Amended Bills approved for work permit processing

The National Executive Council recently approved the Immigration and Citizenship Service (Amendment) Bill 2020 and the Employment of Non-citizen (Amendment) Bill 2020.

The Bills have been authorized for distribution to Parliament.

Cabinet approved proposed amendments and drafting instructions to the Immigration and Citizenship Service Act 2010 and the Employment of Non-citizens Act 2007 to give effect to new arrangements for the processing of work permits.

Prime Minister, James Marape, said under these new arrangements, the PNG Immigration and Citizenship Authority will assume responsibility for the work permits processing and administration provisions contained in the Employment of Non-citizens Act 2007, whilst the Department of Labour and Industrial Relations will retain overarching responsibility for non-citizens employment policy and related approval criteria.

“These are the key elements of the mentioned Bills that will comprise of the proposed legislative amendments,” Marape said.

The Prime Minister said border capacity would also be enhanced through a more joined up approach to visa and work permit administration, integrated compliance and monitoring activities and enforcement of the law.

He added once the Bills are passed by Parliament, a detailed transitional process will commence in partnership between the two agencies and in close contact with the Secretary for Personnel Management to give effect to the new legal arrangements.

Author: 
Loop Author