Dept authorised to bar foreigners

THE Department of Labour and Employment is the only authority which can blacklist foreign employees based on the justification by the employer, an official says.
Work permit team leader Melveen Raga told The National that the department secretary was the only authorised person who could approve the blacklisting of foreign employees.
She said blacklisting mostly occurred when a foreigner working for a company had done something wrong and the company believed that he or she should not return to PNG to work.
“The employer must write to the department secretary for approval before we can blacklist the employee,” she said.
“We don’t have the powers to blacklist the employee without approval from the secretary.
“But a letter must justify why they want this person blacklisted.
“It means he or she will never enter PNG again for employment.”
Raga said every foreigner working in PNG must have a work permit.
Those working without a work permit are those who failed to follow the proper process, she said.
“There are foreigners who come as visitors or on a business visa and find employment in Papua New Guinea without our knowledge,” she said.
“If they bring it to our attention, our compliance division will send inspectors to investigate.
“If it is true, we will penalise those companies and individuals.
“The department of immigration gives them the visas.
“We don’t have any control over visas, we only issue work permit.
“Any foreigner who wants to work in PNG must first have a proper work permit before a visa is granted.”