House Bill No. 8-57-4 setting limit on the number of non-citizen workers permitted to enter and work in Palau.
The measure also imposes an initial fee for every foreign worker hired which should be paid by the employer. The amount is set at $150.
After the initial payment , the employer is required to pay an annual fee of $100 for each nonresident worker it employs.
Once the bill is approved each nonresident worker shall pay an annual registration fee of $10 to the National Treasury.
The measure said that resident workers shall be given preference in employment in the Republic in any industry or occupation for which such workers are qualified and available. Nonresident workers shall be employed only to supplement the labor force of available and qualified resident workers.
It stressed that currently the percentage of nonresident workers living in the Republic exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the total population of persons living in the Republic, as calculated based on the most recently available census data. Palau has a population of 20,000.
Under the measure, the Division of Labor Chief is no longer allowed to a issue a work permit to a nonresident worker if the issuance would result in the percentage of nonresident workers exceedd 25% of the total population of persons living in the Republic.
Earlier, the president set a quota of 6,000 for foreign workers. The quota set is aimed a encouraging employers to hire Palauan workers instead.
