Prevailing Wage for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other
Prevailing wage rates for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other are set by the DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data. DOL assigns four experience-based wage levels, and the floor shifts considerably depending on the worksite city listed on the Labor Condition Application. Checking the correct level and location before evaluating an offer protects your visa eligibility.
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Level 1 covers entry-level workers in food preparation and serving roles with limited experience, performing routine tasks under close supervision. Employers typically file at this level for candidates new to the occupation with no specialized training or independent scope.
Level 2 is the most common filing level for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other. It applies to workers with moderate experience who perform standard tasks with some independence, following established procedures but not yet directing others or handling complex situations.
Level 3 covers experienced workers who handle a broader range of food preparation and serving duties with minimal supervision. These individuals often troubleshoot independently, train newer staff, and consistently demonstrate proficiency across the full scope of the occupation.
Level 4 applies to fully competent workers in senior or lead capacities, directing workflow, setting standards, or functioning as the most skilled individual in the food preparation and serving team. Employers file here for roles with supervisory or expert-level responsibility.
Prevailing Wage for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, 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 this role and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other
Confirm your worksite city before accepting
For Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other, wages vary sharply by metro. San Jose and San Francisco post L1 floors well above the national median, while McAllen and Brownsville sit far below it. The LCA worksite address, not the employer's headquarters, sets your prevailing wage floor.
Watch for SOC misclassification on your LCA
Titles like kitchen assistant, food service aide, or catering support sometimes get filed under broader SOC codes rather than 35-9099. A misclassification can mean a different wage floor applies, which affects whether your offered salary clears the correct threshold for your visa petition.
Understand how tips and bonuses factor in
For sponsored food preparation and serving roles, DOL requires the prevailing wage be met through the base wage. Tips, signing bonuses paid as a lump sum, or irregular shift differentials generally do not count toward satisfying the wage floor on a certified LCA.
Use Migrate Mate to find sponsors in this occupation
Migrate Mate lets you filter by visa type and role to see which employers have historically sponsored Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other. Seeing an employer's sponsorship count helps you target companies already familiar with the LCA and petition process for this occupation.
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Find Jobs for this roleFrequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other?
DOL calculates prevailing wages using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of metro areas. For SOC 35-9099, DOL publishes four wage levels based on experience and complexity. Employers sponsoring a worker through H-1B, H-2B, or PERM must certify on the LCA that the offered wage meets or exceeds the applicable level for the worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean, and how do I know which one applies to me?
DOL defines Level 1 as entry-level with close supervision, Level 2 as qualified with moderate independence, Level 3 as experienced with broad task scope, and Level 4 as fully competent in a lead or senior capacity. Your level depends on your years of experience, supervisory duties, and how independently you work. The employer selects the level on the LCA, and USCIS reviews whether that selection matches the actual job duties described in the petition.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same role differ so much between cities?
DOL derives wages from regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so each metro area produces its own wage estimate reflecting local labor market conditions. For Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other, high-cost metros like San Francisco and San Jose set floors far above the national median, while lower-cost areas like McAllen post floors well below it. The LCA must list the actual worksite address, so the wage floor follows where the work is performed, not where the employer is based.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
If the offered wage falls below the DOL prevailing wage for the certified level and worksite, OFLC will not certify the LCA, and without a certified LCA the employer cannot file the visa petition. For active H-1B or other status holders, a wage deficiency can also trigger USCIS scrutiny during an audit or RFE. The employer must bring the offered wage up to at least the prevailing wage floor before the LCA can be approved.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location in this occupation?
You can look up the current DOL wage for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other at any metro using the OFLC Wage Search tool, which lets you filter by SOC code, wage level, and worksite area. Matching SOC 35-9099 to your exact worksite metro gives you the binding floor. To identify which employers have sponsored this occupation and are actively hiring, Migrate Mate lets you filter sponsored job listings by role and location so you can compare postings against the published wage levels.
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