CNMI Department of Labor

____________ CNMI Department of Labor ____________

USCIS Reminder: CW-1 Employers Must File Required Semiannual Report (Form I-129CWR)

USCIS reminds employers of Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Transitional Workers (CW-1) that if you have a currently-approved CW-1 petition with a validity period of six months or more, you must file Form I-129CWR, Semiannual Report for CW-1 Employers, with USCIS every six months after the petition validity start date.

USCIS provides a 60-day filing window for the semiannual report - you must file the Semiannual Report no earlier than 30 days before and no later than 30 days after the date that is six months after the petition validity start date. For example, if you are an employer of a CW-1 worker with start date of October 1, 2022, six months after the petition validity start date would be April 1, 2023. The 60-day filing window for your petition would be from March 2 to May 1, 2023.

If you do not file Form I-129CWR in a timely manner, we may revoke your approved petition or deny subsequent petitions. To avoid revocation or denial of future petitions, you must either:

·File Form I-129CWR in accordance with the filing instructions located on the Form I-129CWR page; or

·Submit a written request to withdraw your approved CW-1 petition to the California Service Center at the address located under the “Where to File" section of the Form I-129CW, Petition for a CNMI-Only Nonimmigrant Transitional Worker,page.

If you do not submit a written withdrawal of your approved CW-1 petition for all beneficiaries, you will remain subject to the semiannual reporting requirement for the duration of your petition’s validity period, and you must comply with the reporting requirement before a new petition can be approved.

You are still subject to the semiannual reporting requirement even if:

The worker was never admitted to the CNMI;
the worker is no longer working for you;
The worker may have subsequently changed status; or
You are a CW-1 employer of a long-term worker and you previously submitted Form I-129CWR.

Employers can verify if USCIS received the Form I-129CWR by entering the receipt number of the approved Form I-129CW petition in Case Status Online.

For more information on USCIS and our programs, please visit uscis.gov.

USDOL expands NMI private-public partnerships in registered apprenticeship programs

Press Release, Mar 28, 2023

Click here to read this article on Marianas Variety.

If you missed the webinar Tuesday, you can watch the replay here:

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/foreign-labor/programs/cw-1

OFLC Announces Webinar on March 21, 2023, to Update Stakeholders on the Process for Filing CW-1 Applications for Employment in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

The Office of Foreign Labor Certification invites interested stakeholders to participate in a webinar that provides technical assistance and helpful tips for preparing the CW-1 Application for Prevailing Wage Determination (Form ETA-9141C) and the Application for Temporary Employment Certification (Form ETA-9142C). The webinar will provide technical assistance to employers (and authorized attorneys or agents) on how to complete and submit Forms ETA-9141C and ETA-9142C and cover some of the most pressing post-filing issues employers encounter.

Meeting Details:
March 20, 2023 7:00 PM | (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada) | 1 hr /

March 21, 2023 9:00AM | (UTC+10:00) Chamorro Standard Time | 1 hr

Join from the meeting link:
https://usdol.webex.com/usdol/j.php?MTID=m09be869a77a13aa13dd691296393fff7

or https://bit.ly/USDOLCW1

Join by meeting number:
Meeting number (access code): 2763 487 7128
Meeting password: CW1Update

Tap to join from a mobile device (attendees only):
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CNMI Department of Labor and U.S. Department of Labor - Employment and Training Administration (ETA) officials at the Region 6 - State Administrators Meeting in San Francisco, CA on November 15-16, 2022

From Left to Right: Nancy Taylor (Director, Special Initiatives and Demonstrations),

Steve Malliaras (Manager, Division of Workforce Security), Nick Lalpuis (RegionalAdministrator),

Annie Leonetti (Deputy Regional Administrator), Frank Stluka (Director, Workforce Investment Agency),

Vicky Benavente ( CNMI Secretary of Labor), Frances Torres ( Director, Workforce Investment Agency, CNMI DOL),

Eugene Tebuteb (Director, Employment Services, CNMI DOL),

Lorraine Jamison (Manager, Division of Financial Management and Administrative Services),

Bob Kenyon (Director, Unemployment Insurance), and Karren Connor (Manager, Division of Workforce Investment).

