Northern Mariana Islands Workforce Improvement Act

The Northern Mariana Islands Workforce Improvement Act aims to eliminate the touchback requirement for a specific group of long-term foreign workers in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). This legislation amends existing law to allow certain Commonwealth Only Transitional Workers (CW-1) to remain in the CNMI without having to periodically leave and re-enter the territory. Specifically, the bill permits aliens who were admitted as CW-1 workers during fiscal year 2015 and in two additional fiscal years between 2016 and 2019 to renew their permits for periods of up to three years. These renewals can continue throughout the transition period, providing greater stability for these experienced workers. The amendments are effective retroactively, applying as if they were part of the 2018 Northern Mariana Islands U.S. Workforce Act.