The Northern Marianas Business Alliance Corporation says big businesses might survive but small businesses will have a hard time once the CNMI is cut off from accessing the foreign workers program.
In 2019, the CNMI-Only Transitional Worker program ends.
The business body said this was the reality the CNMI faces if the federal government doesn't extend the worker program or replace it with something the Commonwealth can work with.
It said small businesses should be worried as a lot of the don't have the tools or provisions that the big businesses have or the human resources personnel to assist them.
The lobby group said the demise of Mom-and-Pop stores could also ultimately hurt big businesses and the community in general as the dynamics in the Commonwealth is unique as everything is inter-connected.