The Ministry of Labor has issued Standing Order #2 restricting certain employment opportunities to only Liberians in commercial establishments with branches in Monrovia and other parts of the country.
The ministry has ordered that all Assistant Branch Manager positions be restricted to Liberians, in support of the recent memorandum of understanding (MOU), signed between the Ministry of Labor and the Liberia Chamber of Commerce for the creation of five hundred (500) jobs for recent college and university graduates in Liberia.
A communication sent out to commercial establishments with branches in Monrovia and other parts of the country, signed by Labor Minister, Cllr. Charles H. Gibson, said that the decision is in reference to a meeting held on June 15, 2021 at the Ministry of Labor with the management of major commercial houses and chain businesses in and outside Monrovia.
The action is also in line with Regulation #17 of the Ministry of Labor, which provides that “before a work permit is issued to a foreigner the Minister of Labor must first ascertain that the vacancy has been published to give qualified Liberians the opportunity to apply and have access to employment in the private sector”.
The communication said that it has observed that records at the Ministry of Labor reflects that very few business entities and NGOs operating in Liberia advertise their vacancies in local newspapers, on radio stations and on websites accessible to Liberians before applying for work permit for foreigners to occupy the vacancies.
“That against this backdrop, the Ministry of Labor will not be disposed to approve work permits for foreigners to serve as Branch Manager except the following conditions are met: that sufficient evidence is provided to prove that the vacancy for Branch Manager was duly advertised to give qualified Liberians the opportunity to apply and have access to employment; or that a Liberian is employed as the Assistant Branch Manager.”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labor says that it expects full compliance from all commercial establishments in the country.