Antigua and Barbuda tightens work permit rules to prioritize local hiring
Key Points(5)
- Antigua and Barbuda tightens work permit rules to prioritize local hiring ST.
- JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda — The Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda has approved a series of new measures aimed at strengthening the country’s work permit system and ensuring that Antiguans and Barbudans are given priority access to job opportunities before foreign workers are recruited.
- Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant announced the changes during Thursday’s post-Cabinet media briefing, following a presentation from the Labour Commissioner and officials of the One Stop Employment Centre (OSEC).
- Merchant said Cabinet expressed concern that job vacancies are not always being widely advertised to local job seekers, limiting awareness of available employment opportunities across the country.
- To address this, employers seeking to hire foreign workers will now be required to demonstrate that vacancies were first advertised across multiple platforms, including traditional media, online news outlets, digital channels, and the OSEC system before any work permit application is considered.
The Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda has approved a series of new measures aimed at strengthening the country’s work permit system and ensuring that Antiguans and Barbudans are given priority access to job opportunities before foreign workers are recruited.
Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant announced the changes during Thursday’s post-Cabinet media briefing, following a presentation from the Labour Commissioner and officials of the One Stop Employment Centre (OSEC).
Merchant said Cabinet expressed concern that job vacancies are not always being widely advertised to local job seekers, limiting awareness of available employment opportunities across the country.
To address this, employers seeking to hire foreign workers will now be required to demonstrate that vacancies were first advertised across multiple platforms, including traditional media, online news outlets, digital channels, and the OSEC system before any work permit application is considered.
Cabinet also directed labour authorities to expand the use of state media and social media platforms — including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp — to ensure that job listings reach a broader pool of local applicants.
The decision follows Cabinet concerns that some employers have been seeking to import workers for positions that officials believe could be filled locally.
“Cabinet feels that there is something drastically wrong with that process because they believe that locals can assume those positions,” Merchant said, citing roles such as domestic workers, including nannies and cooks, among the categories under review.
The Government also plans to tighten requirements around where work permit applications are submitted. According to Merchant, Cabinet has indicated that future policy will require applicants to apply from their country of residence before entering Antigua and Barbuda for employment.
“Once the position cannot be filled here in Antigua and Barbuda, then the work permits will be granted,” he added.
Authorities are also introducing stricter scrutiny for certain categories of applications, particularly for domestic workers, to ensure employers can justify their need for foreign labour and demonstrate adequate financial capacity to meet employment obligations.
Officials say the reforms are intended to strengthen labour market protections while ensuring that qualified nationals are given first consideration for available jobs in Antigua and Barbuda.
