Over 13,000 work permits issued in 2024 – Benn

During the year 2024, the Ministry of Home Affairs processed and granted a total of 13, 713 work permits.

The permits involved 25 companies in various sectors including oil and gas, construction, and mining.

“From January to December last year, 13,713 work permits were granted and they are related to 25 companies,” Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn said on Monday during his ministry’s end-of-year press conference.

Last year’s issuance reflects a massive increase from the previous years which saw 4,795, 3,192 and 2,995 work permits issued in 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Benn made it clear that the permits are for various sectors and reflects the demand for labour in light of the ongoing development across the country.

“One of our issues and challenges that we have is that there is a great demand for skills in the newly developing areas.

‘Not only in the oil and gas offshore developments but also the developments which are occurring on land…The developments in construction, engineering, building and so on…there has been an explosion of these activities and so we have to bring in labour and professional skills to get the job done,” Benn explained.

According to Benn, the manpower required to get these jobs done is “way beyond” the capacity, skillset, and Guyanese available.