(a) The commission may employ not more than five citizens of the United Mexican States who are student engineers or graduate engineers for a period of not more than six months and pay those employees for their services from the state highway fund if the United Mexican States employs an equal number of engineers of the department in similar work in the United Mexican States for similar periods and pays them for their services.
(b) The commission may grant leaves of absence to not more than five engineers of the department to accept employment with the United Mexican States as provided under Subsection (a).