The Department of Labor released statistics on the Applications for Prevailing Wage Determination (PWD) it received in regard to PERM Labor Certification applications for certain employment-based immigration categories, as well as in regard to H-1B specialty occupation and H-2B temporary non-agricultural nonimmigrant visa petitions. As of the end of the first quarter of FY2014 (December 31, 2013), the Department of Labor has made determination with regard to 23,850 PWD applications, and is yet to adjudicate 19,972 PWD applications. Of these pending applications, 18,103 are filed for H-2B petitions, 1,121 are filed for H-1B petitions, and 748 are filed for PERM applications.
PWD applications provide the Department of Labor with information about the job opportunity offered to the foreign worker, including job requirements, job duties, and worksite location. The Department of Labor uses this information to issue the employer a PWD, which states the minimum salary for the specific job position in the specific worksite location. This is the minimum salary that the foreign worker has to be paid when he or she receives the green card. Because the prevailing wage for a job position can vary greatly from one geographic location to another, it is important that the employer provide accurate information about the worksite location on the PWD application.