Immigration Attorney - PERM

At Ellis Porter, our goal is to improve the immigration experience for employers and individuals so they can thrive in a smaller world. To do this, we've built a team of dedicated immigration professionals (we call ourselves Porters) who believe passionately in the economic and cultural benefits that immigration provides to America, and who excel at providing our clients with refreshingly clear guidance, uniquely creative strategies, and remarkably responsive service, all with genuine empathy and a personal touch.

Immigration law is very complex and full of constant challenges, but the Ellis Porter team loves what we do, and who we do it with, and we find great satisfaction in knowing that our work positively, and intimately, impacts our clients’ lives and companies.

Our Culture:

We're also immensely proud of (and protective of) our culture at Ellis Porter. It's not what you would expect from a typical law firm, because we're not a typical law firm. We take our work seriously, but not ourselves. We don't tolerate drama, and jerks are not allowed. And we’ve built a wonderfully diverse team of Porters who reflect the diversity of the clients we serve.

As our team continues to grow, we’ve remained committed to cultivating an inspiring, authentic, comfortable, and flexible work environment where you are respected, encouraged to bring your whole self to work, and challenged to continue your growth as a professional in the legal immigration field.

Position Summary:

Ellis Porter is seeking an Immigration Attorney (Associate) to join our PERM Labor Certification team. In this role, you will guide employers and employees through one of the most critical steps in the employment-based green card process, ensuring compliance with Department of Labor requirements while delivering clear, practical legal strategies. Working closely with a team of attorneys and case managers, you will play a key role in helping global talent achieve permanent residence in the United States.

This position can be fully remote from any U.S. location, or based in either our Troy, MI or Ann Arbor, MI office as an in-person or hybrid role. Please note - although this role can be remote, all work must be performed within the United States.

What you’ll do:

• Develop legal strategies for PERM applications for employees working in a variety of occupational categories and industries.
• Conduct in-depth telephone conversations and meetings with employers and employees to explain the PERM Labor Certification application process and gather detailed information about the employee's job duties and minimum requirements of the position.
• Answer employer and employee questions about the PERM Labor Certification application process steps, timelines, and costs.
• Prepare PERM Labor Certification job profiles outlining the minimum requirements of the position consistent with Department of Labor (DOL) regulations.
• Develop PERM Labor Certification recruitment strategies that comply with DOL regulations.
• Conduct prevailing wage research and oversee the preparation and submission of prevailing wage requests to the DOL.
• Oversee the preparation and submission of Form ETA 9089 to the DOL.
• Counsel employers on PERM Labor Certification recordkeeping requirements.
• Respond to DOL PERM Labor Certification audit requests.
• Perform other duties as assigned by management.

What skills and experience you’ll bring:

• Juris Doctor degree & a member of any US State Bar required.
• 1-3 years experience working in the business immigration field as an attorney, 1 year working on PERM Labor Certification applications is a plus (but not required).
• Familiarity with the interplay between PERM Labor Certification and nonimmigrant status concepts and I-140 and I-485 concepts.
• Extremely high level of attention to detail.
• Ability to prioritize and manage a busy PERM Labor Certification caseload in an efficient manner and consistent with numerous inflexible legal deadlines.
• Ability to manage Case Managers (paralegals) that support the PERM Labor Certification process.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to break down complex PERM legal concepts into language that is easy for clients to understand.
• Willingness to conduct frequent, and sometimes somewhat repetitive educational calls and/or meetings with clients summarizing the PERM Labor Certification process.
• Passion for the immigration field.

What we will provide to you:

• An opportunity to do challenging and highly rewarding work at a fast-growing firm with an inspiring mission.
• An opportunity to join intelligent, creative, and dedicated immigration professionals who value respectful, collaborative working relationships.
• Inclusive firm culture celebrating diverse perspectives, backgrounds, identities, and experiences.
• People-centered workplace policies and flexible work schedules, including remote work opportunities.
• Competitive compensation, health/dental/vision/life insurance benefits, a 401(k)-retirement savings plan with employer-matching, and a generous paid-time-off policy.
• Casual attire, plenty of free food, and regular opportunities for exposure to international cuisine and culture.

Does this position, and our culture, seem like a good fit for you? If so, we would love to speak with you about joining the Ellis Porter team!

Ellis Porter provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

NON-SOLICITATION STATEMENT: No agencies please. Ellis Porter (EP) recruits candidates exclusively utilizing our internal Talent Acquisition team. EP does not accept any liability for fees for resumes from recruiters or employment agencies (“Agency”), without a binding, written recruitment agreement between EP and Agency describing the services and specific job openings (“Agreement”). EP may consider any candidate for whom an Agency has submitted an unsolicited resume and explicitly reserves the right to hire those candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the Agency, unless an Agreement is in place. Any email or verbal contacts with any person within EP is inadequate to create a binding agreement. Agencies without an Agreement are requested not to contact any employees of EP with recruiting inquiries or resumes.