Pinoys in CNMI to benefit from new immigration bill

CAPITAL HILL, Saipan - Filipinos who have been in the US Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) for at least five years may benefit from a new bill that will apply a more permanent immigration status to them. While the bill does not offer permanent residency, resident status, citizenship, or nationality to a resident foreign national it would enable aliens to live and work at will in the CNMI in the same manner as a permanent resident. They would also receive employment preference over other foreign workers. The CNMI, about three hours away from Manila by plane, is home to about 19,000 documented foreign workers mostly from the Philippines. The bill, expected to be pre-filed this week, will allow long-time foreign workers to stay for five-year periods in the CNMI whether they have jobs or not. The move came days after the US Senate approved on April 10 an omnibus bill that will apply US immigration laws to the CNMI. The federalization bill requires the US Department of the Interior to submit, within two years of the law's enactment, recommendations on a long-term immigration status to foreign workers. This is giving hope to thousands of foreign workers wanting to have a more permanent immigration status than the annual contract provided under the CNMI law. Irene Tantiado, interim chair of the newly formed Coalition of United Guest Workers (CNMI), told GMANews.TV on Wednesday that they "welcome" the local bill's intent of providing better status for long-term alien workers. Willing to help Text messages about the bill's pre-filing this week were sent to representatives of the guest worker community as early as Tuesday night. Tantiado, from Cebu, said they are thankful that the sponsors of the bill, especially Representative Tina Sablan, along with Heinz Hofschneider, Edward Salas and Victor Hocog, asked for input from the members of the foreign worker community in drafting the bill. "Kung me maitutulong kami para maipasa ang bill,tutulong kami (If there's anything we could do to help the pass the bill, we would help)," said Tantiado, a controller for a big company in the CNMI capital of Saipan. The bill allows foreign workers to apply for a resident foreign national entry permit if they have lived legally in the CNMI for at least five years and have met character requirements. A resident foreign national entry permit is valid for five years and may be renewed. Jerry Custodio, president of the Human Dignity Movement, said they support both the federalization bill and the local bill. "Kahit ano man ang mauna sa dalawang bills, masaya kami dahil parehong magbibigay ng mas permanenteng status sa mga guest workers na matagal na rito (Whichever is passed first between the two bills, we are happy because both provide a more permanent status to guest workers who have been here for a long time)," said Custodio, who has been in the CNMI for 10 years. Besides the five-year renewable immigration status, Custodio also cited the bill's provision allowing resident foreign national entry permit holders to operate a business, be self-employed, and employ other foreign workers. Currently, nonresident workers are prohibited from operating a business in the CNMI, be self-employed or employ other guest workers. Pro's and Con's People granted the proposed immigration category may also bring in their immediate family members to the CNMI and remain here for the period of the permit of the resident foreign national. But resident foreign nationals and any immediate family members admitted to the CNMI under the new immigration category are still considered aliens and may still be subjected to deportation. The bill's sponsors say the measure comes in recognition of "the value of long-term and law abiding non-citizen employees" in the CNMI. Among the advantages they cited for allowing long-term foreign workers to remain on the islands are their contributions in building the economy as they have a vested interest in the local community and are likely to spend more of their earnings on island, rather than send money out of the islands. They say the prospect of at-will employment will also relieve the administrative, processing and enforcement burdens on the Department of Labor, and stabilize a segment of the labor force that is critical to the CNMI's economic recovery. Local business, they also say, will benefit as they will not be required to pay annual permit and processing fees and await the issuance of entry permits, or comply with extensive regulatory burdens. Workers will also benefit as they can freely change jobs if their employment arrangements are unsatisfactory, the bill states. A resident foreign national status will promote a higher wage structure, improved working environments, and increased productivity for both citizen and non-citizen workers in the Commonwealth, it adds. - Haidee V. Eugenio, GMANews.TV