An immigration system mostly outside of federal U.S. control (which ended on November 28, 2009) resulted in many Chinese migrant workers (about 15,000 during the peak years) being employed in the islands' garment trade. However, the lifting of World Trade Organization restrictions on Chinese imports to the U.S. in 2005 had put the commonwealth-based trade under severe pressure, leading to a number of recent factory closures. Adding to the U.S.-imposed scheduled wage increases, the garment industry became extinct by 2009.
An immigration system mostly outside of federal U.S. control (which ended on November 28, 2009) resulted in many Chinese migrant workers (about 15,000 during the peak years) being employed in the islands' garment trade. However, the lifting of World Trade Organization restrictions on Chinese imports to the U.S. in 2005 had put the commonwealth-based trade under severe pressure, leading to a number of recent factory closures. Adding to the U.S.-imposed scheduled wage increases, the garment industry became .extinct by 2009