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On May 14, 2020, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued an interim final rule to implement the amendments of the Northern Mariana Islands U.S. Workforce Act of 2018, which the President signed on July 24, 2018. The purpose of the Act is to increase the percentage of U.S. workers in the total workforce of the Consolidated Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), while maintaining the minimum number of non-U.S. workers to meet the demands of the CNMI economy; to encourage the hiring of U.S. workers into the CNMI workforce; and to ensure that no U.S. worker is at a competitive disadvantage compared to a non-U.S. worker or is displaced by a non-U.S. worker. The Act extends the transition period until December 31, 2029, including the Guam and CNMI H cap exemptions and the bar related to filing asylum applications in the CNMI. It also provides additional criteria for CNMI - Only Transitional Worker (CW) beneficiaries and their employers. The interim final rule went into effect on June 18, 2020. DHS is reviewing public comments submitted on the interim final rule in preparation for issuing a final rule.

Overall Description of Deadline: Publish an interim rule no later than 180 days after the enactment of the Bill.