Reduction Act review means the government can collect information from employers without the standard burden-minimization review, potentially enabling collection of data beyond what is necessary.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
employers seeking permanent labor certification; immigration law firms and consultants (indirect, through increased client demand for expedited proce