American Samoa has tightened its rules on its entry programme, meaning foreigners on short-terms permits will not be allowed to work.
Hundreds of people get residence status legalised after an amnesty Photo: AFP
The Attorney-General, Talauega Eleasalo Ale, says 4,000 people are awaiting permanent permits, and the rising numbers are due to temporary visitors being allowed to work.
He says the Immigration Board is vetting the applicants and it wants to make sure visitors leave the territory once their term of work is over.
Talauega says all applications for permits, regardless of ethnicity, are being carefully monitored.
So far just over 1,000 applications have been approved. Applicants are mostly from Samoa, as well as from the Philippines, Tonga, Fiji, China, Vietnam, Korea, New Zealand and the Federated States of Micronesia.