CNMI’s 2022 PWS is OK’d

The CNMI’s 2022 Prevailing Wage Study report for the CW-1 visa program has been approved, according to an announcement Friday by the Office of the Governor.

The news release stated that Brandt Carter, the acting deputy administrator for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification, informed the CNMI in a letter dated June 30, 2022, of the approval of the CNMI’s 2022 Prevailing Wage Study report, which will set the wages scales that will apply to the employment of foreign workers—more commonly known as CW-1 workers—in the CNMI beginning July 1, 2022. 

“My office extends its appreciation and thanks to Secretary Walsh, and his team for their guidance and diligence as they review and approve our 2022 PWS report. This report will greatly assist our local businesses as we work to recover our economy,” stated Gov. Ralph DLG Torres in Friday’s announcement.

A total of 847 Standard Occupational Classification, or SOC, Detailed Titles are found in the U.S. economy “with wage values for the CW-1 visa program”—496 Detailed Titles were captured by the CNMI 2022 PWS. The U.S. Department of Labor reviewed and approved 409 for use in the 2022 PWS wage data, “438 occupations will use prevailing wages based on Guam’s Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics or the OEWS survey-adjusted wage,” according to the letter from the OFLC acting deputy administrator. 
“I am grateful for all the efforts in ensuring the timely completion of this important report, most especially our local business partners and public sector agencies who took the extra effort and time in completing the online survey,” said CNMI Commerce Secretary Edward Deleon Guerrero. “I extend my heartfelt thanks to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification team for their continued support and the guidance they provide to our CNMI PWS team to ensure that this report meets all the statistical standards contained in the CW-1 Interim Final Rule at 20 CFR 55.410(e).” 
The 2022 CNMI Prevailing Wage Study is used to produce the CNMI hourly wage statistics for 2022. All private businesses, public agencies, and organizations, whether with employees or no employees in the CNMI, were urged to participate in the 2022 PWS survey. The survey data collection period began last March 1, 2022, and ended on March 15, 2022. The prevailing wages based on the survey will remain valid for up to one year.
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.

The 2022 PWS CW-1 Wage Table report can be accessed on the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification website at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/foreign-labor/. 

The 2022 PWS Report can be accessed on the CNMI Department of Commerce, Central Statistics Division website at https://ver1.cnmicommerce.com/divisions/central-statistics/report-hub/.

Questions and inquiries regarding the prevailing wage report should be directed to the Central Statistics Division at telephone number (670)664-3045/3023 or email address cnmi.csd@commerce.gov.mp. 
For all other inquiries not related to the survey or the reports, direct them to the CNMI Department of Labor. (Saipan Tribune/PR)