Glossary

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is a unit of the U.S. Department of Labor and the principal federal agency for measuring labor market activity, working conditions, and price changes.

The H-1B is a non-immigrant visa allowing U.S. employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations. Employers must file a Labor Condition Application (LCA) disclosing the wage they will pay.

The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) is a monthly survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that measures job vacancies, hires, and separations. It provides key insights into labor demand and worker mobility.

The Labor Condition Application is a document employers must file with the Department of Labor before hiring an H-1B worker. It includes the job title, work location, and the wage offered.

Growth rate measures the percentage change from one period to another. In labor markets, it typically refers to employment growth, wage growth, or job posting growth.

Hires count additions to the payroll during the reference month, including new hires, rehires, and transfers from other locations. It shows how many people successfully got jobs.

Hiring trend measures the direction and rate of change in hiring activity over time. A positive trend means accelerating hiring; negative means slowing down.

Job openings represent positions for which employers are actively recruiting. In JOLTS, an opening exists if: a specific position exists, work could start within 30 days, and the employer is actively recruiting.

The labor force participation rate measures what share of working-age adults (16+) are in the labor force. It captures those working or actively job-seeking, excluding retirees, students, caregivers, and discouraged workers.

Layoffs and discharges are involuntary separations initiated by the employer. This includes layoffs with no intent to rehire, discharges for cause, and terminations of seasonal employees.

The prevailing wage is the average wage paid to similarly employed workers in a specific occupation in the geographic area of employment. Employers must pay at least this amount to H-1B workers.

Quits are voluntary separations initiated by the employee. A high quit rate typically indicates worker confidence - people leave because they believe they can find better opportunities.

Skill demand measures how frequently a particular skill appears in job postings and hiring decisions. Rising demand for a skill often predicts higher wages and more job opportunities.

The unemployment rate is the number of unemployed people divided by the labor force. To be "unemployed," you must be jobless, available to work, and actively looking for work in the past 4 weeks.

A professional certification is granted by an organization (not a school) to verify competence in a specific skill or technology. Examples: AWS Certified, Google Analytics, PMP.

A credential is a documented evidence of a person's qualifications. This includes degrees, certificates, licenses, and industry certifications. Credentials signal competence to employers.

The Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system is used by federal agencies to classify workers into occupational categories. Each job has a 6-digit code enabling comparison across data sources.

Career clusters are groups of occupations and industries that share common features. The 16 national career clusters help organize careers by shared skills, knowledge, and interests.

A career pathway is a sequence of educational experiences and credentials that prepare someone for a specific occupation or industry. Pathways show what to learn and in what order.