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Northern Mariana Islands · Work

Northern Mariana Islands CW-1 CNMI-Only Transitional Worker

19 facts quoted from the official source

Employer-petitioned transitional work status for a CNMI position where the worker is ineligible for another US employment-based nonimmigrant classification.

Route type
Work
Can bring
—
Not stated in the official source
Requirements
7
each quoted below
Who qualifies

Who this route is for

Every item below is the government’s own wording, quoted from the official source. Whether you personally qualify depends on your full profile.

7 requirements quoted from the official source.

The conditions that decide it
  • Available Us Workers Considered RequiredEmployers must obtain an approved temporary labor certification from the U.S. Department of Labor and consider all available U.S. workers for the position.
  • Cnmi Only StatusCW-1 and CW-2 statuses are only applicable in the CNMI.
  • Employer Petition RequiredThe employer should file Form I-129CW, Petition for a CNMI-Only Nonimmigrant Transitional Worker.
  • Legitimate Business RequiredTo qualify, employers must be engaged in legitimate business.
  • Petition FormThe employer should file Form I-129CW, Petition for a CNMI-Only Nonimmigrant Transitional Worker.
  • Temporary Labor Certification RequiredEmployers must obtain an approved temporary labor certification (TLC) from the U.S. Department of Labor.
  • Total Status Years MaxIn general, CW status is valid for up to 1 year and may be extended for a total of 3 years.
What rules you out

1 exclusion quoted from the official source.

  • Ineligible For Other Us Employment Status RequiredAre ineligible for any other employment-based nonimmigrant status under U.S. immigration law.
Also stated by the source
  • Eligibility summaryAliens may be classified as a CW-1 nonimmigrant during the transition period, beginning on Nov. 28, 2009, and ending on Dec. 31, 2029, subject to the CW-1 cap, if they are ineligible for any other employment-based nonimmigrant status under U.S. immigration law.
  • Fiscal Year 2026 CapCap for FY 2026 is 8,000.
  • Fiscal Year 2027 CapCap for FY 2027 is 7,000.
  • Healthcare Practitioner Technical Set AsideSet aside 200 total for Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations.
  • Healthcare Support Set AsideSet aside 200 total for Healthcare Support Occupations.
  • Official source basisAliens may be classified as a CW-1 nonimmigrant during the transition period, beginning on Nov. 28, 2009, and ending on Dec. 31, 2029, subject to the CW-1 cap, if they are ineligible for any other employment-based nonimmigrant status under U.S. immigration law.
  • Public Utilities Set AsideSet aside 60 for occupational categories related to the operations of the CNMI public utilities services.
  • Report summaryAliens may be classified as a CW-1 nonimmigrant during the transition period, beginning on Nov. 28, 2009, and ending on Dec. 31, 2029, subject to the CW-1 cap, if they are ineligible for any other employment-based nonimmigrant status under U.S. immigration law.
  • Transition End DateThe CW-1 program is scheduled to end on Dec. 31, 2029.
Family

Who you can bring

— Not stated in the official source. The official page for this route does not address dependent-family rights, so we do not publish a claim either way.
Costs & timelines

What the source prices

Validity
2 proven from the official source.
  • DurationIn general, CW status is valid for up to 1 year and may be extended for a total of 3 years.
  • Departure After Max Stay DaysAfter the second renewal of CW-1 status, the worker must depart from the United States/CNMI for 30 continuous days.
How it works

From here to a yes

See if you qualify — freeThe 3-minute check scores your profile against every Northern Mariana Islands route at once, this one included. No signup, no card.
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Apply with the official sourceThe application itself always happens with the government — the enacting authority linked below. The report points you straight at it.
FAQ

Straight answers

01Who qualifies for this route to Northern Mariana Islands?
The official source states: Employer-petitioned transitional work status for a CNMI position where the worker is ineligible for another US employment-based nonimmigrant classification.

Every answer is quoted from the official uscis.gov page for this route, last read 2026-07-26.

We checked 19 points against the official source; 19 are quoted on this page. The other 0 are either not addressed by the source or not yet backed by a quote — we would rather show you the edge of the record than fill it with a plausible guess.

See the 0 open points

Fees and processing time are not published in the official source for this route. We publish a number only when the official text states that number.

The source

Where every quote comes from

Official government source uscis.govLast read 2026-07-26 Every quote on this page is from this Northern Mariana Islands government page.
Compiled from official sources · pending independent re-check · Last checked 2026-07-26 · Our methodology
 · Compiled by António Mira · How we verify · Not legal advice — rules change; confirm with the official source before deciding.
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