Work Permit fees to increase in Turks & Caicos

Governor Damian Rick Todd said the 35 per cent increase would bring the work permit fee in line with inflation, make foreign labour less attractive, and brighten the prospect for employment of Islanders.

COCKBURN TOWN, TCI, Friday November 18, 2011  - Work permit fees will increase 35 per cent from December 1 as government seeks to generate US$1.2 million in additional revenue.

“The increase is also expected to encourage employers to give first choice for jobs to Belongers,” spokesman in the Governor’s Office, Neil Smith told The SUN newspaper.

The fees currently range from $300 to $7000.

Governor Damian Rick Todd said the increase would bring the fees in line with inflation, make foreign labour less attractive to local employers, and brighten the prospect for employment of Turks and Caicos Islanders.

“The reason why we are doing this is because we feel that, the fact that the permit has not increased with inflation has had the effect of making it, in a sense, slightly more attractive to import labour than to employ people currently living on the islands,” he explained.

“We feel very strongly that we should create as many opportunities as possible for those who live on these islands, and we are committed to working as a government to improve the employability of the people of these islands, and also to improve their prospects of getting sustainable jobs,” Governor Todd said.

A significant number of foreign workers are employed in the hotel sector. Click here to receive free news bulletins via email from Caribbean360. (View sample)