US asks for public inputs on wage levels

Department of labour, United States, over the next 60 days, is looking for feedback from the public on determining the wage level of certain immigrant and non-immigrant workers, including H-1B visas as well. The notification by the department urging the public to provide inputs was released after a prior announcement of an 18-month delay in date for the change in current wage levels for the immigrant and non-immigrant workers.

The final rule will affect the employers in the US looking for foreign workers on a permanent or temporary basis through certain immigrant visas or H-1B, H-1B1 and E-3 non-immigrant visas. According to the Department of Labour, the delay in effective date will lead to decline of transfer payments in the form of higher wages to H-1B employees. Furthermore, the rule will impact the occurrence of deadweight losses to occur in the event where H-1B caps not met as the immigrant workers are paid the wages above the level of their willingness.