Labor Certification (sometime referred to as a Labor Certificate) and an EAD are two independent concepts.

A Labor Certificate is a document issued by the Department of Labor (DOL). It is a prerequisite for an immigration petition for some employment-based categories. Furthermore, Labor Certification is a process by which an US employer seeks a Labor Certificate from the DOL for the benefit of a prospective alien employee. In the Labor Certification process, the US employer is the petitioner and the prospective employee is the beneficiary.

Moreover, a Labor Certificate does not give an alien the right to work in the U.S., while an EAD does.

The EAD is a work permit for some eligible aliens issued by the USCIS (formerly known as the INS). In the application process for an EAD, the alien is the applicant as well as the beneficiary.  Furthermore, the EAD is not employer-specific. Thus, the holder of an EAD can work for any employer in the United States.

For further information about Labor Certification, please click here..

For information about the Employment Authorization Document (EAD), please click on one of the following topics below:
Description
Who is eligible for an EAD?
Who does not need the EAD to be employed?
How to apply
Appeal after an application is denied
What is an Interim EAD?
What is the difference between an EAD and Labor Certification?
What are the necessary supporting documents to apply for an EAD?
EAD and a Pending I-485
How much are the attorney fee and the filing fee?
EAD Issues in the Latest Z&A Memo
Frequently asked questions and answers about EAD