Labor stops temporary exit notice policy

The Department of Labor has discontinued implementing its controversial policy that requires vacationing alien workers to notify Labor about their exit.

In a public notice issued on Thursday, Labor said it has stopped the use of the temporary exit notice “in order to better serve the public.”

Labor did not specify as to when they started discontinuing the exit policy.

The department, however, announced that alien workers holding CNMI entry permits that allow entry and exit for vacation, home leave, medical referral, or other purposes are no longer required to provide a temporary exit notice.

Labor began implementing the exit policy last May. But some groups of foreign workers criticized such policy, saying it was not announced to the public prior to its implementation.

Then Coalition of United Workers president Irene Tantiado stated that the policy is not difficult to comply with, but Labor should at least explain its purpose to make people understand.

Tantiado then said it is so easy to follow the regulations, but the non-announcement has serious consequences to the guest workers.

A Labor official earlier explained that a foreign national worker who fails to file notice to Labor about his or her exit before departing the CNMI may be precluded from entering the Commonwealth.

The official cited Section 5 of the Labor Rules and Regulations pursuant to Public Law 15-108 that states that “a foreign national worker who exits during the term of an approved employment contract shall file, with the (Labor) enforcement division, a notice on the standard form provided by the Department.”

In its announcement, Labor said no one holding entry permit who exits CNMI for a temporary stay in another jurisdiction and wishes to return to the Commonwealth will be adversely affected by the federalization cap.

“The Labor Department has an alternative means of assuring that every person holding this kind of entry permit will be re-admitted when they return to the Commonwealth,” the notice said.

Thanking those who provided the temporary exit notices, Labor claimed it helped CNMI comply with federalization law quickly and effectively on a temporary basis.

“With new methods, and the Department’s better automation capabilities, this temporary measure is no longer needed,” Labor added.