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Labor tightens entry requirements for Chinese workers
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Posted on Dec 01 2005
Beginning next year, applications for new hires from China must be reviewed and certified by the Chinese government before they can enter the CNMI.
Currently, only new workers for the garment industry are required to get certification from the CNMI Chinese Economic Development Association.
But in a public notice issued yesterday, Labor director Dean O. Tenorio announced that the requirement would apply to other workers as well. These include farmers, house workers, construction workers, restaurant employees, and workers for garment subcontractors such as trimming shops and embroiderers.
Tenorio added that applications for garment workers would continue to be referred to CEDA.
Without CEDA certification, a work permit will not be issued to a Chinese national.
“This is done to assure that workers entering the CNMI are being referred by authorized recruiters and to conform to CNMI regulations,” Tenorio said.
The new regulation takes effect on Jan. 1, 2006.
The certification requirement is implemented pursuant to CNMI agreement with CEDA. A similar agreement has been executed by the CNMI and the Philippine government.
“[Public] interest requires that the hiring of alien workers from abroad be conducted with the participation of agencies approved to engage in such activities by the country of origin of the prospective employers,” then acting Labor Secretary Dean O. Tenorio and attorney general Pamela Brown had said when they introduced regulations implementing the agreements last year.
“This procedure minimizes fraud in the hiring process, assures the skill level of the alien worker, reduces recruiting abuses, and builds accountability in the hiring process,” the officials had added.
