Backlog Reduction Rule for LC's published
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
20 CFR Part 656
RIN 1205-AB37
Labor Certification for the Permanent Employment of Aliens in the
United States; Backlog Reduction
AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Labor.
ACTION: Interim final rule; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of the
Department of Labor (Department or DOL) is issuing this 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
Federal Register of May 6, 2002, 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.
DATES:
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.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Regulatory
Information Number (RIN) 1205-AB37, by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal:
http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the website instructions for submitting comments.
E-mail: Comments may be submitted by e-mail to
blrcomments@dol.gov. Include RIN 1205-AB37 in the subject line of the
message.
