‘CNMI needs to tap available workforce’

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres said the CNMI needs every bit of available workers to sustain the current economic surge that the Commonwealth is experiencing. He made the statement after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security set the fiscal year 2017 CNMI-Only Transitional Worker nonimmigrant visa cap to 12,998.

Torres said reducing next fiscal year’s CW-1 cap was also part of the recommendations they made during the 902 talks with Office of Insular Affairs Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas Esther Kia’aina leading the White House panel.

“An insignificant reduction to the FY 2017 Cap was one of the many recommendations we brought forth in the 902 consultations an subsequent dialogues I have had with USCIS officials,” said Torres.

“I am very pleased that they [DHS] have granted this request. It is critical, that while we are experiencing an economic resurgence, that we utilize all available labor to provide jobs and resources to our people.”

Sablan, in a statement, said asking [DHS] to consider reducing the CW-1 cap to a small number was what he did early this year. “To minimize any economic harm during this period of growth in our tourism industry.”

“The decision to reduce the cap by one for fiscal year 2017 demonstrates, once again, the care and attention given by [DHS] and [USCIS] to ensure that the transition to federal immigration law in our islands is as least difficult as possible.”

Torres added USCIS’ minimal reduction of the CW-1 cap would secure that operations of some local businesses won’t be interrupted and continue their development for 2017. The current issue of the CW-1 cap for the latter part of fiscal year 2016, before the USCIS released a deferred action, is a situation the government is wanting to avoid of happening again.

“This minimal reduction will go a long way toward allowing business development to continue throughout the next year, more jobs to be created for our local population, and more resources to be provided to meet critical government obligations.”

Torres added that his administration is fully supporting Delegate Gregorio “Kilili” Sablan’s (Ind-MP) proposal of extending the transition period and the bill he filed at the U.S. House of Representatives, H.R. 5888.

CNMI officials want to extend the transition period for 10 years with the CW-1 program set to expire in 2019. Sablan’s bill is also requesting extending the federally mandated phase out deadline to 2029.

“I am working closely with Congressman Sablan to push forward with the extension of the current transition period and it is my hope that we can work collaboratively with USCIS and our local regulations to ensure that the tools are in place to ensure an adequate transition into the U.S. immigration system,” said Torres.

Torres, who headed the CNMI panel in the 902 talks in June and last month, is hoping Sablan’s bill would push through and passes U.S. Congress since improved status were among the issues that they brought up when they met in Washington, D.C. and in Hawaii.

The Torres administration would continue to work toward hiring and training the local workforce, which was what the U.S. Congress wants. They are also hoping that employers would make the decision of transitioning to a more sustainable long-term visa options.

If ever the CNMI gets the 10-year extension, the administration will mobilize all available resources to meet the goals and requirements under the federal law—hire more U.S. workers and transition jobs from CW-1 workers to the alternative visa classification.

The next round of 902 talks will be held on Saipan with administration officials finalizing the details of the meeting like schedule and venue. A final report of the 902 talks will be made where copies will be given to Torres, the CNMI Legislature, and U.S. President Barrack Obama before going to the U.S. Congress.

The report, which will be open to the public, is a compilation of the issues, recommendations, and other things that were discussed in the 902 talks.

Transition

Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands chair Gloria Cavanagh also hailed the DHS decision. “By law, the cap has to be reduced. We are happy that DHS has considered our labor situation and given us the most minimal reduction of one.”

She said that a lot of their member hotels have various programs like establishing partnership with Latte Training Academy and the Northern Marianas Trades Institute in the hopes to hire and recruit their graduates.

“In addition, most of us do a lot of in-house training for our existing staff. All hotels have been actively hiring local and U.S. people. However, this pool of labor is still very limited. What we are finding is that we are a lot of times hiring from each other,” said Cavanagh.

“With all the new restaurants and even with the opening of Kensington [Hotel], we are experiencing high turnover of employees. For positions that we just can’t keep staffed, we have resorted to hiring outside services. However, they too are suffering from the same labor woes.”

She added that some hotels had started applying some of their workers to H1 visas since it takes a lot of time to process. “However, we are receiving denials. For those that have foreign offices, they avail themselves to L visas and not many are in the situation to do so.”

Cavanagh said HANMI has 11 member hotels that have close to 1,700 direct employees not including the temporary services with 51 percent of their labor force are guest workers.

Saipan Chamber of Commerce president Velma Palacios also thanked the DHS for reducing the CW-1 cap numerical limit by one for the next fiscal year and considering the recommendations made by Torres and Sablan.

“The fiscal year 2017 CW-1 cap of 12,998 will not maintain all the existing [guest] workers. It will continue to allow businesses to transition their CW-1 workers who are eligible for other visa categories.

She added that their members have also started to apply their existing CW-1 workers to other applicable U.S. visa categories. “We continue to encourage our members to use the CW-1 program for job categories not eligible for H1, H2, or other visas.”

“At the same time, our members are making efforts to recruit and train through in-house training programs and partnerships with local residents. We need a sustainable workforce to support our growing economy,” said Palacios.

Long-term solution needed

Local activist Glenn D. Hunter said a long-term solution is still needed to grant improved status to some guest workers. And these is what they, he and other concerned citizens, discussed early this year.

“In June we gathered hundreds of concerned citizens and mounted numerous gatherings. Thankfully our local government listened and responded forcefully. They altered their 902 position and requested an immediate administrative fix along with a long term solution to grant improved status to long-term workers,” said Hunter.

He added that the action just shows things can be done. “Everyday citizens and our local government leaders did their best to demand that their federal government take immediate action. This latest administrative action demonstrates that things can be accomplished without U.S. legislative action and without waiting on a new president.”

“We must look at the near future and begin demanding that improved status be granted to those long-term workers that still remain in the CNMI. It is the right thing to do and it will beyond the right time,” said Hunter.