Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Sep 01, 2025

Government launches online work permit system

Government launches online work permit system

A few minor connection glitches were not enough to disrupt a virtual launch of the government’s online work permit system on Monday, July 12.

The first of several expected elements of an e-government platform, the work permit system has been years in the making. The system allows employees to apply for work permits without having to visit the departments of Immigration and Labour until payments are to be made, Chief Immigration Officer Ian Penn said.

Penn requested patience from users as he said glitches are to be expected since the system continues to be a work in progress.

With the current health crisis of increased COVID-19 cases prevailing in the territory, Premier Andrew Fahie said the development towards an increase in e-Government services has come at a crucial time.

According to the Premier, one of the important aspects of the system is its electronic record of information, interactions, and transactions. He said this helps with ensuring accountability, transparency and good governance.

Furthermore, the Premier said the system helps to automate processes, cut inefficiencies, and better serve the public — granting access to the services they need faster and more professionally.

“We have put in place the right legislation to ensure this information is kept safe and secure, but also so that is able to be shared appropriately between government offices,” Premier Fahie stated.

E-government suite of legislation loading


Importantly, the Premier said his admiration’s suite of e-Government legislation has now been sent to the Gazette Office to bring into force the Data Protection Act, Electronic Filing Act, Electronic Transaction Act, and the Electronic Transfer of Funds Act.

He also said the Consumer Protection Act is being gazetted as well.

Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour & Immigration, Joseph Smith-Abbott said the new work permit system offered a much more effective and efficient way of doing business with the government.

The government has published a user manual on its website for employers and employees to have a better understanding of how to use the online system. The system is accessible at HERE.

In a stroke of irony, during a demonstration of the inner workings of the system, a staff member’s internet connection got disrupted at least once — a common user experience that is symptomatic of the BVI’s wider systematic connectivity issues.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
Federal Reserve Independence Questioned Amid Trump’s Push to Reshape Central Bank
British Politics Faces Tumultuous Autumn After Summer of Rebellions and Rising Farage Momentum
US Appeals Court Rules Against Most Trump-Era Tariffs
UK Sought Broad Access to Apple Users’ Data, Court Filing Reveals
UK Bank Shares Dive Over Potential Tax on Sector
Germany’s Auto Industry Sheds 51,500 Jobs in First Half of 2025 Amid Deepening Crisis
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Argentine President Javier Milei Evacuated After Stones Thrown During Campaign Event
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Starmer Should Back Away from ECHR, Says Jack Straw
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
Chinese AI Chipmaker Cambricon Posts Record Profit as Beijing Pushes Pivot from Nvidia
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Welcome to The Definition of Insanity: Germany Edition
Just a reminder, this is Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
×