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‘Most nonresident jobs not attractive to local workers’
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Posted on Nov 30 2006
Most of the jobs that are occupied by nonresident workers in the CNMI may not be very attractive to local residents as these include jobs such as sewers, houseworkers, waiter/waitress, cooks, farmers, carpenters and mason.
Data presented by the Department of Labor during yesterday’s first annual workforce summit cited the following as the top 15 job classifications occupied by nonresidents: sewers/machine operators, house worker, commercial cleaner, waitress/waiter, accountant, cook, farmer, carpenter, mason, presser, administrative assistant, manager, cutter, electrician, and general manager.
Alfred A. Pangelinan, deputy director of the Department of Labor said yesterday that the number of work permits issued to nonresident has been declining over the years.
He said that from a high of 35,051 permits issued in 2004, the number went down to 33,272 in 2005.
So far this year, the department has issued a total of 28,447 work permits.
In terms of local employment, Pangelinan said the number of job referrals has been increasing.
He said that in 2004, 292 local residents were successfully placed in jobs previously occupied by nonresidents, 389 in 2005, and 379 so far in 2006.
He said there were 1,262 registered applicants in 2004, 1,807 in 2005, and 1,923 so far this year or from January to Oct. 30 2006.
Pangelinan said this could be improved if not for the following challenges: lack of resources and training developments and unfriendly working environment to intentionally push away resident workers.
