H-1B Visa applications to be deleted from March 20: Key details for employers

Starting March 20, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration will begin deleting older case records from the Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) system. This move, as reported by multiple sources, is part of an effort to comply with federal data retention policies.

What’s Changing?

The FLAG system, a critical platform for managing labor certification applications, will remove records older than five years from their final determination date. This means that H-1B, H-1B1, H-2A, H-2B, E-3, and Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) applications that meet this criteria will be permanently erased.

For instance, cases with a final determination date of March 21, 2020, will be deleted on March 21, 2025. Employers are advised to download any necessary records before March 19, 2025, as once deleted, they cannot be recovered.

What Will Be Impacted?

The record deletion will affect:

Prevailing Wage Determinations (PWD)

Permanent Labor Certification Applications (PERM)

Temporary Labor Certification Applications (H-2A, H-2B, CW-1 visas)

Temporary Labor Condition Applications (H-1B, H-1B1, E-3 visas)

Why Are These Records Being Deleted?

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) mandates that records classified as "temporary" must be deleted after their retention period. Only records deemed "permanent" for historical significance will be preserved.

Next Steps for Employers

✔️ Review your FLAG account and identify any important records older than five years.

✔️ Download necessary documents before the March 19, 2025 deadline.

✔️ Act quickly, as deleted records cannot be restored once removed from the system.

Employers relying on FLAG for labor certification processes should take immediate action to ensure compliance and retain important documentation.