BVI Enacts Legislation To Change Work Permit Fee Calculation

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The BVI Government has enacted a measure regarding the fees payable for work permits in the Territory.

The Statutory Rates, Fees and Charges (Amendment of Schedule) (No 2) Order 2017 amends part 45 of the Schedule to the Statutory Rates, Fees and Charges Act 2005 which governs statutory work permit fees. The Amendment Order came into force on 1 July 2017.

Previously, most applicants had to pay a flat fee established by the band of salary they would receive: for example the fee for employees earning between $20,000 and $25,000 p/a was $600, and the fee for employees earning anything over $25,000 was $1,000. This scheme was subject to various exceptions: domestic workers (whose fee was only a nominal sum); employees closely related to persons holding a "controlling interest" in the relevant company; self-employed persons; and a special weekly rate for persons or groups of people engaged in the