The federal government has updated the wage index that companies and employers must use when filing labor petitions for foreign workers.
The The Department of Labor has just published its updated guide of what they consider to be the prevailing wage.
Prevailing wage is defined as the average wage, including hourly wage, overtime, benefits and experience level, paid to a worker in a given region of the United States.
When an employer files a labor petition for a foreign worker, it must include the wage it will pay the person if the petition is approved.
This salary must be in accordance with the Department of Labor's guidelines.
In other words, an employer cannot bring in a foreigner by offering him/her less money than a person in that position in the state and city where he/she would be working.
The new salaries became effective on July 1.
Employers who will be processing petitions for professional or H-1B visas, for example, must abide by the new wage guidelines.
