Monrovia — The Liberian People’s Party has called for an urgent overhaul of Liberia’s work-permit and immigration systems, warning that the government risks prioritizing revenue collection over the protection of jobs for Liberian citizens.
In a strongly worded statement issued Sunday, September 13, the opposition party accused the government of allowing work permits to increasingly function as revenue-generating instruments while qualified Liberians struggle to secure decent and sustainable employment.
The LPP said Liberia cannot address its employment challenges by making it easier for employers to hire foreign workers simply by paying higher permit fees.
The party cited figures showing that the Ministry of Labour collected approximately US$16.208 million between January and August 2026, compared with about US$5.7 million during the corresponding period in 2025. The ministry’s 2026 work-permit revenue target was reportedly approximately US$11.45 million.
The LPP said it supports domestic revenue mobilization but warned that the government must not develop a financial incentive to maximize foreign work permits at the expense of Liberian employment.
The party also pointed to the increase in the ordinary foreign work-permit fee from US$1,000 to US$3,000, arguing that higher fees cannot replace effective enforcement of Liberia’s labor laws and the policy of Liberianization.
‘Liberians Should Come First’
At the center of the LPP’s argument is Section 45.1(c) of the Decent Work Act of 2015, which provides that the Ministry of Labour should not issue a work permit unless it is satisfied that no suitably qualified Liberian is available to perform the job.
The party therefore posed a direct question: How are foreign nationals obtaining permits for positions that qualified Liberians can perform?
The LPP cited a 2022 report by Liberia’s Independent National Commission on Human Rights that accused Bea Mountain Mining Corporation of employing approximately 300 expatriates, principally Turkish and other foreign nationals, in jobs including truck driving, painting, carpentry, cooking and mechanics.
The party said the commission had also reported that some of the expatriate workers received higher salaries than Liberians.
The LPP further referenced salary-disparity complaints involving ArcelorMittal Liberia, noting that the Ministry of Labour reportedly found significant salary disparities following labor disputes in 2023.
The party argued that Liberia should not continue exporting its natural resources while foreign nationals occupy positions that qualified Liberians could perform.
LPP Questions Foreign Control of Work-Permit Systems
The party also turned its attention to the role of foreign private companies in Liberia’s immigration and employment-document systems.
The LPP cited CETIS, a Slovenian security-printing and identity-management company involved in Liberia’s digital work-permit system.
According to the party, the arrangement involves a reported 60/40 revenue-sharing formula. The LPP questioned why a foreign contractor should receive a substantial share of revenues generated from what it considers a sovereign government regulatory function.
The party also raised concerns about Contec Global Liberia Limited and its involvement in digitizing Alien Resident Permits.
The LPP referenced reported concerns surrounding the approximately US$40 million arrangement, including questions about legislative approval, procurement, revenue sharing and national security.
It further cited a Senate-related investigation that reportedly found a 60-percent government and 40-percent Contec revenue-sharing arrangement. According to the LPP, 17,339 cards produced between January 2024 and August 4, 2025 generated approximately US$7.8 million, with nearly US$3.5 million reportedly going to Contec.
The party said such arrangements raise questions about Liberia’s control of sensitive identity information, national revenue and digital infrastructure.
‘Labor Certification First, Immigration Authorization Second’
The LPP is proposing a fundamental restructuring of how Liberia approves foreign workers.
Under its proposed system, an employer seeking to hire a foreign national would first have to obtain labor-market certification from the Ministry of Labour.
The employer would be required to demonstrate through transparent recruitment that no suitably qualified, willing, and available Liberian could fill the position.
The ministry would also determine whether employing the foreign worker would adversely affect the wages and working conditions of Liberians performing comparable work.
Only after receiving labor certification would the employer proceed to the Liberia Immigration Service for immigration status and work authorization.
The LPP said the proposed system has similarities to elements of the U.S. employment-based immigration framework, while emphasizing that Liberia should develop a system consistent with its own laws, economy and national interests.
The party said such a system could also generate legitimate revenue through separate labor-certification and immigration fees, but insisted that revenue should remain secondary to the protection of Liberian jobs.
Eight-Point Reform Agenda
The LPP is calling for strict enforcement of Section 45.1(c) of the Decent Work Act before any foreign work permit is approved, mandatory public advertising of vacancies before employers can seek authorization to hire foreign workers, independent verification that no qualified Liberian is available for the position, and equal-pay protections to prevent unjustified salary disparities between foreign workers and equally qualified Liberians performing substantially comparable work.
The LPP also called for annual publication of foreign work-permit statistics, including employer, nationality, occupation and sector, legislative review of the CETIS and Contec arrangements, including revenue sharing, procurement, data ownership, cybersecurity and national-security implications, integration of work permits, resident permits and biometric identity systems into a coherent national digital identity framework controlled by Liberian institutions, clear Liberianization program requiring major concessionaires, including mining companies, to train Liberians and progressively replace expatriates in positions for which Liberians can become qualified.
LPP: Investors Should Create Jobs, Not Compete for Existing Ones
The party said Liberia should continue welcoming foreign investors and genuinely needed foreign expertise, but argued that investment should create new economic opportunities rather than simply allow foreign nationals to compete with Liberians for existing jobs.
“What Liberians need from foreign investors is the establishment of factories, industries and other employment-generating enterprises throughout the country,” the party said.
It argued that investors should employ and train Liberians, expand the tax base, increase national revenue and create new economic opportunities while earning legitimate returns on their investments.
The LPP said every work permit issued for a position that could be filled by a qualified Liberian represents more than a government fee.
It could mean a lost Liberian paycheck, reduced household purchasing power, lost income-tax revenue and a missed opportunity to develop Liberia’s human capital, the party argued.
The party therefore urged the Ministry of Labour to measure its success not simply by the amount of money collected through work permits, but by the number of Liberians obtaining decent, sustainable and well-paying jobs.
The LPP’s position comes despite its support for President Joseph Boakai during the 2023 presidential runoff. The party and its 2023 presidential candidate, Cllr. Tiawan Saye Gongloe, backed Boakai, then the Unity Party Alliance candidate, against former President George Weah.
The LPP, however, has continued to criticize policies and actions of the Boakai administration where it believes the government is falling short.
The party said Liberia’s immigration system should protect the country’s borders, its labor system should protect Liberian workers, and its digital identity infrastructure should protect national sovereignty.
“Liberian jobs must come first,” the party declared.
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