From Left to Right: Steve Malliaras (Manager, Division of Workforce Security),

Consuelo Hines (Trade Act and DUA Programs Coordinator), Vicky Benavente (CNMI Secretary of Labor),

Eugene Tebuteb (Director, Employment Services, CNMI DOL),

and Bob Kenyon (Director, Unemployment Insurance).

From Left to Right: Thou Ny (Management and Program Analyst),

Frances Torres (Director, Workforce Investment Agency, CNMI DOL),

Violet Jackson (Federal Project Officer), and Vicky Benavente (CNMI Secretary of Labor).

Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) Region 9 officials with CNMI DOL officials

From Left to Right: Loren Delicana (Assistant Regional Administrator, Cooperative and State Programs),

Vicky Benavente (CNMI Secretary of Labor), Eugene Tebuteb (Director, Employment Services, CNMI DOL),

and Elaine Huang (Accountant).

The State Workforce Development Board (SWDB) welcomed their newest Board Member, Joann Pangelinan,

at their General Membership Meeting held in Tinian on October 25, 2022.

Ms. Pangelinan currently works for the CNMI Superior Court and is a former Police Officer.

She is also the proud owner of two small businesses on Tinian, Kana's Rental and Pro Maintenance.

From Left to Right: Nicole Babauta (SWDB Vice Chair), Joann Pangelinan (Member, Tinian), Velma Palacios (SWDB Chair),

Frances Torres, WIA Director (Member), and Vicky Benavente, Secretary of Labor (Member).

SWDB General Membership Meeting in Progress

Seated from Left to Right: CJ Espinosa, Nicole Babauta, Velma Palacios, Joann Pangelinan, and Frances Torres

Standing in the Background: Frances Tudela

Department of Labor's Citizen-Centric Report for Fiscal Year 2022

CNMI DOL participated in the "Empowering Women for Success" event hosted by the CNMI Women's Affairs Office held at the Multi-purpose Center in Susupe on October 14, 2022

From left to right: Lae Muna, Labor Certification Technician I, Agueda Camacho, PUA Supervisor, and Alice Agulto, Job Placement Officer

NMC students interviewed DOL's Chief Administrative Hearing Officer, Jacqueline A. Nicolas, for their capstone research project.

From Left to Right: Patcha Meekham Trakulchang, Jacqueline A. Nicolas, DOL Chief Administrative Hearing Officer, and Ni Yin.

The Saipan Chamber of Commerce held a Special Luncheon Presentation on September 23rd, 2022 at the Aqua Resort Hotel Saipan featuring Mr. Jimmy D. Smith, Small Business Director under the Department of the Navy.

From Left to Right: James Ulloa, Labor Certification Supervisor, CNMI DOL, Vicky Benavente, CNMI Secretary of Labor, Jimmy D. Smith, Small Business Director, Department of the Navy, and Eugene Tebuteb, Director of Employment Services, CNMI DOL.

WIOA staff attending the USDOL Convening on Administration, Fiscal, and Performance in Hawaii

From left to right: Joseph Villacrusis, Cozryanamae Camacho, Colleen Diaz, Kellen Grode, Ainee Ibarra, Frances Torres, Annie Leonetti, Marian Esver, Tarah Holt, Ashley Olarte, Bertha Torres, Frances Tudela, and Anthony Crouch

Instructor William Shippey, CSE and President/CEO of Omega Safety Compliance conducting MSHA workshop on Tinian, September 13, 2022

NMC and CNMI DOL Apprenticeship Programs presented at the Saipan Chamber of Commerce General Membership Meeting on September 7, 2022 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel

From Left to Right: Kevin Bautista, NMC Executive Director for the Office of the President, Maria Valentina Haberman, NMC-CDI Director, Frances Torres, DOL Workforce Investment Agency (WIA) Director, Joseph Villacrusis, DOL Apprenticeship State Expansion (ASE) Manager, Senator Edith Deleon Guerrero, Galvin Deleon Guerrero, EdD, NMC President, Jodina Attao, Northern Marianas Technical Institute Chief Executive Officer, Lanie Cruz, DOL ASE Program Coordinator, Ashley Olarte, NMC State Apprenticeship Expansion Program Manager, Geraldine Sasamoto, NMC-CDI Program Manager, Pamela Ada, NMC-CDI Administrative Assistant, and Les Ogumoro-Uludong, NMC Area Health Education Center Program Manager.

