The government of Antigua and Barbuda announced plans to waive work permits for skilled workers from outside the region to cure labour shirtages.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne revealed this initiative during his 2025 Budget Presentation, emphasizing its importance in meeting the demand for skilled labor in rapidly growing sectors such as construction.
“Our booming construction sector and other critical areas require skilled labor to keep pace with the nation’s progress,” the Prime Minister stated.
The construction industry contributed a record $900 million to the economy in 2024 and remains a key driver of Antigua and Barbuda’s growth.
Major projects, including the PLH development in Barbuda and the completion of luxury hotels, have created a surge in demand for skilled labor. However, the limited availability of skilled workers within the region has posed challenges.
Waiving work permits is expected to attract skilled professionals, expedite project timelines, and provide opportunities for knowledge transfer to local workers.
The Prime Minister acknowledged that this approach might raise concerns but stressed the necessity of bringing in external talent to meet immediate needs while continuing to develop the local workforce.
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Keep adding wood to the fire as in more criminal elements bringing their brands of criminality.
The construction industry always adjust itself with peaks – upticks and downturns. In three to five years when all of this projected progress dies down, will these workers just sit idly around our communities?
What of the social services to go along with this increase in the population?
Would it not be better to create a quota, maybe even specific to a project or industry rather than just blanket dropping permits? Let’s be honest, their issue is not the availability of labour…it’s the CHEAP labour they’re looking to import.
How to apply and there is any WhatsApp group to get more information bout this
At the posters on this thread.
Why even try to advice this man when it comes to immigration?
It’s clear that this PM doesn’t listen or care to listen to anyone on this subject whatsoever.
Did y’all not learn with the Antigua Airways fiasco?
Yep, the Doofus is at it again.. 🤣
It would help if there was a ratio where (for example) that for every 1 skilled worker brought in on a project, there must be 2 locals in that same trade/department on site, this can help prevent a mass importation of workers and ensure work and skills are passed/shared with persons living here.
Would it not be sensible to create apprenticeship training programmes for our youths to become skilled in line with the workforce?
The waivering of visa creates opportunity for Olabanjo and Gaston’s migrants to enter the country legally, and to create further havoc, as well as to create votes for his administration.
This is how he plans to reign for the next 1000 years. Chet Greene’s dream is rapidly turning into a nightmare because Gaston is moving ahead to secure all the support he needs but if he is patient enough, he might just get lucky because Odebretch is going to make an appearance before a third of this century.
and they making way more money than locals too for doing the same job.
These are people been set to import into Barbuda to build houses for white people on the disputed lands that are taken where these people have no knowledge of our social history to affect the project delivery timing, and the secret of the property layout will not be known by Barbudans.
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