Does the E-3 require a compatible salary offer?

Yes. The E-3 visa, available to Australian nationals in specialty occupations, requires that the job come with a compatible salary aligned with the market standard for that role in the United States, and not below what is normally paid.

This benchmark is commonly referred to as the ‘prevailing wage’: the compensation must reflect the pay levels practiced in the U.S. labor market for the occupation. The requirement serves two main purposes.

• It confirms that the position is genuinely specialized, as the E-3 presupposes.
• It protects local labor standards against below-market compensation.
• It benefits both employee and employer by sustaining a fair and formal employment relationship.

Because the method for determining this reference salary is defined by the relevant authorities, it is worth verifying the current requirements at the official source and aligning the offer with a specialist before filing.

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Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.