Prevailing Wage for Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other
The prevailing wage for Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other (SOC 47-3019) is set by the DOL using regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. Four experience levels establish the compliance floor for H-1B, E-3, and green card sponsorships, and that floor shifts significantly depending on the worksite city.
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Level 1 covers entry-level construction helpers with little to no prior experience in the trade. Workers at this level perform routine tasks under close supervision and are not expected to exercise independent judgment on the job site.
Level 2 applies to helpers with some hands-on field experience who can work with moderate supervision. This is the most common filing level for Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other, reflecting typical sponsorship candidates who have moved past basic orientation.
Level 3 covers experienced helpers who routinely assist journeyworkers with complex tasks and require minimal day-to-day supervision. Workers at this stage often train newer helpers and are expected to handle a wider range of trade support duties independently.
Level 4 is reserved for fully competent helpers who function as senior assistants or lead helpers on large job sites. They exercise significant independent judgment, coordinate with multiple trade crews, and may oversee the work of lower-level helpers.
Prevailing Wage for Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other
Watch for misclassification under related SOC codes
Some employers file LCAs for construction helpers under adjacent SOC codes such as specific trade helper titles, which carry different prevailing wage floors. Confirm your offer letter's SOC code matches 47-3019 before comparing your salary against the published floor for this occupation.
Account for Puerto Rico metro wage gaps
The prevailing wage floor for Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other in San Juan and Mayaguez is among the lowest in any U.S. metro. If your offer is in Puerto Rico, the compliance floor is significantly below national medians, which affects your negotiating baseline and long-term earnings trajectory.
Prioritize Pacific Northwest and New York worksites
Seattle and New York metros consistently pay the highest prevailing wages for construction trade helpers. If you have geographic flexibility, targeting job offers in these metros positions you well above the national median floor, even at Level 1 entry filings.
Use Migrate Mate to find sponsors with construction helper history
Migrate Mate shows which employers have previously sponsored construction trade helper roles and filters listings by visa type. This helps you identify companies that already understand the LCA and sponsorship process for SOC 47-3019, reducing the risk of an employer backing out mid-process.
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Find Jobs for this roleFrequently Asked Questions
How does the DOL set the prevailing wage for Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other?
DOL calculates the prevailing wage for SOC 47-3019 using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The OFLC then publishes four wage levels derived from the wage distribution for the occupation in each area. Employers sponsoring a worker for H-1B, E-3, or PERM must pay at least the level that matches the worker's experience and job duties.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to me?
The four levels reflect increasing experience and responsibility. Level 1 is entry-level with close supervision; Level 2 requires some experience and moderate oversight; Level 3 covers experienced workers who operate with minimal supervision; Level 4 applies to fully competent, senior workers. Your level is determined by the actual duties in the job description, not your job title alone. If your employer's LCA lists a lower level than your experience warrants, that affects your wage floor and your petition's accuracy.
Why does the prevailing wage for construction helpers vary so much from city to city?
DOL publishes area-specific wages because labor costs for construction helpers differ substantially by region. The OFLC uses BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys conducted at the metropolitan level, so each metro area produces its own wage distribution. The LCA must list the actual worksite location, meaning a helper working in Seattle faces a much higher floor than one working in Louisiana. Dense construction markets with union activity and high costs of living drive the top metro figures significantly above national medians.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot file a valid LCA with DOL if the offered wage falls below the applicable prevailing wage level for the worksite location and SOC code. If the offer is below the floor, USCIS will not approve the H-1B or E-3 petition. For PERM green card cases, OFLC will reject or audit a filing where the offered wage does not meet the prevailing wage determination. The employer must either adjust the salary to meet the floor or withdraw the sponsorship.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other in a specific U.S. city?
The OFLC Wage Search tool lets you look up the current four-level prevailing wage for SOC 47-3019 by entering the worksite state and metropolitan area. Select the correct area carefully, since wages vary substantially even between neighboring metros. For jobs already posted with sponsorship, Migrate Mate lists employers with a verified history of sponsoring construction trade workers, so you can cross-reference the employer's filing patterns against the OFLC Wage Search results for your target city.
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