b'NEWSWIRE:Temporary Foreign Workers Are Not the Solution to Challenges in Hiring Vessel CrewsA common concern of U.S. passengerin this title, only a citizen of the Unitednot more than 25 percent of the total number vesseloperatorsthesedaysisStates may serve as master, chief engineer,ofunlicensedseamenonthevesselmaybe findingandretainingqualifiedradioofficer,orofficerinchargeofaaliens lawfully admitted to the United States for workers. A question presented to PVA staffdeckwatchorengineeringwatchonapermanent residence.is, Can I hire a foreign citizen with a workdocumented vessel.visa to serve as a member of my vesselsThus,apassengervesseloperatorcannot crew? The answer dashes hope of hiringThere is slightly more flexibility with regardlooktononcitizenswhohaveshort-term foreigners who are in this country legallytoserviceasanunlicensedseaman:onework visas to serve as deckhands or in other but temporarily. must be a U.S. citizen or a lawfully admittedcrew positions.permanent resident alien (and there is aForapassengervesselinU.S.domesticpercentagelimitationonthenumberofTherestrictionsabovedonotextendto trades, there are severe statutory limitationsindividualsinthelattercategory).Theshoresidejobs.Variousvisaprogramsallow as to what individuals can be hired as crew.statue reads: Except as otherwise providednoncitizenstocometoAmericaandbe The controlling provision is section 8103in this section, on a documented vessel:employed in temporary positions, notably the of title 46 United States Code. (A) each unlicensed seaman must be(i)J-1programforsummerworkbystudentsa citizen of the United States; (ii) an alienand the H-2B program for temporary foreign To serve as a master or in certain otherlawfullyadmittedtotheUnitedStatesworkers (H-2B visas are allocated to employers seniorpositionsonaU.S.vessel,anfor permanent residence; or (iii) a foreignby means of a lottery). But temporary foreign individualmustbeaU.S.citizen.ThenationalwhoisenrolledintheUnitedworkers with these visas cannot work as crew law states: Except as otherwise providedStates Merchant Marine Academy; and (B)members of passenger vessels.KEEPING BAY AREA FLEETS IN SERVICE FOR OVER 40 YEARSBay Ship and Yacht makes it a priority to per-form on-time, quality service for all vessels. We are a full service shipyard cosistently serving Al- 5 1 0 . 3 3 7 . 9 1 2 2 ameda, San Francisco Bay, the west coast andwww.bay-ship.com the worlds maritime industry for over 40 years. A l a m e d a , C ADECEMBER 2021 45 NEWSWIRE'