Wages across the board increased 42 pct. since 2014

The CNMI Office of the Governor, through the CNMI Department of Commerce, is pleased to announce the release of the 2016 Prevailing Wage and Workforce Assessment Study (PWWAS) results on the CNMI’s Occupational Titles and their Wages.

This is the first of a two-part report planned to be released from the PWWAS. The second part outlines the trends and demographic analysis of the CNMI’s workforce and is tentatively scheduled for release before the end of the fiscal year. This is the third round of the PWWAS that provides the data for hiring non-U.S. eligible workforce from outside the CNMI as mandated by the U.S. Law 110-229. The PWWAS was first conducted in 2011 and updated in 2014.    

This report contains the comprehensive listing of over 500 Occupational Titles and their wages that the study covers. Additionally, the report also has a section that outlines the survey methodologies and coverage for the community.  

Gov. Ralph DLG. Torres underscored the importance of the report in providing a clearer picture of the administration’s workforce development goals and the economic opportunities now afforded to CNMI residents.   

“This report showed a 42-percent increase in wages across the board from 2014 to 2016. In just two years, the average hourly rate in the CNMI went from $8.71 to $12.38. I look forward to working with our local business leaders and the Legislature to continuously work together to strengthen our local workforce. The economic growth has provided more opportunities for residents and is allowing both the new and existing workers a competitive wage that can better lift them from living paycheck to paycheck. We now have more U.S.-eligible workers in our local labor force than at any time since 2004, and I’m pleased that the increase in wages means more income for our residents. This is something we should all be proud of,” Torres said.  

Secretary of Commerce Mark O. Rabauliman noted that the results of the report will benefit businesses in their planning and will guide policymakers to work together in continuing to improve the economy.  

“The upswing in wages evidently represents the socioeconomic benefits from jobs that have thrived under the administration’s economic agenda. The work that the Central Statistics Division team put in to get this report out has been tremendous. I want to extend my gratitude and appreciation to the businesses and the government entities that participated and gave information for the study. The report has been shared with local stakeholders as well as with key federal agencies and the CNMI awaits federal concurrence on the report anytime soon. We stand ready to work with our federal partners in addressing our workforce and economic needs,” Secretary Rabauliman said. 

The report will be available through the Department of Commerce’s website at: www.commerce.gov.mp. (PR)