Short answer: your EB-3 Unskilled salary is set by the U.S. Department of Labor's prevailing wage for your job and the area where you will work. The employer must offer at least that wage and must pay at least the prevailing wage when you start work. For many unskilled jobs the entry wage in the July 2026 – June 2027 wage year is roughly $10–$20 an hour, depending on the area.
"What will my EB-3 Unskilled salary be in America?" is one of the first questions workers in Korea ask us. This article explains who decides the number, how to check it yourself, and what can and cannot change after you arrive.
What decides the EB-3 Unskilled salary?
Before an employer can sponsor you, it must ask the Department of Labor (DOL) for a prevailing wage determination (PWD). This is the normal pay for the same kind of job in the same area. The rule is in 20 CFR Part 656, section 656.40:
- If the job is covered by a union contract (a collective bargaining agreement), the union wage is the prevailing wage.
- If not, DOL uses its wage survey, the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), for that job and that area. The employer may also offer its own wage survey, but it must meet strict rules.
- DOL sorts each job into four wage levels, from Level I (entry) to Level IV (experienced). EB-3 Other Workers jobs need less than two years of training or experience, so they are usually Level I.
The employer and the attorney do not choose the number freely. They describe the job honestly, and DOL gives the figure.
EB-3 Unskilled salary: example figures for 2026–2027
Our prevailing wage page shows the official DOL wage library for July 2026 – June 2027. One common EB-3 job is "Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand" (warehouse work):
| Laborers / material movers, Level I | Per hour | Full-time year (× 2,080 hours) |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest area (Puerto Rico, non-metro) | $10.50 | about $21,840 |
| Typical area (median of 530 areas) | $15.59 | about $32,400 |
| Highest area (San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA) | $20.35 | about $42,300 |
These are pay before tax and without overtime. Your own case uses the PWD that DOL issues for your exact job and work address, so the real number can be different. Federal, state and local minimum-wage laws also apply to the employer.
Pay and rent together
A higher wage in a big city often comes with much higher rent. The "pay vs rent" tab on our prevailing wage page compares the entry wage with HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2027) for a one-bedroom home. For the warehouse job above, rent takes from about 25% to over 100% of entry pay depending on the area. Many new workers share a home at first.
Can the employer pay less after you arrive?
No. When the employer files PERM it signs promises to DOL. Section 656.10(c) says "the wage the employer will pay to the alien to begin work will equal or exceed the prevailing wage". It also says the wage cannot be based only on commissions or bonuses unless a regular weekly, bi-weekly or monthly wage at the prevailing level is guaranteed.
The prevailing wage is a minimum. An employer may pay more, and pay can rise later. Labor law questions after you start work (overtime, pay slips) belong to the DOL Wage and Hour Division.
Where the wage step sits in the timeline
The PWD is the first official step, so its speed matters. DOL publishes its speeds on the FLAG processing times page:
- Prevailing wage: as of 31 October 2026, DOL was working on PERM wage requests received in August 2026.
- Validity: a PWD is valid for at least 90 days and at most one year. The employer must file PERM or start recruitment within that time (656.40(c)).
- PERM: as of 31 October 2026, analyst review took 315 days on average. See our PERM report.
- Visa Bulletin: in the November 2026 Visa Bulletin the EB-3 Other Workers Final Action Date for Bangladesh is 1 June 2022.
All steps together take about 5 years. Our green card timeline puts them on one line for your PERM date.
A proposal could raise wage levels
On 27 March 2026 DOL published a proposed rule for H-1B and PERM. It would move Level I from about the 17th to the 34th percentile of the wage survey and Level IV to the 88th. DOL itself wrote that lower-skilled EB-3 workers would likely be placed at the 34th or 52nd percentile. Comments closed on 26 May 2026.
This is a proposal, not a final rule. The wage rules in force today have not changed. If it becomes final, new PERM cases would need higher wage offers, and some employers might sponsor fewer unskilled jobs. We follow it on our rule changes page.
FAQ
Can I ask the employer for a higher salary?
You can ask, but the job offer is the employer's decision. The law only sets the minimum. Any agreed wage should be written in your job offer.
Does my salary in Korea matter for EB-3 Unskilled?
No. The U.S. wage depends on the U.S. job and area, not on what you earn now. What matters is that you can do the job described in the PERM.
Is overtime included in the prevailing wage?
No. The prevailing wage is the base rate for normal hours. Overtime rules come from U.S. labor law and depend on the job.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Your attorney decides on your case.