If you are an international student in a US college and university, you must be curious about working in the country. America is a developed country with great opportunities that you can tap into, especially now that you have an opportunity to pursue education there.

One of the things you can seek to know is the H1B prevailing wage, in case you are interested in working either while studying or after your education. According to the information from this source, this information is primarily suitable for international students who want to apply for an H1B visa after their education.

H1B Prevailing Wage Level Explained

The US government wishes equality in paying all employees, including H1B visa students. As such, they have also introduced the minimum rates for H1B workers. As such, there is no way that employers will exploit employees based on their little experience.

The H1B prevailing wage is about USD 60,000 per annum. But as the name suggests, it is a prevailing wage based on the area of specialization. It may vary a bit from the average we have mentioned. So, you can still negotiate a wage rate with your employer.

How the H1B Prevailing Wage Works

Once an employee has an H1B visa, the employer should provide an H1B prevailing wage depending on factors such as occupation and region. The prevailing wage just defines how much an employee should earn. However, once the two parties have negotiated on a figure, it becomes the actual wage.

The H1B prevailing wage rate is decided by the department of labour (DOL), which also sets other information to be utilized by the employers to determine the H1B actual wage. Now that you are an international student about to finish your degree or diploma, it is good to be prepared with all of this information to help you make the right decision.

It is also great to know that there are various H1B prevailing wage levels. They include:
  • Entry level – This is a starting point for people who only understand their duties but have no previous experience. All international students start here after graduating and acquiring a visa.
  • Qualified level – If you have been working while studying and have experience in your study area, you will be considered a qualified worker.
  • Experienced level – It is considered for people with long experience, primarily those pursuing a higher degree, second degree, and the like.

Benefits of the H1B Prevailing Wage

  • To guide the employers – Some employers might be tempted to pay the H1B employees less because they hardly have any experience. However, the state wants to protect them from being exploited. Therefore, they have this to guide the employers. Even with negotiations, one cannot deviate significantly from the guided H1B prevailing wage rates.
  • To guide the employees – On the other hand, the employees are also guided to prepare their expectations. Once you know your right category, for instance, entry-level, qualified, or experienced level, you will prepare your expectations accordingly.

Final Thoughts

Now that you have a lot of information about the prevailing H1 B wage, it is time to make the right decision. You now know what to expect and what your employer should offer. If you are an international student, just get an H1B visa and grab this opportunity.