Overview

• The Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification suspended operations and disabled the FLAG system due to the shutdown, blocking new submissions and updates.
• Without a certified, downloaded Labor Condition Application, new H‑1B petitions, employer transfers, and status changes cannot proceed, attorneys say.
• The State Department says scheduled passport and visa services will continue as the situation permits, though individual posts may scale back if fee revenue falls.
• USCIS remains largely operational because it is fee‑funded, but related filings that require DOL actions are on hold, and programs like E‑Verify are temporarily unavailable.
• Applicants report confusion over missed or uncertain appointments, and recent Trump administration moves to raise H‑1B fees and alter selection rules add to employer concerns.