Major changes seen in nonresident bill

House Rep. Ray Yumul hinted Friday that there might be substantial changes in the proposed Alien Workers Act of 2004 as soon the task force completes its ongoing review of the bill.

The task force hopes to put the bill on the House of Representatives’ calendar as soon as possible for appropriate action, Yumul added.

Yumul said the task force is meeting regularly to tackle all recommendations made. “The task force is…cross checking all the progress they’ve made.”

The congressman added that the task force would hopefully complete its report in the next two weeks.

“I am scheduled to leave next month and hopefully before I leave, the report could be scheduled in the upcoming sessions. The task force is regularly meeting and they are discussing all aspects of the measure,” said the representative.

He stressed that substantial changes would be made since it would reflect some of the recommendations made to make the measure an effective tool for guest workers in the Commonwealth.

The congressman is optimistic that a compromise could be reached so that a policy change relating to the nonresident workforce in the CNMI could be carried out in the future. He also approved the creation of the task force.

The task force would look into the fiscal impact of the proposed Alien Workers Act of 2004, particularly its effect on the total revenue, tax contributions, and others. Also, it would review the comments submitted by the different agencies.

The Attorney General’s Office, Department of Labor, Labor Ombudsman, and the Chamber had all earlier agreed that a detailed fiscal impact study should be undertaken to look into the effects of the measure.

The bill seeks to amend chapters 4 through 8 of Division 4, Title 3 of the CNMI Code. The bill intends to provide stricter enforcement, control and regulation of alien workers.

Among others, it aims to require resident workers to be at least 10 percent of every employers’ management, supervisory, and nonsupervisory work force, to be increased at least 2 percent annually. The move is to control the issuance of temporary work permits and to increase job referral services provided to residents.

Also, the bill hopes to prohibit the transfer of alien workers from one employer to another and to repatriate nonresident worker to the point of hire. “It is the intent of the Act to prohibit the alien worker from working for more than one employer,” reads the bill.

The measure also aims to lift the moratorium on the hiring of alien workers except in the garment industry and to prohibit transfer from one employer to another at any time. Upon termination, non-renewal, or expiration of the employment contract, the alien worker shall exit the CNMI.