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Freedom251 › Blog › AC21 portability

What to Do if Your Employer Withdraws Your PERM or I-140 Petition

By Freedom251 Team · · 9 min read

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Do not assume every withdrawal ends your green-card process. The result depends on which filing was withdrawn, whether an I-140 was approved, how long an associated I-485 has been pending, and whether you have a qualifying new job or replacement immigration basis.

PERM, I-140 and I-485 are separate stages. Identify the exact stage first, preserve every notice, calculate the correct 180-day clocks, and obtain individualized advice before withdrawing an I-485 or changing its underlying basis.

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First identify what your employer withdrew

Employers can withdraw different filings at different points. A withdrawn PERM is not the same event as a withdrawn I-140, and an approved I-140 has protections that do not automatically apply to a pending petition.

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Case stage What the withdrawal usually means Immediate issue to check
PERM pending with the Department of Labor (DOL) The employer is ending the labor-certification case. There is no approved I-140 to preserve. Whether another employer can begin a new sponsorship and whether any filing was actually withdrawn.
PERM certified, I-140 not filed The certification may be unusable if it is not submitted to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) within 180 days of certification. The certification date, expiration date and whether the original employer will still file Form I-140.
I-140 pending The available materials do not establish that a pending, unapproved petition receives the same withdrawal protection as an approved petition. USCIS case status, the withdrawal confirmation and advice on a new petition.
I-140 approved, no I-485 or I-485 pending fewer than 180 days A withdrawal filed less than 180 days after approval generally triggers automatic revocation, subject to the separate 180-day I-485 rule and other exceptions. Exact I-140 approval date and I-485 filing date.
I-140 approved, I-485 pending at least 180 days The approved petition can remain approved despite withdrawal alone if the regulatory timing requirements are met, but the original job offer does not remain available. Whether the new job qualifies for AC21 portability or another replacement basis.

Request the employer’s written withdrawal confirmation if possible. Also check your USCIS online account, receipt history and mailed notices so you know whether the action was a voluntary withdrawal, a USCIS revocation, or a different case update.

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What happens to a PERM withdrawal?

Pending PERM

PERM is the DOL labor-certification stage. DOL states that the date it receives the application is used by USCIS and the Department of State as the priority date. The employer, as the filer, controls the submitted case in the DOL system. DOL’s FLAG FAQ describes withdrawing an eligible submitted case from the Case Details page, including cases listed as “In Process.” That system description does not give the sponsored worker authority to stop an employer’s withdrawal.

If the employer withdraws a pending PERM, you should not treat the application as an approved immigration benefit. A new employer generally must conduct its own recruitment and file a new PERM unless a specific legal exception applies. Your next steps depend on the new employer’s willingness to make a permanent, full-time job offer and on your independent immigration status.

Certified PERM with no I-140 filed

A certified labor certification is time-limited. DOL says it expires if it is not submitted to USCIS with Form I-140 within 180 days. The 180 days run from certification, not from the date you learned about the withdrawal or from a later I-140 receipt.

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Ask for a copy of the certification and record its certification date. If the original employer will not file the I-140, do not assume another employer can simply substitute its name on that certification. Whether a different filing strategy is available requires review of the documents and current rules. If the certification has expired, a new PERM may be necessary.

What happens to a pending I-140?

The withdrawal rules for a pending, unapproved I-140 are not the same as the rules for an approved petition. The official materials addressed here primarily establish the effect of withdrawing an already approved employment-based I-140; they do not establish every consequence of withdrawing a petition that USCIS has not yet approved.

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Confirm the receipt number and current status in USCIS records. Preserve the withdrawal notice, the I-140 receipt notice, the underlying PERM and all supporting filings. Do not describe a pending I-140 as an approved petition, and do not promise that an unapproved petition’s priority date or other benefits can be retained. A new employer may need to start a new PERM and I-140 process.

The two different 180-day clocks for an approved I-140

People often refer to “the 180-day rule” as though there were only one clock. There are two distinct timing triggers:

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  • I-140 approval clock: 180 days measured from the date USCIS approved the employment-based petition.
  • I-485 pendency clock: 180 days measured from the date USCIS received the associated adjustment-of-status application.

Write both dates down. They are not interchangeable, and reaching one does not automatically mean you have reached the other.

Withdrawal before either relevant threshold

The USCIS decision dated August 30, 2022, quotes 8 C.F.R. § 205.1(a)(3)(iii)(C): a withdrawal filed less than 180 days after I-140 approval generally causes automatic revocation unless an associated adjustment application has already been pending for 180 days or more. If your I-140 is approved but you have no I-485, or your I-485 has been pending for fewer than 180 days, do not assume the approval survives a prompt withdrawal.

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Check the exact approval and receipt dates against the date the employer submitted its withdrawal. A USCIS notice may use different terminology from the employer’s letter, so preserve both records.

Withdrawal after one of the thresholds

The same regulation provides: “A petition that is withdrawn 180 days or more after its approval, or 180 days or more after the associated adjustment of status applications has been filed, remains approved unless its approval is revoked on other grounds.” In practical terms, an approved employment-based petition generally remains approved against withdrawal alone when either applicable 180-day condition is met.

