One of the most important components of the PERM application is the job description. The job description is meant to be placed in a variety of locations for maximum domestic exposure. One of these locations is in two Sunday editions of a local newspaper with high circulation. Another three locations can be selected for job advertisement. Some popular choices are internet job boards, posting hiring notices in a lot of company buildings, or doing some kind of digital recruitment campaigning.
These job postings must all be the same. Not only must they remain the same, however, they must also be specific and immensely detailed. A well-written job description must contain a number of key elements to be accepted by PERM. It is relatively common for PERM to turn away applications because of some error in the job description. Either something was left out, something was too specific or too broad, or any number of other issues.
An excellent job description must include the following components:
An In-Depth Job Description – An in-depth job description sounds easy to write, but in actuality it is quite a challenge. The challenge is two-fold: remaining broad enough in the responsibilities department to entice a lot of applicants, while at the same time being specific enough to discourage domestic applications. PERM is a very tricky position to be in because on the one hand the firm has already found a foreigner they would like to hire. All they have to do is prove that they cannot find an domestic applicants who are well qualified enough take the job instead. This makes it very tricky to write an effective job description.
A secondary challenge to writing an effective job description is making it seem as though the role of this foreigner is vital to the future of the firm. A lot of these foreign applicants are extremely skilled intellectuals that can bring a lot of intangible benefits to the table (leadership, vision, people skills, etc). Spelling this out in the roles and responsibilities section usually takes a bit of time to perfect because this role is more than simply a labourer: they are to take a key position in the firm that will determine future success.
A Prevailing Wage – Every job description and job posting must contain a prevailing wage. The prevailing wage determination will have already been set forth by the Department of Labor. It is then the firm’s responsibility to offer a wage that is higher than the prevailing wage determination. If they offer a lower amount the application will be disqualified.
Not Be Tailored to Foreigners Qualifications – One of the most common issues with job descriptions is that they are too similar to the foreigners qualifications. Labor advertising is all about appealing to the most niche market of peoples; this is true whether it’s for immigration labor or domestic labor applicants.
