Prevailing Wage for Government Contracts
Prevailing Wage for Hiring Foreign Workers

Prevailing Wage for Government Contracts

The appropriate source for prevailing wage information for government contracts depends on the purpose for which it is needed:

Federal Government Contracts: The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Wage and Hour Division, is responsible for determining prevailing wages for federal government construction and service contracts. For more information, visit the DOL Web site or contact the agency issuing the contract. 

State and Local Government Contracts: You must use wage data provided by the Oklahoma Department of Labor in order to comply with their specific requirements. For more information, contact them at (405) 528 - 1500 or visit their Web site.


Prevailing Wages for Hiring Foreign Workers

Hiring foreign workers for employment in the U.S. typically requires approval from several government entities. For certain employment based visa categories, employers must seek labor certification through the U.S. Department of Labor. 

One aspect of obtaining non-immigrant temporary visas (H-1B) or permanent labor certification requires determining if the wage the employer intends to pay the foreign worker meets the "prevailing wage" for that occupation in the geographic area in which the foreign worker will be employed. The Labor Market Information (LMI) of the Employment Security Commission provides prevailing wage information for employers seeking H-1B visas and permanent labor certification for foreign workers. Requests for prevailing wages for foreign labor certification must be made in writing by completing a Prevailing Wage Request form (Requires Adobe Reader) and submitting it to LMI by fax or email. Completion instructions are provided with the form.

The LMI will determine an appropriate Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code based on the job described and use Occupational Employment Statistics data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Online Wage Library to determine the prevailing wage unless the wage is subject to a Davis-Bacon or Service Contract Act determination, or a union contract. See the Frequently Asked Questions for additional details about requesting prevailing wage determinations for foreign labor certification.