Work permit job switches to Immigration

THE Ministry for Immigration and Border Security will take on the responsibility for work permit laws, Prime Minister James Marape says.
Marape, who announced the new ministerial arrangement, said they came about because of amendments that were made to the Immigration and Citizenship Services Act and the Employment of Non-Citizens Act, which would see the work permit function transferring to the Papua New Guinea Immigration and Citizenship Authority.
Immigration and Border Security Minister Westly Nukundj welcomed the Government’s Oct 25 announcement to transfer the ministerial responsibilities of Work Permits from the Labour Ministry to his ministry.
Under this new arrangements, Nukundj now takes on the responsibility for work permit laws from the Minister for Labour and Industrial Relations.
Marape said the creation of a one-stop shop for visas and work permits had been a long-standing policy of both his Government and those that came before.
“I am pleased that through these legislative changes, we can start the process of reducing the red tape for the business community and integrating the work permit requirements into our visa system creating a single integrated approval process.”