By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

AN amendment to the Immigration Act, set to take effect on July 1, 2025, will introduce a new daily fee of $3 for work visas issued to people employed on passenger ships. The fee, which includes National Insurance contributions, falls under the Immigration (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations, 2025.

Immigration and National Insurance Minister Alfred Sears tabled the amendment during the opening session of the budget communication in the House of Assembly. It is part of a broader slate of new labour-related fees introduced by the Davis administration, despite its repeated claims of not increasing or introducing new taxes.

In 2023, a five percent levy was imposed on work permits for occupations in scales 1 to 3, which include executive and professional roles. In 2024, the expedited processing fee was revised to 10 percent of the actual permit cost, with a minimum charge of $400, a measure intended to speed up approvals and bolster revenue.

Prime Minister Philip Davis has defended the government’s approach to work permits, saying efforts are underway to place Bahamians in roles that have seen work permit renewals for up to 15 years.

Mr Sears previously told the House of Assembly that fee adjustments have significantly boosted immigration revenue. Between July 2023 and May 2024, the Department of Immigration reportedly collected approximately $108m.

Opposition members have challenged the sustainability and ethics of relying on immigration fees for revenue, arguing it signals a lack of long-term economic planning.