Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Governor Pulaalii Nikolao Pula is proposing a significant bill aimed at addressing the rising concerns associated with the increasing number of foreign workers in the territory. 

His proposition specifically calls for a moratorium on the special provisions clause within the existing immigration law, which grants companies the ability to recruit foreign labor for a maximum duration of one year. 

This legislative initiative is motivated by the growing apprehension among local citizens, who fear that an influx of foreign workers may lead to job displacement for residents, ultimately impacting the local economy. 

The Governor's proposal serves as a direct response to these widespread concerns, as it seeks to implement stricter regulations governing the entry of foreign nationals into the territory.

To this end, Governor Pulaalii has formally submitted a bill to the Fono, which outlines a plan to suspend the special provisions for a complete period of 12 months. Should the bill pass, it would effectively prevent the Immigration Board from approving the entry of foreign nationals beyond the established statutory limits. The proposed moratorium is designed to take effect immediately upon the bill being signed into law, highlighting the urgency with which the Governor wishes to address this issue.

In his correspondence with Senate President Tuaolo Manaia Fruean and Speaker of the House Savali Talavou Ale, Governor Pulaalii articulated that this moratorium is intended to establish a structured period during which the government can thoroughly evaluate whether the current population of foreign nationals is sustainable in terms of economic viability and social harmony. 

In an effort to maintain transparency and accountability throughout this process, the proposed legislation requires that the Attorney General, in collaboration with the Immigration Board, prepare and submit a comprehensive report. This report will encompass various findings derived from the assessment and will provide informed recommendations for future actions regarding immigration policy.

It is important to note that under the existing immigration law, there are specific yearly quotas defining the number of individuals permitted to reside and work in the territory from each country. This system is reportedly designed to manage and regulate the immigration flow in a balanced manner.

It is not known at this point if the guest worker arrangement program that StarKist Samoa and the American Samoa Government will also be a part of the ASG’s call for a one year moratorium.

StarKist Samoa through the guest worker program, employs approximately 2,000 to 2,400 Samoa citizens who make up roughly 70% of the workforce at its tuna cannery. It is the largest importer of foreign labor to the Territory, and there have been concerns by local residents that the community’s infrastructure is unable to meet the demands of these alleged ‘guest’ workers — especially as they begin to bring their families over from Samoa.