‘CWs and families need to be  part of NMI transition to 2029’

Christina E. Sablan

Rep. Christina E. Sablan (D-Saipan) emphasized the importance of supporting Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan’s (Ind-MP) H.R. 560, a bill that seeks to grant permanent residency status in the Marianas to certain Commonwealth-Only Transitional Workers (CW-1) and to foreign investors admitted under Commonwealth immigration law.

Rep. Sablan said H.R. 560 would give stability and relief to CW families and also to employers.

“CW individuals and families need to be part of our transition to 2029,” she said.

Delegate Gregorio Sablan re-introduced the legislation in January 2021. His similar legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives in the last U.S. Congress, but died in the Republican-controlled Senate.

In addition to making long-term workers and investors eligible for permanent residence in the Marianas, the new Northern Mariana Islands Legal Residents Relief Act of 2021 gives those eligible for this permanent status under Public Law 116-24 another chance to apply and make certain family members eligible too.

After five years, persons with Marianas permanent residence status could apply for U.S. permanent residency.

Rep. Christina Sablan expressed her position about CW-1 workforce in her rebuttal to a question thrown to Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios during last week’s 2022 Gubernatorial Candidate Debate hosted by the Saipan Chamber of Commerce at World Resort Saipan’s Taga Hall.

Rep. Sablan is running for governor, with Rep. Leila Staffler (D-Saipan) as her running mate as lieutenant governor, under the Democratic Party. Nov. 8 is the general elections.

Debate moderator Patti Arroyo said the workforce is a critical component of any market economy.

“In view of the skilled manpower shortages in the Commonwealth, how do you plan to address this issue  given the annual decline of CW-1 visas and this program set to end by 2030?” Arroyo read the question.

Palacios said his administration will continue to create training programs for job skills that are needed for the CNMI’s workforce.

“And we want to incentivize training by paying even up to half of employees being employed by  the private sector and trained by the private sector,” Palacios said.

He said the days of the CW-1  program or status are numbered. “Let’s accept  and embrace the H visa and a pathway to improve immigration status,” Palacios said.

He said the federal government gave the CNMI a carved out unique CW program, but with a sunset provision of 2029.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Guam is surviving with H visas. Why can’t we? The problem is, we seem to be afraid and scaring ourselves. Today is the day we need to begin that [program],” Palacios said.

He said the U.S. Congress told the CNMI not to come once again and that Delegate Sablan is not going to help with this, because he has already helped [so] many times about this CW-1 program.

“We need to wake up ladies and gentlemen. And I hope and I urge the chamber to take this stance,” Palacios said.

He said he will sit down with Delegate Sablan and the CNMI Legislature to have a one position on this particular issue.

Palacios is seeking election as governor, with Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang, as his running mate for lieutenant governor, under a unified independent team.

In her rebuttal, Rep. Sablan said she and her running mate, Rep. Staffler envision that all of the CNMI’s educational institutions working in concert, as well as with the CNMI Department of Labor and with employers,  to create pathways for job training and for apprenticeships.

“We will build a robust  apprenticeship  program in our administration,” she said, adding that under their administration’s planned “Come Home Initiative under a “Marianas Jobs Now Program is designed to recruit local talents to come back home.

Rep. Sablan also underscored the need to update CNMI’s wage laws and to be more competitive in that arena.

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres said nothing is more important than the U.S. workforce, but that he will also continue to support the CW workers.

Torres said the CW-1 Program will end in 2029.

He said even the U.S. Government Accountability Office determined that even if the CNMI employs every U.S. citizen that’s eligible, the Commonwealth still needs contract workers.

“That is a fact,” Torres said.

The governor said he is proud to say that he has invested  at the Northern Marianas Trades Institute millions of dollars to continue  to promote CNMI’s own resources here.

“We have excellent  resources here,” he said, adding that the administration is working with the Northern Marianas College and Public School System.

Torres said with the U.S. Department of Defense’s $165-million project on Tinian, he has been negotiating to make sure that job opportunities stay here in the Commonwealth where the resources are the locals.

Torres is seeking re-election as governor, with Sen. Vinnie F. Sablan (R-Saipan) as  his running mate as lieutenant governor under the Republican Party.