Embarking on new operations in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a promising venture, but one that comes with the responsibility of navigating immigration regulations among an array of other factors. As addressed in our 5-step Blueprint to bringing your offshore operations to PNG, there are crucial aspects of PNG’s immigration landscape. This article will further highlight how our Peopleconnexion Immigration arm of the business ensures seamless immigration requirements within our On-Hire operations.
Statutory Approvals for contracting expats
Obtaining necessary approvals including institutional registration is a pivotal aspect of the employment process for non-citizen / expatriate workers in PNG. It entails several crucial steps, hence it is important for employers to understand this system in order to streamline their hiring process while maintaining regulatory compliance.
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Work permits:
PNG’s immigration laws mandate that foreign workers obtain work permits before engaging in employment. The work permit is the prerequisite to obtaining an employment visa, and is essential to ensure that non-citizen workers enter the country for employment legally. As an On-hire agency, we facilitate the acquisition of work permits for expatriate staff.
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Visa categories:
There are an array of visa categories which exist for different purposes, including work, business, short-term visits and visas for spouses or dependents. We work with the sponsoring agency to obtain the appropriate visa category to ensure legal compliance for on-hire engagements.
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Documentation and Application Process:
Strict documentation requirements accompany work permit and visa applications. Often this process can be the reason for differences in a 4 to 6-week turnaround, or months’-long turnaround. We guide both clients and expatriate workers through the application process, ensuring all necessary documents are submitted accurately and promptly to provide the quickest turn-around possible.
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Renewal Procedures:
Work permits and visas have expiration dates. We have an entire Contractor management unit which proactively manage communication with clients and contractors including notice of renewals to avoid disruptions in operations. There are certain requirements when it comes to renewal procedures such as Skills Transfer requirements, which you can read more about in our article: Regulatory and skills transfer requirements for non-citizen workers in Papua New Guinea.
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In-Country expat Support:
Having a local presence in PNG significantly streamlines the immigration process. Our Port Moresby office on the ground provides our contractors in-country with support and importantly, liaises with immigration authorities on behalf of clients and expatriate workers. Our expat support goes beyond traditional on-hire services. To us, contracting support means ensuring the long-term success of people in PNG, whether they come alone or with family, our services and people ensure that they are set up to be safe, supported and successful in a new culture and country.
So what is the broader work permit and visa process entail for sub-contractors and their contractor professionals?
- Institutional Registration: Non-citizens seeking employment in specialised professions as engineers, accountants, medical professionals, surveyors, etc must first apply for registration to local professional bodies such as IEPNG, CPAPNG, PNG Medical Board, PNG Surveyors Board, etc, before submitting an application for work permit to the Immigration & Citizenship Authority (ICA).
- An employment offer through a valid and accepted employment contract outlining terms and conditions of employment, a detailed job description, the employee’s qualification documents and a detailed curriculum-vitae are important requirements to have in order to apply for work permit.
- Sponsorship: Employers in PNG are typically required to sponsor non-citizen workers. This sponsorship includes demonstrating that the employment of foreign labour is necessary due to a lack of available local expertise. Employers must provide evidence of efforts to hire locally before resorting to non-citizen employees.
- Police & Medical Clearance: Non-citizens are required to obtain satisfactory police and medical clearance from their country of residence or home country which are important requirements to fulfill before an employment visa can be granted at nominated PNG or Australian mission overseas.
- Training and Mentoring: Employers are obligated to submit a training report outlining skills development training received by locals when submitting applications to renew work permits for its non-citizen staff. The report should outline training programs undertaken and skills received by local employees. It often involves training and mentoring programs delivered as a result of direct interaction from the non-citizen employee with their local counterparts. Part of our offering as a ‘one-stop-shop’ on-hire agency at Peopleconnexion is providing the full-suite of services to our Contractors, and our Mentoring Program has been developed as an applicable training to support expats in this mentoring requirement. You can learn more about Mentoring by visiting our website page linked.
- Local Employment Quotas: It is also required that employers hire a specific percentage of local employees for every non-citizen worker they employ in order to encourage employers to actively engage in skill transfer and invest in the development of local talent.
- Reporting and Accountability: Employers must regularly report on the progress of skill transfer activities and when required to the Work Permit branch at ICA. This ensures that the requirement for non-citizen workers to impart their skills and knowledge is being implemented effectively and that local workers are benefiting from the expertise of non-citizen employees.
As you can see, there is a continuously moving cycle of regulations and requirements when it comes to immigration support for bringing in talent into PNG. Efficiently navigating this cycle is pivotal for the success of sub-contracting operations in Papua New Guinea.
Get in touch with us today to learn more about our one-stop-shop talent management services, specifically how we could assist your unique sub-contracting or business requirements. We’d love to offer a free 30-minute booking consultation with our Contractor Workforce Manager, Mari-lette Coleman, or if you require immigration specific needs, you can contact our Immigration specialists at admin@peopleconnexion.com.