On 9 July the Department of Labor quietly pushed a new software release to the Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG). Release notes show two practical upgrades: prevailing-wage (PW) filers can now upload a single response that satisfies multiple Requests for Information (RFIs) on the same case, and CW-1 employers in the Northern Mariana Islands can request automatic extensions for Recruitment Reports and Notices of Deficiency.
![FLAG portal update lets employers respond to multiple prevailing-wage RFIs in one click]()
VisaHQ’s immigration specialists can also help employers navigate these updated DOL protocols and coordinate downstream filings. Through our self-service and full-service platforms for the United States, we track FLAG updates in real time, prepare visa-support letters, and alert HR teams to prevailing-wage determinations so that PERM, H-1B, or consular visa steps stay on schedule.
While technical, the changes matter for high-volume users of the PW system—particularly IT consulting firms and universities that file hundreds of ETA-9141s annually. Under the old design, each RFI required a separate PDF upload, spawning version-control problems and missed deadlines. The consolidated workflow should cut administrative time and reduce inadvertent denials. Equally important for corporate mobility is the knock-on effect on green-card timelines. Faster PW determinations allow employers to file PERM applications sooner, helping to secure immigrant-visa priority dates before further retrogression. DOL says it will monitor system stability over the next two weeks; users experiencing glitches should clear browser caches and submit screenshots via the FLAG help desk. Given that USCIS premium-processing fees now top $2,805, any savings upstream in the labor-certification process are welcome. Companies should update internal SOPs and train paralegals on the new upload screen to avoid delays.
VisaHQ’s immigration specialists can also help employers navigate these updated DOL protocols and coordinate downstream filings. Through our self-service and full-service platforms for the United States, we track FLAG updates in real time, prepare visa-support letters, and alert HR teams to prevailing-wage determinations so that PERM, H-1B, or consular visa steps stay on schedule.
While technical, the changes matter for high-volume users of the PW system—particularly IT consulting firms and universities that file hundreds of ETA-9141s annually. Under the old design, each RFI required a separate PDF upload, spawning version-control problems and missed deadlines. The consolidated workflow should cut administrative time and reduce inadvertent denials. Equally important for corporate mobility is the knock-on effect on green-card timelines. Faster PW determinations allow employers to file PERM applications sooner, helping to secure immigrant-visa priority dates before further retrogression. DOL says it will monitor system stability over the next two weeks; users experiencing glitches should clear browser caches and submit screenshots via the FLAG help desk. Given that USCIS premium-processing fees now top $2,805, any savings upstream in the labor-certification process are welcome. Companies should update internal SOPs and train paralegals on the new upload screen to avoid delays.
