KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Government is engaging several United States-based work-placement agents to deliver more overseas employment for Jamaicans, according to Minister of Labour and Social Security Karl Samuda.

Making his contribution to the 2022/2023 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on April 26, the Minister said a marketing strategy is being crafted to ensure that Jamaicans can obtain more non-traditional jobs in the United States.

“This will involve the deployment of more liaison officers to show more employers the benefits of utilising Jamaican workers. The Ministry is currently partnering with additional US-based agents to drive the growth in that country’s agricultural sector,” Samuda told the House.

He added that the agents will market the Jamaican programme to employers and will be working with the Ministry to fill requests for more workers based on shortages being experienced by some employers, especially in the non-traditional employment areas.

Samuda noted that the Ministry is also about to conduct interviews for the selection of potential workers for the Canadian and US agricultural programmes, and “these are scheduled to take place at the end of this month”.

Meanwhile, Samuda said the Ministry continues to innovate and embrace technology to deliver its mandate effectively and is moving to replace its Legacy Work Permit System, with a web-based and mobile-friendly Work Permit and Skills Certificate Management System.

Noting that procurement for the new system is “far advanced”, the Minister said he is expecting a full and early implementation, and that it will be “safe, secure, efficient, business-friendly and client-focused”.

According to Minister Samuda, the platform will be informed by Labour Market Intelligence, training and certification needs to close gaps in the local economy and strengthen protection against the risk of the work permit system being used for human trafficking and terrorism.