In an interview, Villagomez said he is confident that CHC staff, especially the nurses, will get an amended working permit because “it’s a done deal,” between Public Health and the Department of Labor.
He could not tell how many CHC personnel will get the two-permit permit but he said this is now being processed, and he believes there is a great chance that these healthcare workers will get it.
Labor, he said, has agreed to approve the two-year permit that Public Health requested.
“They need to do it. They will do it. And they are doing it now,” Villagomez said.
In January, some CHC nurses whose contracts were expiring in the next two months called the attention of Public Health secretary in light of the implementation of the federal immigration law on June 1.
Federalization will restrict the CNMI’s ability to hire guest workers.
While nonresident health workers expressed fear of being sent home sooner than they expected, the hospital administration is concerned about losing essential healthcare workers once the federal government takes over the CNMI immigration system.
Villagomez met with CHC’s nonresident employees two months ago and assured them that the proposed two-year permit was being worked out.
