No work permits to first time foreigners, says Antigua and Barbuda govt.

The Antigua and Barbuda government states it will not grant work permits for immigrants, notifying employers, especially in the hotel industry, to guarantee that citizens are given preference especially as the island administers with the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

An announcement published following the weekly Cabinet meeting remarked that ministers had reviewed the issue of work permits and “it has already been agreed that those citizens who are appealing to renew their work permits shall be entitled to make the payment and to receive the renewal after completing the usual circumstances.

“Those immigrants who are appealing for work permits for the very first moment will not be allotted the permit; the business will be coerced to hire from amongst the many skilled jobless workers now floating around the nation,” the statement read.

It said that in the hotel sector “particularly, those supervisors asking to renew permits will have to confirm that the business has an understudy who is a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda”.

While, the Cabinet told it had also considered “the frightful situation” in St. Lucia as well as Dubai, where the pandemic has had a significant shock on their economic situation.

“The Covid-19 global pandemic is the only matter of the worldwide slump in economic exercise, as nations seal their borders or inflict severe requirements for entry into their areas. The mobility of people, goods and finances has been slowed significantly, negatively affecting work, government resources, and once-successful businesses.

“In Antigua and Barbuda, the Cabinet decided to spend the limited resources accessible; to keep every public servant on the salary; and not to fritter away the funds by grants of stimuli capital, as offered by others.

“The Antigua and Barbuda method is operating. Nonetheless, many private entrepreneurs and service providers have been getting a fraction of the funds owed, because of the drop in revenue acquisition,” the statement transcribed.