MPs question ads for foreign workers

Lawmakers have raised concerns about a rise in advertisements from businesses here seeking to recruit foreign workers for positions traditionally held by Barbadians.  

 

The issue arose during the House of Assembly Estimates for the Ministry of Labour’s annual appropriations when Christ Church West Central MP Adrian Forde questioned the growing number of advertisements stating that no suitable Barbadian candidates were available.  

 

Bartenders, chefs and even teachers were among those being advertised as difficult to fill locally, despite being jobs typically held by Bajans, said Forde.  

 

The notices, often seen in the newspapers, have become a frequent point of frustration for many of his constituents, he added.  

 

He said: “Often times they happen to look in the papers like most Barbadians and they see an ad and make a special reference to the fact that there is no suitable candidate for a job that was advertised locally and hence the institution or business is seeking to go elsewhere outside of Barbados to fill these posts.”

 

Minister of Labour Colin Jordan explained that the authority to grant work permits lies with the Ministry of Home Affairs through the Immigration Department, but the ministry still plays a role in supporting fairness in the labour market.  

 

The ministry’s responsibility is to ensure that the labour market functions efficiently by connecting employers with available workers, Jordan said.  

 

He explained that when employers apply for work permits, immigration authorities often consult the Ministry of Labour to determine whether qualified Barbadians are available.  

 

But he acknowledged that the previous process of searching through paper or email applications to identify suitable candidates was inefficient.  

 

He pointed to the Barbados Job Register, a digital platform designed to match employers with local jobseekers and to provide immigration officials with a reliable database when assessing work permit requests.  

 

Under the current arrangement, immigration officials must first check the register before approving foreign work permits.  

 

“The understanding is that a work permit will not be granted unless there’s first a search of the Barbados Job Register,” Jordan said.  

 

Acting director of the Barbados Employment Career and Counselling Service, Moreen Bowen, told the House that the platform has already attracted thousands of users since its launch last year.  

 

The Barbados Job Register was launched in August 2025. By the end of February nearly 2 800 jobseekers and 140 employers had registered on the platform, she said. The system allows applicants to upload résumés and outline their qualifications, skills and experience, enabling employers to search the database to identify suitable candidates for vacancies.  

 

Jobseekers from industries including construction, financial services, technology, retail and hospitality had registered, with customer service, computer skills and data entry among the most common skill areas, she told MPs.  

 

The government is now developing a second phase of the platform that will allow employers to post vacancies directly, while artificial intelligence tools assist with matching applicants to jobs, she said.  

 

Bowen added that outreach efforts with institutions such as the Barbados Vocational Training Board, the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology and the Barbados Community College, along with the National Insurance unemployment section, have helped increase registrations.  

 

While employer feedback remains limited, Bowen said about 43 jobs are known to have been filled through the register so far.  

 

Jordan said the ministry will continue working with the Immigration Department to ensure Barbadians are given every opportunity to fill available jobs before employers seek overseas workers, while urging businesses to recognise their responsibility to provide decent work for people in Barbados.