▁of ▁the ▁overall ▁process ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁law ful ▁permanent ▁resident . ▁The ▁entire ▁process ▁typically ▁takes ▁several ▁years . ▁ ▁Labor ▁cert ification ▁( also ▁called ▁the ▁P ER M ▁process ). ▁If ▁the ▁pet ition ▁is ▁labor ▁cert ification - based , ▁the ▁employ er ▁must ▁leg ally ▁prove ▁that ▁it ▁has ▁a ▁need ▁to ▁h ire ▁an ▁al ien ▁for ▁a ▁specific ▁position ▁and ▁that ▁there ▁is ▁no ▁minim ally ▁qualified ▁U . S . ▁citiz en ▁or ▁L PR ▁available ▁to ▁fill ▁that ▁position , ▁hence ▁the ▁reason ▁for ▁h iring ▁the ▁al ien . ▁This ▁is ▁currently ▁done ▁through ▁an ▁electronic ▁system ▁known ▁as ▁P ER M . ▁This ▁step ▁is ▁processed ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Department ▁of ▁Labor ▁( DO L ). ▁The ▁labor ▁cert ification ▁is ▁valid ▁for ▁ 6 ▁months ▁from ▁the ▁time ▁it ▁is ▁approved . ▁Im migr ant ▁pet ition . ▁The ▁employ er ▁applies ▁on ▁the ▁al ien ' s ▁beh alf ▁to ▁obtain ▁a ▁vis a ▁number . ▁The ▁application ▁is ▁Form ▁I - 1 4 0 , ▁the ▁topic ▁of ▁this ▁page . ▁Currently , ▁this ▁process ▁takes ▁up ▁to ▁ 6 ▁months . ▁Im migr ant ▁vis a ▁avail ability . ▁When ▁the ▁imm igr ant ▁pet ition ▁is ▁approved ▁by ▁the ▁US C IS , ▁the ▁pet ition ▁is ▁forward ed ▁to ▁the ▁N VC ▁for ▁vis a ▁allocation . ▁Currently ▁this ▁step ▁cent ers ▁around ▁the ▁priority ▁date ▁concept . ▁Im migr ant ▁vis a ▁adj ud