The Department of Immigration (DOI) is pleased to advise employers and work permit holders that following the cyber-attack on September 20, 2023, the backlog of work permit applications awaiting decisions has been addressed.
Despite the DOI team being unable to access the systems required to validate essential information, they continued manually processing work permits as much as possible. During this period, it became abundantly clear that the team spent a significant amount of time vetting applications and engaging in frequent dialogue with employers because employment contracts or statements of employment did not include the new minimum hourly wage of $16.40.
The Employment (Minimum Hourly Wage) Order 2023, which took effect on June 1, 2023, affects all workers, including persons employed in hospitality, domestic, and similar job categories.
In addition to weekly/bi-weekly, monthly or annual salaries, employers must indicate the hourly wage in all employment contracts and statements of employment.
Employers will also recall the advisory to submit updated, amended employment contracts for current work permit holders and for work permit applications approved before June 1, 2023, or currently being processed and yet to be issued by July 30, 2023. Work permit holders must have updated and amended employment contracts or statements of employment to avoid automatic refusal when submitting new and renewal work permit applications, even if including the new minimum hourly wage rate in the latest applications.
Employers are encouraged to meet these requirements to avoid the automatic refusal of applications.
For more information about the new minimum hourly wage, contact the Department of Labour (297-7716) or the Department of Immigration for information about the work permit application process (246-8093).