2023 Press Releases

August 2023

The CNMI Department of Labor has announced that it will be hosting a job fair at:

Crowne Plaza’s Hibiscus Hall on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The highly anticipated in-person event will feature various employers from a wide range of industries from construction, manpower services, retail, hospitality services and more. The department’s theme for this year’s fair, “Let’s Keep the CNMI Working,” is a call to address the imminent “touchback” policy set to go into effect on Sept. 30, 2023. The “touchback” rule is surely going to affect the CNMI’s workforce, so the department continually strives to mitigate the impacts of this policy by conducting this Job Fair.

“We seek to provide the means to bolster the CNMI’s local workforce and economy at such a crucial moment.” Further information about the job fair can be found at http://www.marianaslabor.net/. The  CNMI  State  Workforce  Development  Board  and  the  DOL  Workforce  Investment Agency Division are Equal Opportunity Employers/providers. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.This event is 100% funded through the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration   Workforce   Innovation   and   Opportunity   Act   Title   1   Grant,   totaling $1,537,732.00 for program year 2021.

Read the Press Release HERE. 

The CNMI Department of Labor would like to promote the CNMI Registered Apprenticeship Program across the Marianas by informing possible participants and future employers of how it works and why they should take advantage of these opportunities.   Especially with the touchback looming in the not too distant future, taking advantage of a Registered Apprenticeship Program can help your business in the long term by investing in US and US eligible workers who don’t need visas to work in the CNMI.

  1. What are the benefits to participants in becoming a registered apprentice? - The benefits to an individual who participates in a Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) is that they earn while they learn. Which means, they will receive training by an identified mentor within the work sponsor/employer and get paid for it. An approved Work Process Schedule is used during this portion of the training, also known as the On-the-Job Learning (OJL) component of the RAP. Additionally, the work process schedule includes an outline of courses that the apprentice must take and successfully complete, which is called the Related Training Instruction (RTI) component of a RAP. These courses may be taken with a training provider and/or a postsecondary institution such as the Northern Marianas College. These courses may be fully subsidized (aka FREE!) by the CNMI Workforce Investment Agency through the Workforce, Innovation, and Opportunity Act’s Title 1 programs. After the successful completion of their RAP, the apprentice receives a Nationally-Recognized credential from the U.S. Department of Labor. 
  2. What are the benefits to employers? -The benefits for employers include a fifty percent reimbursement of the apprentice’s wage to cover the extraordinary cost associated with their RAP training. This is a great incentive to any employer who wants to participate in a RAP. The work process schedule can be catered to the employer’s needs. In other words, employers can choose the courses in the apprentice’s RTI, as well as the standards created for the OJL portion. There is no additional cost to the employer for participating in a RAP. This allows employers to upskill their current workforce while creating a pipeline of skilled workers. This little to no cost training approach counters the expenses of hiring foreign labor. Thus, this allows employers to start preparing for their future workforce needs especially with the anticipated phase out of CW-1 permits.
  3. How does the CNMI benefit from apprentices in the workplace? - A Registered Apprenticeship Program offers an affordable training opportunity for individuals who may not have the resources to attend college. The cost of a Registered Apprenticeship Program to individuals is little to no cost which makes it more attractive, especially because they will be earning a wage at the same time. Employers also greatly benefit from this because they are building a skilled workforce without interrupting their operations and/or services. It also doesn’t cost them anything other than the time and energy to train apprentices. This can greatly impact the CNMI’s economy by building a sustainable workforce with employees who earn competitive wages making them afford the cost of living. The earnings they make will circulate into our economy instead of money going outside the CNMI which is often the case with our foreign workers. Businesses investing in their workforce by employing U.S. eligible workers can see a positive Return on Investment at the end of each RAP training. 

Read: CNMI DOL touts Registered Apprenticeship Program

The CNMI Department of Labor – Division of Employment Services is providing updates regarding job vacancy announcement (JVA) data trends. The division plans to issue ensuing reports on a quarterly and annual basis. For the second quarter of 2023 (April 1 st to June 30 st ), a total of 1,914 job vacancy announcements were posted on the Department’s website. Of those announcements, a grand total of 8,109 job openings were advertised during the three month period. A monthly breakdown of the data illustrates that the month of May had the highest number of openings at 3,635, followed by April at 2,566, then June at 1,908. The 2 nd quarter of 2023 had a 98% increase in job openings when compared to the previous quarter (1st quarter 2023) and a 32% increase when compared to the same quarter of last year (2 nd quarter of 2022). Historically, the 1 st and 2 nd quarters of each year yield the highest amount of job openings. For the second quarter of 2023, the top 10 occupational groups most sought after by employers were as follows:


1. Installation, Maintenance, and Repair – 2,184 job openings
2. Construction and Extraction – 1,624 job openings
3. Food Preparation and Serving Related – 1,025 job openings
4. Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance – 1,004 job openings
5. Personal Care and Service – 453 job openings
6. Production – 361 job openings
7. Office and Administrative Support – 311 job openings
8. Transportation and Material Moving – 254 job openings
9. Sales and Related – 190 job openings
10. Healthcare Practitioners and Technical – 141 job openings

Prospective job seekers must register with the Department prior to submitting an online job application. To register, go to www.marianaslabor.net, click on “Applicants”, “Register with the CNMI Department of Labor”, then complete all required fields. Allow 1-2 business days for the Division of Employment Services to complete your registration application. You may contact theDivision for online registration, resume-building, and/or job application assistance at (670) 664-3190 or simply walk in to our Capitol Hill office at building #1334. For further information regarding JVA data, visit www.marianaslabor.net. Hover over the “Divisions” drop-down selection menu and click on “Employment Services Division”, then scroll down to the “Reports” section where you will find the decennial 10-year report, annual reports, and the latest quarterly reports.