Under the Foreign National and Commonwealth Citizens (Employment) Regulation, anyone outside of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) wanting to conduct business or be gainfully employed in Saint Lucia must apply for a work permit. Applications can be obtained from the Labour Department of the Ministry of Education, Human Resource Development and Labour.
Procedure for Applying for a work permit in Saint Lucia
1. Collect a completed ‘A’ Form from the Work Permit Officer at the Department of Labour.
• Pay a non-refundable fee of (EC $100.00) to the Accountant General at the Government Treasury located in Castries.
i. The completed ‘A’ form must be presented at the time the payment is made.
• The treasury receipt which you will receive is required and is addressed to the Work Permit Officer, who will then issue the Work Permit Application.
2. Submit the Work Permit application form.
• Take the Treasury receipt back to the Work Permit Officer at the Department of Labour who will then provide you with a Work Permit application form.
• Complete the Work Permit application form and ensure that the following documents are attached before it is submitted to the Work
Permit Officer:
i. A Police record from the country where the applicant last resided.
ii. Certified documentary proof of qualifications.
iii. Trade Licence (where applicable).
iv. Copies of advertisements for the posts.
v. Evidence that income tax has been paid.
vi. Two (2) passport size photograph.
vii. Letter From Employer (Former or Current)
3. Collection of Approved Work Permits.
• The Work permit officer will notify you of the status of your application.
• If approval is granted, a fee (based on your current nationality) must be paid to the Government Treasury (see below).
• Present the Treasury Receipt to the Work Permit Officer who will then present the applicant with the approved work permit.
Completed “A” Forms to facilitate payment of the appropriate Work Permit fee into the Treasury are sent to the applicant. The fees are based on the following criteria.
Caribbean Commonwealth Nationals
EC $2000.00 for each desired year of employment.
Other Commonwealth Nationals
EC $7500.00 for each desired year of employment.
Other non-nationals
EC $7500.00 for each desired year of employment.
Citizens or persons belonging to any Country at (a), (b) and (c) above for a period not exceeding one month for which the permit is valid
EC $400.00
Unskilled persons under categories (a), (b) and (c) above for every period of 12 months or part thereof for which the permit is valid
EC $200.00
Commercial sales personnel/professionals per entry
EC $300.00
This procedure is repeated every year until the applicant becomes a citizen of Saint Lucia. A person that has gained resident status is NOT EXEMPT from a Work Permit and is required to apply according to the above procedures. All applications should be submitted to the Work Permit Officer at least two (2) months prior to the date which you propose or plan to be employed. While the application is in process, the applicant should NOT engage in any kind of employment.
