BUILDING BUSINESS • BUILDING COMMUNITY

Chamber Leadership

President's Message

By Julie Pastrick, President & CEO
WHO CAN I HIRE

For the past two years the Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce has actively participated in state and federal discussion surrounding Immigration Reform in hopes of realizing a Federal solution to the crisis we face in Arizona. Since the employer-sanctions law went into effect which threatens to pull licenses from businesses that knowingly hire illegal immigrants, many Chamber staff have kept a close watch on ways to provide relief to the business community who are struggling to keep their employment rosters full. During the course of discussion, the Chamber has always advocated for a guest-worker bill that would allow immigrants to fill jobs that Americans are not.


Just last week state lawmakers Rep. Bill Konopnicki, R-Safford and Sen. Marsha Arzberger, D-Willcox introduced separate bills that would seek permission from the Federal government to allow Arizona to create and run a viable guest-worker program. The news of a possible program like this is exciting for many industries that have experienced sever labor shortages and have had difficulty accessing workers. On this date, 27 lawmakers have signed on as sponsors of the bills.


Part of the legal process would include allowing only legal immigrants from Mexico to work on a two-year trial with a sponsoring employer. It is not a path to citizenship or amnesty. Arizona employers would apply to the Industrial Commission for the program and requests would be answered within 30 days. If approved, the employer could recruit workers from the U.S. Consulate in Mexico. Each foreign worker would be approved by the Commission, issued a legal identification card and could renew if after two years.


Once again we are facing a State solution to a Federal immigration problem. Nonetheless we applaud lawmakers for taking the first steps on a path that could make more legal workers available to numerous Chamber businesses that rely on seasonal or foreign workers for jobs that typically go unfilled by Americans, yet, contribute significantly to the economic welfare of our city and State.

Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce || 101 W. Route 66 || Flagstaff, AZ 86001
(928) 774-4505 || Fax: (928) 779-1209