Courtesy visit to CNMI OSHA by Justine Callahan, Safety and Occupational Health Manager, Cooperative and State Programs on August 30, 2022

From Left to right: Tim Asaivao (Project Manager, CNMI OSHA), Justine Callahan (Safety and Occupational Health Manager, OSHA), and Vicky Benavente (CNMI Secretary of Labor).

OSHA Region IX Safety and Occupational Health Manager, Eric Christensen, visits CNMI OSHA at the Department of Labor

Left to Right: Vicky Benavente, Secretary of Labor, Eric Christensen, Occupational Health Manager, and Tim Asaivao, CNMI OSHA Project Manager.

Department of Labor's Division Employees of the Year

From left to right: RochelleTomokane (PUA Coordinator, Administrative Hearing Office), Vertilia Camacho (PUA Coordinator, PUA Headquarters), Patricia Camacho (Administrative Officer II, Office of the Secretary), Brenda Lynn Sablan (PUA Coordinator, PUA - BPC Unit), Colleen Diaz (Federal Program Coordinator IV, Workforce Investment Agency), and Lae Muña (Labor Certification Technician I, Division of Employment Services).

CNMI Department of Labor, Employment Services staff, Vivian Fleming, assists a client with the NAP Work Registration Program.

The Department of Labor would like to remind CNMI employers that today - March 15, 2022 - is the last day to participate in the 2022 Prevailing Wage Survey. Your participation would be greatly appreciated.

March 9, 2022. OFLC Announces Webinar on March 22, 2022, to Update Stakeholders on the Process for Filing CW-1 Applications for Employment in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

The Office of Foreign Labor Certification invites interested stakeholders to participate in a webinar that provides technical assistance and helpful tips for preparing the CW-1 Application for Prevailing Wage Determination (Form ETA-9141C) and the Application for Temporary Employment Certification (Form ETA-9142C). The webinar will provide technical assistance to employers (and authorized attorneys or agents) on how to complete and submit Forms ETA-9141C and ETA-9142C and cover some of the most pressing post-filing issues employers encounter.

Meeting Details:

March 22nd, 2022 7:00 PM | (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada) | 1 hr / March 23rd, 2022 9:00AM | (UTC+10:00) Chamorro Standard Time | 1 hr

Join from the meeting link:
https://usdol.webex.com/usdol/j.php?MTID=m139d0b6e2dea354913bbc9b36aabe7e2

Join by meeting number:
Meeting number (access code): 2763 487 7128
Meeting password: CW1Update

Tap to join from a mobile device (attendees only):
1-877-465-7975, # US Toll Free
+1-210-795-0506, # US Toll

Join by phone:
1-877-465-7975 US Toll Free
1-210-795-0506 US Toll

STATE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD

P.O. Box 10007 | Saipan, MP 96950 | Phone: (670) 664-1712 | Email: cnmiswdb@dol.gov.mp

Vision: “To integrate a seamless workforce development system that meets the needs of employers, job-seekers, workers, and youths in order to supply quality employees for the dynamic economy of the CNMI.”

PUBLIC NOTICE

The CNMI’s State Workforce Development Board in collaboration with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) core program partners (DOL Workforce Investment Agency, NMC Adult Education State Office, and Office of Vocational Rehabilitation) will be modifying portions of the CNMI’s Unified State Plan for Program Years 2022-2023.

Proposed modifications to the plan include:

A description of current economic, workforce, and workforce development activities impact analyses of the COVID-19 pandemic.
State strategic goals to achieve the vision of the CNMI “To integrate a seamless workforce development system that meets the needs of employers, job-seekers, workers, and youths in order to supply quality employees for the dynamic economy of the CNMI.”
Performance goals for Program Year 2022 and 2023.
Update the State Operating Systems for the SWDB and the core programs.

The public is invited to provide input or comments on the proposed changes during a thirty (30) day public comment period beginning February 10, 2022 and ending on March 10, 2022.

There will be virtual and in-person public forums to discuss the modifications on Saipan, Rota, and Tinian that will be announced at a later date.

