Commerce starts 2021 CNMI Prevailing Wage Study survey

The Central Statistics Division of the CNMI Department of Commerce announced yesterday the beginning of data collection for the 2021 CNMI Prevailing Wage Study to produce the hourly wage statistics for 2021.  

All private businesses, public agencies, and organizations in the CNMI are urged to participate in the 2021 PWS survey. The survey data collection period will begin on March 1, 2021, and end on March 31, 2021. 

Like the 2020 PWS, the 2021 data is submitted through a Web portal. Businesses and organizations can access it through cnmidata.commerce.gov.mp. 

For companies, agencies, and organizations who registered and participated in the 2020 PWS survey, simply use your username and password that you created in 2020 to log in to the portal, update your company/agency/organization information, and submit your employee data for 2021. 

For everyone else who will submit survey data for the first time via the CNMI PWS portal, you will be prompted to create a username and a password. Creating your username and password registers you into the site and allows you to provide basic directory information about your company/agency/organization and submit the requested employee data for the survey. Be sure to allow yourself time to review and understand the survey instructions provided on the portal before proceeding to complete the survey. 

The 2018 NMI US Workforce Act requires the CNMI to publish a prevailing wage report annually for CW-1 visa determination and approval by the U.S. Department of Labor. Additionally, the 2021 PWS data will be used to publish a separate report detailing the survey methodology with a more detailed occupational wage statistics for PERM, H-1B and H-2B determination and approval by the U.S. Department of Labor. 

“We encourage all businesses, agencies, and organizations for cooperation and allocate time to complete this important survey. This will be our sixth round of the prevailing wage survey, but it is our third annual PWS survey since 2019 under the mandate of the 2018 Workforce Act. We also want to extend my appreciation to the Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs for funding this project,” said Gov. Ralph DLG Torres.  

Commerce Secretary Mark O. Rabauliman emphasized the importance of completing the 2021 PWS survey. “We thank the Saipan Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Development Center, the Rotary Club, the CNMI Society for Human Resources Management, as well as all the other organizations on Saipan, Rota, and Tinian for putting out the word and in promoting the success of this important survey,” said Rabauliman. “In addition to meeting the requirement of the 2018 Workforce Act, the success of the 2021 PWS will also help us in our economic recovery efforts, and I humbly ask each and every business, agency, or organization in the CNMI to take some time to complete the 2021 PWS survey.” 

Questions and inquiries should be directed to the Prevailing Wage Project contacts at telephone numbers 322-3005/3007 or email address cnmi.csd@commerce.gov.mp. (PR)