New Pay Rules for Foreign Workers in the USA
New Pay Rules for Foreign Workers in the USA
Introduction
The US government wants to increase the minimum pay for foreign workers with special visas.
Main Body
The government says the old pay rules are too old. They want to pay foreign workers more money. For example, new workers must now earn $97,746 instead of $73,279. The President also says people from other countries must pay a $100,000 fee for some visas. The government is now asking people for their opinions on these rules. Some people like this plan because it helps US workers. Other people do not like it. They say small companies cannot pay this much money. Some companies may spend billions of dollars more.
Conclusion
The government is reading the opinions of the people now. They will make the final rule soon.
Learning
💡 The 'Contrast' Trick
When we want to show two different ideas, we use Some... Other...
- Some people like this plan (Positive)
- Other people do not like it (Negative)
🛠️ Word Shift: Old vs. New
Notice how the text compares things. You can use these opposites to describe changes in your own life:
- Old rules New rules
- Old pay More money
⚡ Quick Tip: 'Cannot'
Cannot = Not able to do something.
- Small companies cannot pay this much. (They don't have the money).
A2 Pattern: Subject + cannot + action.
Vocabulary Learning
Proposed Changes to Minimum Salary Requirements for U.S. Work Visas
Introduction
The United States Department of Labor has proposed a new rule to increase the minimum salary that foreign workers must be paid under specific visa programs.
Main Body
The Department of Labor claims that the current wage levels, which were set twenty years ago, are no longer enough to protect the salaries of American workers. Consequently, the government wants to raise pay across four different experience levels. For example, entry-level wages would increase from $73,279 to $97,746, while higher levels would rise up to $175,464. These changes would affect H-1B, H-1B1, E-3, and PERM visas, although the exact amounts may vary depending on the city. This proposal follows a presidential order from September 2025, which also introduced a $100,000 fee for H-1B applicants applying from abroad. In the past, a similar attempt in 2020 was cancelled by courts because the government did not allow enough public discussion. Therefore, the current plan includes a public comment period that ends on May 26. Opinions on this move are divided. Supporters emphasize that higher wages ensure that only highly skilled experts are hired, which prevents the local job market from being disrupted. However, critics argue that these higher costs might stop smaller companies from hiring foreign professionals. Furthermore, data firms suggest that companies could spend $18 billion in the first year, and up to $43 billion over three years as visas are renewed.
Conclusion
The Department of Labor is now reviewing public feedback before making a final decision on these wage adjustments.
Learning
⚡ The 'Logic Connector' Upgrade
At an A2 level, you likely use 'and', 'but', and 'so' to connect your ideas. To reach B2, you need to replace these with Logical Transition Markers. These words tell the reader exactly how two ideas are related.
🔍 From Simple to Sophisticated
Look at how this text moves from a basic cause to a professional result:
- The A2 Way: "The old wages are too low, so the government wants to raise pay."
- The B2 Way: "The current wage levels... are no longer enough... Consequently, the government wants to raise pay."
Why this works: Consequently signals a direct result of a previous fact. It sounds more authoritative and academic than so.
🛠️ The 'Contrast' Toolkit
When you want to show two different sides of an argument (a key B2 skill), stop using 'but' for everything. Try these instead:
- However: Used to introduce a contradicting statement.
- *Example: "Supporters emphasize higher wages... However, critics argue that costs might stop hiring."
- Although: Used to acknowledge a fact that doesn't change the main point.
- *Example: "...these changes would affect [various] visas, although the exact amounts may vary."
🚀 The 'Addition' Boost
Instead of saying 'and' or 'also' at the start of a sentence, use Furthermore. This tells the listener, "I have already given you a point, and now I am adding an even more important one."
- Text usage: "...critics argue that these higher costs might stop smaller companies... Furthermore, data firms suggest..."
