The Grenada government generated over $2 million from the issuance of work permits last year, according to Labor Commissioner Sparkle Grenade Courtney. A total of 890 work permits were granted to foreign nationals. Looking ahead, the department plans to introduce a new processing format for work permits in 2025, aiming to streamline and improve the application process.
“At the Department of Labor, we administer the work permit program and for past year we process so far 890 work permits in varying sectors … such as construction, tourism and hospitality, the yachting sector, professional services, at a value of over two million dollars,” she said.
“This is a revenue activity for the Government of Grenada,” she said, noting that last year, the focus was also on the legislative processes procedures that governs the work permit process with a view to improving and streamlining in 2025.
The Estimate of Revenue and Expenditure for 2024 shows that in 2023, the government earned EC$1,879,387 through work permits and projected that it will earn EC$2,027,022 in 2024 and EC$2,151,065 in 2025.
The labor commissioner said in 2025, plans include digitalizing the work permit process to ensure the process is quicker, more accessible and in keeping with the policy position of the Cabinet to digitalize government service.
She also disclosed that towards the end of last year, the department commenced a series of consultations with key stakeholders to bring them up-to-date with the proposed changes and amendment to the work permit process.
“We serve the business community, we serve government ministries and departments, we serve the religious community, we serve the promoters, we serve a wide cross of the society and therefore to improve the process we need to hear from our stakeholders and we started a series of consultation with them bringing to them the process changes and amends to the Act and the process and seeking their feedback,” she said.
“We have already started to receive significant and important feedback that will inform a new and improved work permit process in 2025,” she said while explaining that the department is conducting this process together with the Guyana-based Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, given the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) that allows for the free movement of goods, skills labor and finances across the region.
“CARICOM will be introducing free movement which will also affect the work permit process and this means that some categories of persons in CARICOM will no longer be required to have work permits to seek employment in Grenada,” she said.
