What is Prevailing Wage?
A prevailing wage is the average wage paid to similarly employed workers in a specific occupation and area, as determined by the US Department of Labor. Employers use it for H-1B Labor Condition Applications and PERM labor certification, where they must pay at least the required wage. LiveRec does not set it.
Example
An employer filing an H-1B petition for a data analyst in a given city checks the Department of Labor's wage data for that occupation and area, then offers at least that wage on the Labor Condition Application.
Related
Related terms and guides
Sources
- U.S. Department of Labor, FLAG system, Labor Condition Applications, https://flag.dol.gov/programs/LCA, live official page, linked for readers; link checked 2026-10-31
- USCIS, H-1B specialty occupations, https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/h-1b-specialty-occupations, live official page, linked for readers; link checked 2026-10-31
This is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules change and your situation may differ. Consult a licensed attorney or qualified adviser.