David Gulick, district director of the department’s U.S. Citizenship Immigration Services, said their office wants to ensure that the tourism-based economy of the islands will continue to operate despite the federalization of its immigration system.
“We’re here to support the economy,” he told the Variety in an interview on Saipan.
When asked if the regulations for the CNMI’s transitional workers classification, or CW, will be released in September, Gulick said: “Right now, the regulations are still in process. I cannot give you a date when it’s going to come out.”
The CW regulations were supposed to be finalized before the federalization law took effect on Nov. 28, 2009 but the Fitial administration got a federal court order mandating DHS to repeat the process because the department failed to get enough public comments.
Federal authorities estimated there were over 16,000 documented foreign workers in the CNMI as of 2009.
Many of them are occupying jobs not eligible for an H1 visa which is tailored for professionals like accountants, nurses, computer programmers, etc. who must be paid at higher salaries compared to what they get in the CNMI.
“If you read the proposed rules on the transitional worker, it basically covered most people, especially those working in the tourism industry. There are few things that were included in the proposed rules but I cannot say them because they haven’t been finalized. Majority of the workers would be included,” said Gulick.
The federalization law grandfathered CNMI-issued labor or entry permits for the first two years after it took effect or until Nov. 2011.
Gulick said DHS has already considered this situation and that’s why paroles have been issued.
“We’ve issued paroles to allow people to keep working,” he said.
The parole-in-place is offered to foreign workers who failed to get CNMI-issued umbrella permits which the federal government recognizes as valid through Nov. 27, 2011.
Gulick said an extension for parole is also an option if the regulations are not completed as scheduled.
The CW status will be valid for one year and is processed through the USCIS office in California. There is a fee involved, but the amount will be determined by the final regulations.
CW visa does not entitle one to travel anywhere in the United States and its other possessions, including the neighboring island of Guam.
