The Employment Permits Act 2024 has been signed into law.

The new legislation will repeal prior Employment Permit laws and make a series of changes, including:
• the introduction of a seasonal employment permit;
• revision of the labour market needs test to make it more relevant and efficient;
• improved efficiency through moving operational criteria to regulations;
• providing for additional conditions for grant of an employment permit, such as training or accommodation support for migrant workers in some circumstances, or making innovation or upskilling a condition of grant, where this may decrease future reliance on economic migration;
• facilitating third party contracts (subcontractors); and
• automatic indexation of salary thresholds.

It is also intended to reduce, from twelve months to nine, the time a migrant worker must wait until s/he can move to a different employer.

A commencement order is required before the Act will come into effect.

For more information and advice on the Act, please contact any member of the Employment Law Group.