Federal Register #2026-06017

Proposed Rulemaking: Wage Protections for Foreign National Employment (PERM, H1B, H1B1, E3)

This opportunity involves a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking from the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration regarding wage protections for foreign national workers: - Government Buyer: - Department of Labor (DOL), Employment and Training Administration - Scope of Rulemaking: - Revises regulations for prevailing wage determinations affecting employment-based immigrant and nonimmigrant workers - Applies to PERM (Permanent Labor Certification), H1B, H1B1, and E3 visa programs - Methodology Update: - Proposes using the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to calculate wage levels - Key Requirements and Objectives: - Ensure foreign workers are paid wages comparable to similarly employed U.S. workers - Maintain a unified wage framework across temporary and permanent labor programs - Strengthen program integrity and prevent employers from replacing U.S. workers with lower-paid foreign nationals - No OEMs, vendors, products, or purchase quantities are specified, as this is a regulatory action, not a procurement of goods or services.

Description

The Department of Labor has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to revise regulations governing prevailing wages for employment-based immigrant and nonimmigrant workers, including those under the PERM program and H1B, H1B1, and E3 visa categories. The proposed changes aim to better align wage levels with those paid to similarly employed U.S. workers and strengthen program integrity by reducing incentives to replace U.S. workers with lower-paid foreign workers. The rule seeks to ensure fair wages and working conditions, prevent adverse effects on U.S. workers, and maintain a unified wage framework across temporary and permanent employment programs.

View original listing