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Immigration News Alert
OFLC Releases Updated Prevailing Wage Data for Wage Year 2026-27
Key Point
- OFLC published updated Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics prevailing wage data, effective July 1, 2026, along with technical guidance on Job Zone classifications to be used for prevailing wage determinations through June 2027.
Prevailing Wage Data for Wage Year 2026-27
On June 29, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) released updated Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) prevailing wage data for Wage Year 2026-27.
The new wage data became effective on July 1, 2026, and will be used by the National Prevailing Wage Center (NPWC) when issuing prevailing wage determinations through June 30, 2027.
OFLC also issued guidance addressing changes to ONET Job Zone classifications following the release of ONET 30.3.
Prevailing wage determinations issued by the NPWC during the new wage year will continue to use the 2018 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes.
What Changed?
The annual OEWS update provides the prevailing wage data that the NPWC uses to issue prevailing wage determinations for a variety of employment-based immigration processes.
The updated wage data may affect employers seeking prevailing wage determinations in connection with:
- PERM labor certification applications
- Certain H-1B filings
- H-1B1 filings
- E-3 applications
- Other employment-based immigration processes that rely on prevailing wage determinations
Employers should review the updated wage data to understand any potential impact on current and future immigration sponsorship strategies.
Job Zone Updates
OFLC also addressed changes in O*NET Release 30.3, which combined occupations previously classified in Job Zones 1 and 2 into a new Job Zone 1-2 category.
To maintain consistency in prevailing wage determinations, OFLC will:
- Continue classifying occupations that fell within Job Zone 1 during Wage Year 2025-26 as Job Zone 1 occupations.
- Continue classifying occupations that fell within Job Zone 2 during Wage Year 2025-26 as Job Zone 2 occupations.
- Classify occupations that were in Job Zone 3 during Wage Year 2025-26 but now fall within the new Job Zone 1-2 category as Job Zone 2 occupations.
OFLC uses Job Zones to categorize occupations based on the education, experience, and preparation typically required for the role when determining prevailing wages.
Why It Matters
The annual OEWS update may affect prevailing wage levels for certain occupations and geographic areas. As a result, employers may want to evaluate the impact of the new wage data on:
- Future PERM labor certification cases
- Prevailing wage requests
- Workforce planning initiatives
- Compensation budgeting for sponsored employees
- Long-term immigration sponsorship strategies
Employers preparing new filings should ensure they use the most current wage data and occupational classifications.
Looking Ahead
The July 2026 through June 2027 OEWS wage data is now in effect and will apply to prevailing wage determinations issued during the current wage year.
Don’t Miss an Update
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