Monday, July 21, 2025
By JADE RUSSELL
Tribune Staff Reporter
jrussell@tribunemdia.net
THE Department of Labour is receiving an average of 400 labour certificate applications each month — a mandatory requirement employers must meet before applying for a work permit to hire a non-Bahamian.
Minister of Labour and Public Service Pia Glover-Rolle told The Tribune on Friday that the current average is 400 applications per month. She was not concerned about a rise in applications, saying the country is facing a skills gap.
In an interview with ZNS Northern Edition, Labour director Howard Thompson said unemployment has dropped significantly, and the increase in applications for foreign workers is not troubling. He said the department prioritises Bahamians.
“If we cannot find a Bahamian available or suitable Bahamian, we ensure that there is an understudy put in place. So that Bahamians can get that training and hopefully at the end of that process the Bahamian should be up and ready to take on that task and we would not need to renew that labour certificate moving forward,” Mr Thompson said.
Mr Thompson also encouraged Bahamians to register their skills with the Department of Labour’s Skills Bank.
Comments
bogart says...
The decades old continuous process of hiring foreign workers must involve available evidenced Housing, Medical Insurance, Medical Certificate, proficient language requirement, return ticket for the country of origin. Support for the applicant and additional family members, Schooling for the children and satisfactory evidence of living in the area.
JUST filling the job vacancy because there is no Bahamian available and a few questions is not enough and WITHOUT proof/evidence and govt. officer certified inspection.
The system is obviously wrong and glaringly illegal ----- when the Bahamian public can see photos and media evidence of illegal shantytowns of which questions asked who is complicit in criminal activity and dangerous living conditions and added costs to Bahamian taxpayers.
400 work applications a month.
Simply meeting the requirement that there is no Bahamian available for the job permit on the established minimum wage levels (known unlivable wages) should not entitle to filling the work permit.
Posted 21 July 2025, 3:05 p.m. Suggest removal
Log in to comment