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Labour and Social Security Minister Pearnel Charles Wednesday made it clear that the government is far from happy with the present structure of the work permit system.
Speaking at Wednesday morning's post cabinet media briefing, Mr. Charles said an audit of the system is being done.
Mr. Charles stressed that an audit is necessary as at present there is no data at the Ministry of Labour detailing how many of the 25,000 work permits issued since 2002 are still valid.
The minister said he has information on 5,000 valid work permits but is not sure if the other 20,000 work permit holders are still in the island or have completed their contracts and left.
He attributed the gap in the Ministry's information to lax administration of the work permit system and inadequate staffing.
Against this background he said inspectors were deployed last week to conduct an audit of the system.
The Minister was adamant that if there were jobs that Jamaicans could fill, no permit will be granted for those jobs.
Mr. Charles says as of Thursday all non-permit holders that are in the island will have ten days to go to the Ministry of Labour and have their stay regularized.
Once the ten days has expired, Mr. Charles says inspectors will be taken persons who have not registered with the Ministry to the Immigration Department.
He added that the Ministry will be meeting with the Immigration Department in a few days to work out a system of information on persons holding work permits in the country.
Speaking at Wednesday morning's post cabinet media briefing, Mr. Charles said an audit of the system is being done.
Mr. Charles stressed that an audit is necessary as at present there is no data at the Ministry of Labour detailing how many of the 25,000 work permits issued since 2002 are still valid.
The minister said he has information on 5,000 valid work permits but is not sure if the other 20,000 work permit holders are still in the island or have completed their contracts and left.
He attributed the gap in the Ministry's information to lax administration of the work permit system and inadequate staffing.
Against this background he said inspectors were deployed last week to conduct an audit of the system.
The Minister was adamant that if there were jobs that Jamaicans could fill, no permit will be granted for those jobs.
Mr. Charles says as of Thursday all non-permit holders that are in the island will have ten days to go to the Ministry of Labour and have their stay regularized.
Once the ten days has expired, Mr. Charles says inspectors will be taken persons who have not registered with the Ministry to the Immigration Department.
He added that the Ministry will be meeting with the Immigration Department in a few days to work out a system of information on persons holding work permits in the country.
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