PNG ICSA launches the Sponsor Portal to merge work permit and employment visa
The Papua New Guinea Immigration and Citizenship Service Authority (ICSA) has launched a new web based technology that merges work permit and working resident visa into a single product.
Chief Migration Officer, Stanis Hulahau launched this new application called the Sponsor Portal at the ICSA Headquarters today.
The Sponsor Portal is accessible on the ICSA website (www.ica.gov.pg) and allows companies to apply for work permit and employment visa online using a single online form at the comfort of their office without the need to stand in queue at the immigration counters.
“The Sponsor Portal allows companies to register, fill out the information and make payments online,” Mr Hulahau said. “Company representatives can use the portal to communicate and track individual application status as well as receiving notifications when the documents nearing expiration.”
Mr Hulahau said this project is one of his key deliverables which took over 18 months to explore the right technology. He pointed out that the Sponsor Portal would now give confidence to the corporate companies in retail, oil and gas, mining, agriculture and fisheries who hires foreign skilled workers to work in PNG.
“The Sponsor Portal is an integrated system where we merge the work permit and the employment or working resident visa into a single product. This means that when you apply for permission to work in PNG, you will be issued with an approval letter which is your permit to enter and work.”
Mr Hulahau explained that the introduction of the Sponsor Portal will eliminate the use of work permit cards, work permit letters and working resident visa label. “You will receive only a single letter which would be your permit to enter the country and work.
“This is the final stage in our commitment to merge work permit and work visa into a single product,” Mr Hulahau said.
The Sponsor Portal allows companies to work remotely. Human Resource Officers can administer the portal at the comfort of their office to lodge multiple applications and communicate with ICSA officers on the portal without the need to hire agents.
The Chief Migration Officer is excited that the Sponsor Portal would improve productivity, saves time and reduces costs on papers and ink.
Selected companies would be invited to participate in a “user acceptance testing” to trial out the Sponsor Portal before operational.
“We are working to realise the Government’s one-stop shop concept by merging work permit with employment visa to eliminate unnecessary red tape and improving the ease of doing business in PNG,” said Mr Hulahau.
Business who are interested to participate in the training and rollout of the Sponsor Portal can contact ICSA on email itteam@immigration.gov.pg
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