Quick Cheat Sheet for your next writing task:
| Instead of... | Try using... | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| So | Consequently / Therefore | Showing a Result |
| But | However / Although | Showing Contrast |
| And/Also | Furthermore / Moreover | Adding Information |
Vocabulary Learning
Proposed Adjustment of Prevailing Wage Thresholds for U.S. Non-Immigrant Work Visas
Introduction
The United States Department of Labor has introduced a regulatory proposal to increase the minimum salary requirements for foreign nationals employed under specific visa programs.
Main Body
The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, titled 'Improving Wage Protections for the Temporary and Permanent Employment of Certain Foreign Nationals in the United States,' seeks to recalibrate wage levels across four experience tiers. The Department of Labor asserts that the current benchmarks, established two decades prior, are insufficient to prevent the depression of wages for domestic workers. Under the proposed framework, entry-level wages would rise from $73,279 to $97,746 (a 33.39% increase), while Level II, III, and IV thresholds would increase to $123,212, $147,333, and $175,464, respectively. These adjustments would apply to H-1B, H-1B1, E-3, and PERM labor certification processes, with final figures varying by metropolitan area. This initiative follows a presidential order issued on September 19, 2025, which simultaneously mandated the revision of these wage levels and instituted a $100,000 fee for H-1B candidates applying from outside the United States. Historically, a similar attempt by the administration in 2020 was invalidated by legal challenges due to a lack of prior notification and public commentary. Consequently, the current proposal is subject to a public comment period ending May 26. Stakeholder reactions are bifurcated. Proponents argue that higher wage floors ensure that only highly specialized talent is imported, thereby preventing labor market distortion. Conversely, critics contend that the increased fiscal burden may preclude smaller enterprises from recruiting entry-level foreign professionals. Financial projections from immigration data firms Lawfully and Threshold suggest that the primary employers of white-collar foreign talent could incur costs of $18 billion in the first year, potentially escalating to $43 billion over three years as existing visas undergo renewal at the revised rates.
Conclusion
The Department of Labor is currently reviewing public testimony before finalizing the rule to adjust prevailing wage levels.
Learning
The Architecture of Institutional Nominalization & Precision
To transcend the B2 plateau and achieve C2 mastery, a student must shift from describing actions to constructing conceptual states. This text is a goldmine of Institutional Nominalization—the process of turning verbs into nouns to create a formal, objective, and authoritative tone.
⚡ The 'C2 Pivot': From Process to State
Compare these two ways of conveying the same information:
- B2 (Action-oriented): The government wants to change the wages because they think the old ones are too low and keep domestic wages down.
- C2 (State-oriented): The Department of Labor seeks to recalibrate wage levels... to prevent the depression of wages for domestic workers.
The Linguistic Mechanism: Note how "recalibrate" and "depression" function here. In a C2 context, we don't just "lower wages"; we cause the depression of wages. This transforms a simple action into a socio-economic phenomenon.
🔍 Dissecting the "High-Density" Lexis
The article employs specific pairings that signal a high-level academic register. To master this, you must stop using general verbs (like do, make, have) and adopt precise collocation pairs:
- "Bifurcated reactions" Instead of "people disagree," the author describes the state of the disagreement as a split (bifurcation).
- "Preclude... from recruiting" A sophisticated alternative to "stop" or "prevent," specifically used when a condition makes an action impossible.
- "Labor market distortion" This is a compound noun phrase. C2 writers group nouns together to create a single complex concept, reducing the need for prepositional phrases (e.g., instead of "the way the labor market is distorted").
🛠 Scholarly Application: The "Nuance Shift"
Observe the word "Invalidated." A B2 student might say "the court cancelled the rule." However, invalidated suggests that the rule was fundamentally flawed in its legal logic from the start.
C2 Strategy: When analyzing a text, identify the nominalized core (e.g., "Notice of Proposed Rulemaking"). Ask yourself: How does turning this action into a noun change the power dynamic of the sentence? It removes the 'person' and emphasizes the 'procedure,' which is the hallmark of professional, high-stakes English discourse.