HORACE DALLEY, the Minister of Labour and Social Security, has announced a new fee structure for the granting of work permits to foreign nationals wishing to work in Jamaica.
Effective August 1 this year, fees will range from a minimum of $10,000 for a three month stay, to $40,000 for one year contracts. Work permit fees were first introduced in 1973 and discontinued in 1978.
Speaking at a press conference at the Ministry's North Street offices yesterday, Minister Horace Dalley outlined the details. He said under the proposed fee structure all applicants will have to fill out the newly designed application form and pay a non-refundable application fee of $1,000, whether they are applying for a permit or exemption.
The announcement came as a result of recommendations made by a tripartite sub-committee of the Labour Advisory Committee appointed by the minister last year to look at ways of improving the legislative and administrative framework of the work permit process. This followed public concerns that the local work permit system was being abused.
Minister Dalley, in seeking to allay fears, maintained that, "by no means will the impending re-introduction seek to discourage foreign direct investment or the migration of skills into Jamaica."
Jamaica ceased charging fees for work permits to foreigners in 1978 when it was withdrawn under a reciprocal agreement with the United States Government, which allowed Jamaican farm workers to work there without permits. However, while the Jamaican farm work programme has been severely reduced, the U.S. has started imposing work permit fees on Jamaican hospitality workers, an earlier Gleaner report outlined.
Current fees being charged by other regional countries for a three-year work permit include $163,000 in Trinidad and Tobago, $1.8 million in the Bahamas and $1.26 million in Turks and Caicos.
Fee Structure
3 months or less, $10,000
3 months plus, $20,000
6 months and more, $30,000
per additional quarter, $10,000
