OFLC Publishes Prevailing Wage Data, Implements 2018 SOC Codes

On July 1, 2022, the Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC):

• Published the latest prevailing wage data from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) as generated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for July 2022 through June 2023. Prevailing wage determinations issued from the National Prevailing Wage Center reflect the new data effective July 1. 
• Implemented the 2018 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes at the same time. OFLC said it is using 2018 SOC codes because the OEWS and the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) have completed the transition from 2010 SOC codes to 2018 SOC codes. An OFLC announcement includes details on how new labor certification applications, and applications in process, will be handled with respect to SOC codes.
• Updated Appendix A to the Preamble–Education and Training Categories by O*NET–SOC Occupations. Appendix A is a list of professional occupations “that serves as a guide for employers to distinguish between professional and non-professional occupations in order to comply with the professional recruitment requirements of the PERM program,” OFLC said.
• Published updated prevailing wage data for the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands.

Related Links:

• OFLC announcement
• OFLC Technical Release Notes, July 1, 2022
• July 2022 Through June 2023 Wage Year Job Zone Data, OFLC
• List of Professional Occupations for Appendix A with Education Levels, OFLC
• Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands CW-1 Wage Table
• Foreign Labor Certification Data Center