Work permit maximum validity
On 21st February 2018 Executive Council approved a recommendation to allow the Principal Immigration Officer to grant or extend a work permit so as to be valid for a period of up to four years when required. The Immigration Amendments 2021 which came into force on 1st September 2021 enshrine this maximum validity for work permits into law.
It is hoped that this action will help to mitigate retention and recruitment issues for employers, and with the introduction of the Registered Employer Scheme, create more job security for staff who are holders of work permits. Employers will be asked to provide evidence of the duration of employment offered with the application for a new permit.
What is the Workforce Shortage List?
The Workforce Shortage List is a record of job roles / occupations where a labour shortage has been identified and demonstrated.
The Workforce Shortage List (WSL) now plays a significant part in the Falkland Islands immigration system allowing those roles to be filled more efficiently. The list is compiled biannually by the Skills Assessment Council (SAC) before being approved by Executive Council. The SAC was originally created in 2014 to identify the areas of significant and consistent labour shortages which could lead, if not addressed, to negative impacts on the economic growth of the Islands. It is chaired by the Director of Policy and Economic Development, and has a wide membership including the Falkland Islands Government, Ministry of Defence, private sector, and community representatives.
The definition of the Workforce Shortage List, as contained in the Immigration (General) Regulations 2021 is:
“Workforce Shortage List” means the list kept and maintained by the Skills Assessment Council (a statutory Committee) of occupations for which there is a shortage of persons with the appropriate skills, qualifications or experience in the Falkland Islands and that are open for the recruitment of temporary workers from overseas.
Employer Forms
1st July 2021
The launch of the Registered Employer Scheme (RES) - enabling close collaboration and partnership between the Falkland Islands Government, via the Customs & Immigration Service, and Islands Employers. All Employers who employ permit workforce will be required to register on the scheme which will help to deliver the new immigration permit regime due to come into force on 1st September 2021.
