• Source:JND
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US visa update 2025: The United States Department of Labor has restored its Foreign Labor Application Gateway, known as FLAG, thereby restoring the ability of employers to once again file applications for foreign workers under the H-1B, H-2A, H-2B, and PERM visa categories. This change comes as a significant relief to both employers and skilled professionals who had been waiting in anticipation for several weeks to proceed with their visa filings.

In its statement, the OFLC announced that the online platform has now been fully restored and has resumed normal operations, through which users will be able to create new filings, monitor the status of pending applications, and obtain decisions that were pending during the shutdown.

“The FLAG system is up and operational. Applicants can create and submit new applications, and view information about pending cases,” the department said, adding, “We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we resume regular operations.”

Why The System Matters

OFLC has responsibility over the key labor certification process for employers prior to hiring foreign workers in various employment-based visa programs. The FLAG portal is an official channel through which employers submit their labor condition applications, upload supporting documents, and request an update on the status of their applications.

Without the approval of OFLC, the companies are not able to proceed with visa petitions in USCIS. Similarly, the system supports SeasonalJobs.dol.gov, a federal website listing temporary and seasonal job openings certified under H-2A and H-2B programs.

Shutdown Triggered Delay And Backlog

The temporary shutdown of the FLAG system earlier this year was due to an impasse in federal funding that forced many government departments to shut down operations. With the expiry of the Department of Labor's budget around September 30, the OFLC stopped processing completely, taking the FLAG portal and associated websites offline.

During that time, employers could not file new filings and were unable to update prior applications, which delayed many labor condition and wage determination requests. The department emphasized that the outage was strictly related to funding expiration and not with ongoing modernization or technical upgrades.

Impact on Indian Applicants

Officials warn there could still be delays in the short run given the accrued backlog. Applications filed as early as March 2024 were still pending review by mid-2025. Now that the system is back online, OFLC will work through the pending submissions, though processing may take longer than normal.

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Employers can once again file labor condition applications for H-1B petitions and PERM labor certifications via the FLAG portal. Those with pending cases should allow extra time for adjudication and check official OFLC updates on system performance and processing timelines.

This is especially good news for Indian professionals, who represent large portion of applicants for H-1B visas. Thousands of skilled workers from India apply every year for opportunities in technology, healthcare, and research sectors in the US. The reopening could help clear backlogs and bring new momentum toward employment-based immigration.

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With tech companies eager to resume hiring and project expansions, the restoration of the FLAG system marks a crucial step toward stabilizing America’s skilled-worker visa pipeline.

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