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That protection is limited. It preserves the petition’s approval; it does not preserve the sponsoring employer’s job offer. The USCIS decision explains that the job offer is rescinded and that a new employment-based petition is generally needed to pursue adjustment of status or an immigrant visa, unless an exception such as INA § 204(i) and 8 C.F.R. § 245.25 applies.

AC21 portability: when a new job may support the pending I-485

AC21 portability is separate from an employer “transferring” ownership of an I-140. For certain employment-based applicants in the first three preference categories, USCIS allows a job change when the I-485 has been pending for at least 180 days and the new position is in the same or a similar occupational classification as the original job.

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How Supplement J fits in

Form I-485 Supplement J is the USCIS mechanism used to request or document portability in qualifying cases. USCIS guidance describes Supplement J for applicants who properly request to port and explains related notices. Form instructions and filing procedures can change, so use the current USCIS version when preparing a filing.

Portability is not automatic

Meeting the 180-day I-485 threshold alone does not guarantee approval. USCIS still examines whether the original case was valid, whether the new offer is bona fide and permanent, whether the jobs are in the same or similar occupational classification, and whether other adjustment requirements remain satisfied. Portability is not available to every employment-based applicant or every job change.

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Before accepting a new role, compare the duties, occupation, required skills, work location and salary with the original sponsored position. Keep the new employer’s signed offer and information needed for Supplement J. Do not withdraw the I-485 merely because the former employer withdrew the I-140; the correct action may be portability, a transfer request or a new petition, depending on the facts.

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Replacement I-140 and transfer of the adjustment basis

A replacement petition and an adjustment-basis transfer are related but different tools.

Replacement employment-based petition

A new employer may need to file a new PERM and I-140. An approved old I-140 can sometimes support priority-date retention, but retention is not automatic for every revocation or every category. The reason for revocation, the visa category and the governing regulation must be checked in the individual record.

Transfer to another underlying basis

USCIS Policy Manual guidance on adjustment portability and transfer explains that a replacement basis must satisfy continuity requirements and that the new basis must be properly filed and designated within the applicable timing rules. Transfer requests also have their own eligibility and visa-availability requirements and may be discretionary in some situations.

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Do not withdraw an I-485 or request a transfer without first confirming how the action affects your current basis. USCIS distinguishes transfer of the underlying basis from AC21 portability; one is not a substitute for the other.

What to do immediately

  1. Obtain the exact notice. Determine whether the employer withdrew the PERM, the I-140, an I-485-related filing or something else.
  2. Create a date timeline. Record the DOL PERM filing and certification dates, I-140 receipt and approval dates, I-485 receipt date, employer withdrawal date and any USCIS revocation date.
  3. Preserve the file. Save the PERM, I-140 receipt and approval notices, I-485 receipt notice, Supplement J filings, delivery confirmations, USCIS notices and employer correspondence.
  4. Check the case independently. Compare the employer’s statement with USCIS and DOL case records. A company saying it “withdrew the case” does not identify which government filing was affected.
  5. Ask a prospective employer about a bona fide permanent offer. Confirm that the position can satisfy the applicable employment-based classification and that the employer understands its sponsorship obligations.
  6. Calculate both 180-day clocks. Count from I-140 approval and from I-485 receipt separately. Do not count from the withdrawal letter unless that is the event a particular rule actually uses.
  7. Evaluate AC21 portability. If the I-485 has been pending at least 180 days, compare the proposed job with the original classification and prepare to discuss Supplement J.
  8. Get case-specific advice before an irreversible filing. In particular, obtain advice before withdrawing the I-485, abandoning an adjustment application or requesting a transfer to another basis.
  9. Review work authorization separately. A withdrawal does not produce one universal result for H-1B, L-1, an employment authorization document or another nonimmigrant status. Check each status and authorization document on its own terms.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

  • “My employer withdrew the I-140, so my green card is automatically over.” This ignores the approval date, I-485 pendency and AC21 rules.
  • “An approved I-140 guarantees the original job.” Approval protection does not keep a rescinded job offer alive.
  • “The 180 days start when the employer sends the letter.” The relevant starting event is usually I-140 approval or I-485 receipt, depending on the rule.
  • “A new employer can take over the old PERM.” Do not assume a labor certification is transferable; determine whether a new PERM and I-140 are required.
  • “I can withdraw the I-485 to clean up the case.” Withdrawal can affect adjustment eligibility and any replacement-basis strategy. Obtain advice first.
  • “Portability means any new job is acceptable.” The new job must satisfy the same-or-similar classification and other statutory and regulatory requirements.
  • “My work authorization automatically continues.” The effect on each nonimmigrant status or EAD requires a separate analysis.

Questions your immigration lawyer will need answered

  • What exactly did the employer withdraw, and on what date?
  • Was the PERM pending or certified, and if certified, when?
  • When did USCIS approve the I-140?
  • When did USCIS receive the I-485?
  • Has USCIS issued a revocation or other adverse notice?
  • What are the preference category, country of chargeability and current visa-availability conditions?
  • Is a new employer offering a permanent job in the same or a similar occupational classification?
  • What independent nonimmigrant status and employment authorization do you currently hold?

These documents and dates determine whether the practical path is a new sponsorship, AC21 portability, an adjustment-basis transfer or another strategy. General information cannot decide that question for an individual case.

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