PWD Timeline

2025 PWD Timeline

Track your PWD requests and their status over time, including processing times and backlogs.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is currently processing requests submitted in or prior to May 2025.

PWD Processing Time Estimator

Enter your PWD submission date to estimate when you might receive a determination, based on current processing times.

Estimate Your PWD Processing Time
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This is an estimate based on historical processing times and may not reflect actual processing durations.

About Prevailing Wage Determination

Prevailing Wage Determination (PWD) is a process used by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to establish the appropriate wage level for a specific job in a specific geographic area. This process is crucial for ensuring that foreign workers are paid fairly and that their employment does not negatively impact the wages of U.S. workers.

The PWD process involves several key steps:

  1. Job Description:
    The employer must provide a detailed job description.
  2. Prevailing Wage Determination Request:
    The employer submits a request to the DOL.
  3. Wage Survey:
    The DOL conducts a wage survey to determine the prevailing wage.
  4. Determination:
    The DOL issues a prevailing wage determination.

Employers must use the prevailing wage determined by the DOL when hiring foreign workers to ensure compliance with labor laws and regulations.

For more detailed information on the PWD process, you can refer to the official DOL website or consult with legal experts specializing in immigration and labor law.

OEWS and PWD: What You Need to Know

OEWS stands for Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, a program run by the U.S. DOL that serves as the primary wage data source for issuing PWDs. Approximately 90% of all PWD applications use OEWS as the wage source.

The remaining 10% rely on Non-OEWS sources such as:

  • Davis-Bacon Act (DBA)
  • Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA)
  • Service Contract Act (SCA)
  • Other specialized wage sources

(Note: OEWS and OES both refer to the same data program — the name “OEWS” is simply the updated version.)

OEWS Receipt Date

Every PWD application has a receipt date, which marks when the DOL received the submission.

When you see an OEWS Receipt Date listed, it indicates that:

  • The PWD used OEWS as its wage source, and
  • The DOL is currently processing PWDs filed on or before that month and year.

Non-OEWS Receipt Date

Similarly, a Non-OEWS Receipt Date refers to applications that used Non-OEWS wage sources (such as DBA, CBA, or SCA). The listed month and year show which Non-OEWS PWD applications submitted on or before that month and year the DOL is currently reviewing.