King-Hinds Seeks Governor and Community Input on Draft CNMI Labor Stabilization Legislation

Washington D.C. - Congresswoman Kimberlyn King-Hinds has shared a draft proposal to amend the Commonwealth’s immigration transition framework and is inviting review and feedback from Governor David M. Apatang and leaders across the CNMI before formally introducing the legislation in Congress.

The draft measure, titled the Northern Mariana Islands Labor Stabilization Act, proposes a revised approach to the Commonwealth’s access to foreign labor that moves away from a short-term transition model and toward a framework that reflects the CNMI’s long-term workforce needs. The proposal would extend CNMI-specific foreign labor authority by ten years, with the option for additional extensions, and adjust worker availability to better align with actual labor demand in the islands.

The Congresswoman previously shared a policy framework with the community in July 2025 outlining her approach to extending the CNMI’s immigration transition program. Feedback, concerns, and recommendations raised during that dialogue informed the development of the current draft, and are reflected in the bill language now being circulated for review.

King-Hinds said the draft reflects months of conversations with employers, workers, and community members, but emphasized that input from the Governor and local leadership is critical before the bill is finalized.

“This is a working draft, not a finished product,” King-Hinds said. “Before anything is introduced, it’s important that the Governor, local leaders, and the broader community have the opportunity to review it and weigh in. The goal is to make sure any legislation we advance is grounded in the realities of our workforce and our economy.”

In addition to extending the labor authority, the draft proposal addresses long-standing issues in the current transition framework, including enforcement challenges and statutory requirements that place unnecessary burdens on employers. The bill strengthens enforcement tools, dedicates additional resources to compliance, removes the “touch-back” requirement, and grants the Governor authority comparable to that exercised by Guam in supporting labor determinations.

The proposal also restores the Section 703(b) Covenant cover-over of immigration and naturalization fees, establishes a mechanism to support immigration enforcement in the CNMI, removes restrictions affecting construction workers, expands eligibility following natural disasters, and creates a process for certain individuals who fell out of status during or after the COVID-19 pandemic to return to lawful status within the Commonwealth.

Along with the draft bill text, the Congresswoman provided a section-by-section analysis and a comparison of current law and proposed changes to support informed review by the Governor and community stakeholders.

King-Hinds noted that compromise will be unavoidable in the legislative process and that sustained local engagement will be essential to advancing the core objective of extending the CNMI’s access to necessary foreign labor beyond 2029.

“I want this effort to reflect a shared understanding of what the Commonwealth needs and what is achievable,” she said. “Community input at this stage will strengthen our position as we move forward.”

The draft legislation has been shared with the Governor, legislative leadership, mayors, labor and business representatives, and other community stakeholders for review and comment.

To support public review and input, the following materials are available:

Draft of the Northern Mariana Islands Labor Stabilization Act: https://bit.ly/49ZnhfQ

Section-by-section analysis: https://bit.ly/4kl04Z3

How the bill changes current law: https://bit.ly/4qoeqcD