[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 7, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9747-9748]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-04590]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

[OMB Control Number 1615-0111]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Revision of a Currently 
Approved Collection: Petition for a CNMI-Only Nonimmigrant Transitional 
Worker, Form I-129CW

AGENCY: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of 
Homeland Security.

ACTION: 30-Day notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship 
and Immigration Services (USCIS) will be submitting the following 
information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995. The purpose of this notice is to allow an 
additional 30 days for public comments.

DATES: The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for 
public comments. Comments are encouraged and will be accepted until 
April 6, 2018. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 
1320.10.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and/or suggestions regarding the item(s) 
contained in this notice, especially regarding the estimated public 
burden and associated response time, must be directed to the OMB USCIS 
Desk Officer via email at [email protected]. All submissions 
received must include the agency name and the OMB Control Number 1615-
0111 in the subject line.
    You may wish to consider limiting the amount of personal 
information that you provide in any voluntary submission you make. For 
additional information please read the Privacy Act notice that is 
available via the link in the footer of http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: USCIS, Office of Policy and Strategy, 
Regulatory Coordination Division, Samantha Deshommes, Chief, 20 
Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20529-2140, Telephone number 
(202) 272-8377 (This is not a toll-free number; comments are not 
accepted via telephone message.). Please note contact information 
provided here is solely for questions regarding this notice. It is not 
for individual case status inquiries. Applicants seeking information 
about the status of their individual cases can check Case Status 
Online, available at the USCIS website at http://www.uscis.gov, or call 
the USCIS National Customer Service Center at (800) 375-5283; TTY (800) 
767-1833.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments

    The information collection notice was previously published in the 
Federal Register on December 21, 2017, at 82 FR 60756, allowing for a 
60-day public comment period. USCIS did receive one comment in 
connection with the 60-day notice.
    You may access the information collection instrument with 
instructions, or additional information by visiting the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal site at: http://www.regulations.gov and enter USCIS-
2012-0011 in the search box. Written comments and suggestions from the 
public and affected agencies should address one or more of the 
following four points:

    (1) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses.

[[Page 9748]]

Overview of This Information Collection

    (1) Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a Currently 
Approved Collection.
    (2) Title of the Form/Collection: Petition for a CNMI-Only 
Nonimmigrant Transitional Worker.
    (3) Agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the 
DHS sponsoring the collection: Form I-129CW; USCIS.
    (4) Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as 
well as a brief abstract: Primary: Individuals or households; Business 
or other for-profit. USCIS uses the data collected on this form to 
determine eligibility for the requested immigration benefits. An 
employer uses this form to petition USCIS for an alien to temporarily 
enter as a nonimmigrant into the CNMI to perform services or labor as a 
CNMI-Only Transitional Worker (CW-1). An employer also uses this form 
to request an extension of stay or change of status on behalf of the 
alien worker. The form serves the purpose of standardizing requests for 
these benefits, and ensuring that the basic information required to 
determine eligibility, is provided by the petitioners.
    USCIS collects biometrics from aliens present in the CNMI at the 
time of requesting initial grant of CW-1 status. The information is 
used to verify the alien's identity, background information and 
ultimately adjudicate their request for CW-1 status.
    The CW-1 classification is unique in that Form I-129CW is a 
petition for the CW-1 classification as well as a ``grant of status.'' 
A ``grant of status'' allows beneficiaries lawfully present in the CNMI 
to change status directly from their CNMI classification or DHS-issued 
parole to the CW-1 classification. See 8 CFR 214.2(w)(1)(v). When a 
beneficiary is granted CW-1 status, the adjudicating officer is 
granting admission and status to the beneficiary without requiring the 
beneficiary to depart the CNMI, obtain a visa abroad, and seek 
admission with CBP. Because we are granting the CW-1 status to the 
beneficiary, we use biometrics to make a determination of admissibility 
prior to adjudicating the Form I-129CW petition. The checks are used to 
confirm identity and ensure that CW-1 status is not granted to anyone 
who is inadmissible. As the CW program progresses, the need to take 
biometrics in most cases has diminished, as the Form I-129CW is 
increasingly used for extension of status of persons who had already 
had their biometrics taken at the initial grant stage rather than for 
initial grants of status in the CNMI, but the authority will continue 
to be used in those initial grant cases that do arise.
    (5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount 
of time estimated for an average respondent to respond: The estimated 
total number of respondents for the information collection Form I-129CW 
is 3,749 and the estimated hour burden per response is 3 hours.
    (6) An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated 
with the collection: The total estimated annual hour burden associated 
with this collection is 11,247 hours.
    (7) An estimate of the total public burden (in cost) associated 
with the collection: The estimated total annual cost burden associated 
with this collection of information is $459,252.50.

    Dated: March 1, 2018.
Samantha Deshommes,
Chief, Regulatory Coordination Division, Office of Policy and Strategy, 
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland 
Security.
[FR Doc. 2018-04590 Filed 3-6-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9111-97-P