c.

grant approval of applications for temporary admission within a defined

period of time, and provide notice as when any such deadlines cannot be

achieved.

d.

as part of the consolidated text, provide a full description of the manner in

which any limitations to market access and national treatment for the

temporary entry of natural persons are administered by their authorities.

2.

Prior Comment.

a.

For new measures or alterations to existing measures that are being proposed

by a country, interested parties will be given a reasonable period of time to

comment on any such proposed measures that would govern the temporary

entry and stay of natural persons.  Procedures will be followed that provide for

public notice, on a timely basis, to any interested party who wishes to make

comments, with a reasonable period of time allowed for the submission of

views.  Measures that would be subject to prior comment would include visa

conditions and procedures to obtain them, changes or additions to worker

categories covered by visa procedures; work permit conditions and economic

needs tests; and any other proposed measure directly affecting the temporary

entry and stay of natural persons. Provided: that the prior comment procedure

can be waived when a measure is needed to address urgent problems of safety,

health, environmental protection, and national security.

b.

Except for the urgent circumstances in (a) above, countries will allow a

reasonable interval between the publication of the measure in proposed form,

and its subsequent entry into force, in order to allow time for affected parties

to become acquainted with it.

3.

Economic Needs Tests.  For countries who place conditions on the temporary entry of

natural persons on the basis of domestic economic needs, they will assume the

following obligations with the objective of making this condition more transparent

and predictable:

a.

The economic needs test will be defined under a government measure.

b.

Countries will establish and make available the conditions for granting or

denying temporary entry and stay on the basis of economic needs, providing

quantitative and/or qualitative criteria for making determinations, and by

specifying how the results of such tests are to be used in restricting entry of

foreign services suppliers under Mode 4.

c.

Countries will establish and make publicly available all procedures associated

with the application of an economic needs test.

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