BY BEN BILUA
GIZO
A concerning report has surfaced, alleging that some foreign nationals have been tampering with work permit documents in Solomon Islands for more than two decades.
The report further claims that a number of these individuals have been living and working in the country without renewing their work permits as required by law.
It highlights instances where the same justification such as “training local counterparts” or “transferring knowledge” has been repeatedly used for over 20 years to secure renewals, despite little evidence of actual knowledge transfer taking place.
The situation has raised serious questions about the integrity of the work permit system, prompting calls for the Labour Division to strengthen its scrutiny of permit applications and renewals.
Genuine foreign investors who want their names withheld are calling on the Labor division to thoroughly assess whether such grounds for renewal are still valid or have become routine excuses to bypass immigration laws.
They also highlight a growing trend of foreigners shifting from one company to another immediately after receiving a permit, sometimes without any real investment or contribution to the local economy.
Authorities are being urged to establish stronger tracking mechanisms to prevent exploitation of the system and to ensure accountability.
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