The iCERT Visa Portal User Guide prepared by the Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) describes how to create and register an iCERT account, log in to the iCERT Portal, and create and manage associate accounts and profiles. Account set-up functionality became available on April 15, 2009.
Employers and attorneys that file LCAs or PERM applications will be required to have an iCERT account to file LCAs and PERM applications. LCA functionality will be added first, followed later by PERM functionality. No current LCA or PERM account or user data from any prior online systems will transfer to the new iCERT system.
LCA functionality became available on April 15, 2009, and will be mandatory on May 15, 2009. PERM functionality is scheduled to become available on September 1, 2009, and mandatory on October 1, 2009.
Related resources
- See NAFSA's iCERT Resource Page for additional information on iCERT
- See the iCERT LCA User's Guide
- OFLC iCERT announcement, technical assistance contact info
iCERT functional features
The iCERT Visa Portal User Guide describes the following features of the new system:
- A single onestop portal or “entry point” allowing employers to prepare, submit, and track applications for labor certification 24 hours a day and 7 days a week;
- A central repository for OFLC immigration related content, including FAQs, forms, news, alerts, and other information;
- A common search engine through which any visa application submitted through the iCERT Portal can be queried and its status reviewed;
- Reduces customer response time to required visa applications by prepopulating USDOL forms with business, contact, and even attorney/agent information;
- Create and manage subaccount users, such as your HR staff or inhouse legal counsel, to prepare and submit visa applications on behalf of employers; and
- Submit requests to withdrawal visa applications for labor certification or authorize subaccount users to do so on behalf of employers