Dept. of Statistics: Work permits granted in 2019 increased by 20 percent

The Department of Immigration approved 12,501 work permits in 2019, a 20 percent increase over the previous year, according to data released by the Department of Statistics.

There were 10,225 work permits issued in 2018 and 13,578 work permits issued in 2017.

The majority of the work permits – 5,602 or 45 percent – were issued to Haitian nationals, followed by Jamaican nationals with 1,465 or 12 percent of the permits issued; and Philippine nationals, who were granted 1,413 or 11 percent of the permits issued.

Haitian nationals were also granted the majority of work permits based on occupational level, accounting for 69 percent of workers in the elementary occupational group – which made up 63 percent of the work permits granted.

“The industry receiving the majority of the work permits in 2019 was the activities of households as employers; undifferentiated goods and services-producing activities of households for own use, with 6,751 or 54 percent of the work permits granted. Forty-five percent of this group were males,” the Department of Statistics revealed.

“This was followed by the construction industry, receiving 1,283 or 10 permits of the total permits issued. Ninety-five percent of this group were males. Accommodation and food service activities was issued 1,250 or 10 percent of the total work permits for 2019. Seventy-nine percent of this group were males.”

Workers in the professionals, science and engineering professionals group were granted 1,028 or eight percent of the total permits issued. Americans made up 15 percent of that group.

Workers in the managers, chief executives and senior officials group were granted 924 or seven percent of total work permits, the majority of which were granted to Americans, which represented 29 percent and British nationals, which represented 13 percent.

The least amount of work permits granted, 12 or 0.1 percent, was in the skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers group.

Men represented 67 percent or 8,431 of the work permits granted, whereas women represented 4,070, or 33 percent of the work permits.

Work permit renewal numbers for 2020 will not be released until next year.

The post Dept. of Statistics: Work permits granted in 2019 increased by 20 percent appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.

source https://thenassauguardian.com/dept-of-statistics-work-permits-granted-in-2019-increased-by-20-percent/