A copy of the CNMI 2020-2023 Unified State Plan may be found on www.marianaslabor.net.

/resources/files/divisions/WIA/Northern_Marianas_PYs_2020-2023(1).pdf

Please submit all comments in writing to cnmiswdb@dol.gov.mp, lorraine.maui@marianas.edu, or arlene@ovrgov.net with the subject line CNMI State Plan 2022. The deadline for comment submission is Thursday, March 10, 2022 at 4:30pm.

/s/ Velma Palacios, Chairperson Date: February 10, 2022

II.b.(2)[A][B] State Strategic Goals
PY2020-2021 Goals	Proposed Goals for PY 2022-2023
Goal 1: Develop and Implement a Youth Leadership Training system/program to have youth build competitive attributes of a leader and gain confidence of in their abilities and career choices.	Strengthen the collaboration of the workforce development system for the expansion of a comprehensive, integrated, effective, and streamlined service delivery system.
Goal 2: Develop and Implement Workforce Development Leadership Training system/program to have adults, dislocated workers, job-seekers, and incumbent employees build competitive attributes of a leader and gain confidence of in their abilities and career choices.	Enhance Business Service strategies to increase strategic partnerships and engagement to develop customized services that aligns with the present-day economy across programs of the workforce development system.
Goal 3: Promote and support participant’s efforts to obtain necessary workforce experiences, workforce credentials, skill development and training, and/or career or college readiness in order to increase the number of competitive participants who are ready to enter employment or gain upward mobility and livable wages in the careers of their choice.	Integrate an innovative customer-centered service delivery system focused on the customer’s job-driven occupational and training needs that includes enhanced supportive services to address barriers that may impede participation.
Goal 4: Align, coordinate, and integrate the local and state workforce development systems in order to match workforce skills needs of employers those participants who have the marketable skills and attributes needed to be competitive choice of employers.	Increase the skills of jobseekers for high-quality jobs and careers in demand-driven industries that align with the workforce needs of employers that lead to employment, reemployment, and retention.

II.b.(3) Performance Goals Titles I, II, and IV
Program	Performance Measure	Program Year 2020-2021		Program Year 2022	Program Year 2023
		Negotiated Level		Proposed Level	Proposed Level
Title I Youth	Education, Training, or Employment (2^nd Quarter after Exit)	50.0%		50.0%	50.0%
Title I Adult & Dislocated Worker	Employment (2^nd Quarter after Exit)	50.0%		50.0%	50.0%
Title II Adult Basic Education		2020	2021	57.0%	58.0%
		55.0%	57.0%
Title IV Office of Vocational Rehabilitation		Baseline		50.0%	50.0%
Title I Youth	Education, Training, or Employment (4^th Quarter after Exit)	50.0%		50.0%	50.0%
Title I Adult & Dislocated Worker	Employment (4^th Quarter after Exit)	50.0%		50.0%	50.0%
Title II Adult Basic Education		2020	2021	60.0%	61.0%
		58.0%	60.0%
Title IV Office of Vocational Rehabilitation		Baseline		Baseline	Baseline
Title I Adult & Dislocated Worker	Median Earnings (2^nd Quarter after Exit)	$3,200		$3,200	$3,200
Title I Youth		$3,000		$3,000	$3,000
Title II Adult Basic Education		$4,153		$4,153	$4,153
Title IV Office of Vocational Rehabilitation		Baseline		Baseline	Baseline
Title I Adult & Dislocated Worker	Credential Attainment Rate	66.5%		66.5%	66.5%
Title I Youth		66.0%		66.0%	66.0%
Title II Adult Basic Education		2020	2021	81.0%	82.0%
		89.0%	81.0%
Title IV Office of Vocational Rehabilitation		Baseline		Baseline	Baseline
Title I Adult & Dislocated Worker	Measurable Skill Gains	50.0%		50.0%	50.0%
Title I Youth		50.0%		50.0%	50.0%
Title II Adult Basic Education		45.0%		50.0%	51.0%
Title IV Office of Vocational Rehabilitation		Baseline		Baseline	Baseline

To register for the virtual career fair, click here.

Governor Ralph DLG. Torres visited the CNMI Department of Labor to personally thank them for all their hard work throughout the past two years of this pandemic.