Immigration Fees To Increase
Residents can brace themselves to pay more for services at the Immigration Department as an increase in fees is imminent.
Hon. Vincent Wheatley, Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration announced in the House of Assembly yesterday, February 25 that a new fee structure will be put in place.
“The Immigration Department is also working to submit a new fee structure and to raise existing ones. The department is long overdue of its fees as this was not done since 1977,” he said.
The Minister added that the revision has been based on regional trends and the rising cost to provide services.
Under the previous National Democratic Party (NDP) administration, a new fee structure was implemented for work permits in 2017. In response to criticisms, then Labour Minister Dr. Kedrick Pickering defended the move and stated that the fee structure had remained the same since the early 1908s.
Meanwhile, Minister Wheatley also spoke about the implementation of the new border management system. He said that the three-phased project, will be rolled by the end of April.
In December government inked a contract with Business Development, Identity and Payment of Canadian Bank Note Company, Limited in the amount of $6.4M for a period of 5 years.
The Border Management and Electronic Visa System will notify Immigration and Customs about who is coming into the Territory before they actually arrive and the port of entry they will arrive at.
The system will also streamline the current processes at the ports of entry to increase security and the overall effectiveness of the process for persons entering and leaving the Territory.
“The Immigration Department is also working to submit a new fee structure and to raise existing ones. The department is long overdue of its fees as this was not done since 1977,” he said.
The Minister added that the revision has been based on regional trends and the rising cost to provide services.
Under the previous National Democratic Party (NDP) administration, a new fee structure was implemented for work permits in 2017. In response to criticisms, then Labour Minister Dr. Kedrick Pickering defended the move and stated that the fee structure had remained the same since the early 1908s.
Meanwhile, Minister Wheatley also spoke about the implementation of the new border management system. He said that the three-phased project, will be rolled by the end of April.
In December government inked a contract with Business Development, Identity and Payment of Canadian Bank Note Company, Limited in the amount of $6.4M for a period of 5 years.
The Border Management and Electronic Visa System will notify Immigration and Customs about who is coming into the Territory before they actually arrive and the port of entry they will arrive at.
The system will also streamline the current processes at the ports of entry to increase security and the overall effectiveness of the process for persons entering and leaving the Territory.
