American Samoa's Governor's proposed guest worker permit for Samoan citizens to work in the territory still requires legislative approval.
Togiola Tulafono says he has submitted legislation to the Fono to approve the permit scheme, and if lawmakers endorse it, the territorial government will begin issuing the permits by December 2006.
The timing will assist the canneries, with the holiday slow down, in getting employees back.
The two canneries, StarKist Samoa and Samoa Packing, close down for two weeks at the end of the year and many workers return to Samoa for the holidays.
