Wage Level (I-IV)
DOL's four-tier system classifying H-1B positions by experience level, Level I (entry) to Level IV (expert), which determines the minimum prevailing wage the employer must pay.
Wage Level (I-IV) is a term from U.S. employment-based immigration — typically a step, document, or filing in the H-1B (or related visa) process. The definition here is the practical worker-facing meaning, anchored in the DOL and USCIS processes that produce the underlying data this site uses. Understanding Wage Level (I-IV) is part of reading H-1B sponsorship offers and the publicly-disclosed filing data defensibly. Each technical term in the H-1B process carries specific implications for workers — eligibility, timing, employer obligations, portability — and the worker-relevant interpretation often differs from the technical legal definition.
Each employer page on H1BTracker surfaces the specific Wage Level (I-IV)-relevant data for that company, so the general definition here translates into the concrete numbers on the per-company pages.
How It Works
Wage levels correspond to percentiles of wages for a given occupation and area: Level I = 17th percentile (entry-level, under close supervision), Level II = 34th percentile (qualified, moderate supervision), Level III = 50th percentile (experienced, independent judgment), and Level IV = 67th percentile (expert, supervises others). The wage level on an LCA has been a focus of policy debates: critics argue that too many H-1B workers are classified as Level I, allowing employers to pay below-market wages. Proponents note that many H-1B workers are genuinely entry-level in their specific role, even if they hold advanced degrees.
Related Terms
- Prevailing Wage, The average wage paid to workers in a similar occupation in the same geographic area, employers must pay H-1B workers at least this amount to prevent undercutting U.S. wages.
- Labor Condition Application (LCA), A DOL-certified form that employers must file before hiring an H-1B worker, attesting they will pay at least the prevailing wage and not adversely affect working conditions for U.S. workers.
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About This Definition
This definition is part of the H1BVisaTracker H-1B Visa Glossary, 26 terms explaining H-1B sponsorship, work visas, and employment-based immigration in the United States. Written for international workers, employers, and immigration professionals.