· The Chile and Singapore Free Trade Agreements contain provisions
allowing the temporary entry of business professionals into the other party, to
facilitate trade in services.
· Since services now account for
65% of the U.S. economy and 28% of the value of U.S. exports, the international mobility of business professionals –
particularly as employees providing services – has become an increasingly important aspect
of competitive markets for suppliers and consumers alike. Facilitating the
movement of professionals allows trade partners to more efficiently provide each other with
services such as architecture, engineering, consulting, and
construction.
· TPA establishes that the
principal negotiating objective regarding trade in services is to reduce or eliminate barriers to international trade in services.
Each trade negotiation the United States enters, like Chile and Singapore, is approached
individually to determine if the inclusion of a temporary entry chapter will benefit U.S. trade
in services and, if so, whether a section on temporary entry of professionals is needed in
the agreement.
· Pursuant to the agreements with
Chile and Singapore, the movement of Chilean and Singaporean professionals in the United States will be provided by
the H-1B1 visa.
· The number of U.S. professionals
allowed entry into Chile and Singapore is not limited under these FTAs, while the number of Chilean professionals in the
United States is limited to 1400 and the number of Singaporean professionals to
5400.
· The United States will be able to
collect fees for professionals allowed entry. Both agreements have language that requires Parties to set fees so that
they do not "unduly impair or delay trade in goods or services."
· The agreements permit the United
States to require attestations modeled after core elements of the Labor Condition Application of the current U.S.
H-1B visa program to certify that the employer sponsoring an applicant will:
- Pay the prevailing wage or higher
- Notify employees of intent to hire a foreign worker
- Provide a safe working environment
- Certify there is no strike or lockout in place at the
worksite
THE CHILE AND SINGAPORE FTA IMPLEMENTING
LEGISLATION:
· Ensures that the Chile and
Singapore professionals categories come under the H-1B umbrella, as H-1B1.
· Clarifies that the Chile and
Singapore H-1B1 professionals categories are capped, and that these individuals will count under the overall H-1B program
cap.
· Ensures that the same level fees
can be charged for H-1B and H-1B1 visas.
· Confirms that the attestation
requirements are modeled on the Labor Condition Application provisions in the H-1B program, allowing a party to
require certification of compliance with a party’s labor and immigration laws prior to
entry.
· Requires that, similar to the
H-1B program, a new attestation must be filed every 3 years for each H-1B1 professional.
· Mandates that after 5 renewals,
any subsequent renewal for an H-1B1 professional will count against the overall H-1B cap.
· Requires all Singaporean and
Chilean H-1B1 professionals to overcome the presumption of immigrant intent, which is a higher threshold than
H-1B visa holders meet.
· Provides important protections
regarding labor disputes by allowing the United States to deny temporary entry to a Chilean or Singaporean business person
whose activities in the United States require employment authorization, if admission
might interfere with an ongoing labor dispute.
THE CHILE AND SINGAPORE STATEMENTS OF ADMINISTRATIVE
ACTION:
· Clarify that "specialty
occupation" in the H-1B1 program will be interpreted in a manner similar to the way the term "specialty occupation" is defined in
the H-1B statute.
· Acknowledge that with sections of
the H-1B program set to expire in September 2003, if the Congress extends or modifies provisions of the H-1B program,
the Congress may make corresponding modifications to the amendments to the
Immigration and Nationality Act made by the implementing bills, to the extent consistent with
the obligations of the United States under these free trade
agreements.
