The Cabinet has approved an immigration amnesty for eligible non-nationals currently residing in Antigua and Barbuda, a move aimed at easing labour shortages and allowing affected individuals to regularise their immigration status.
The decision was taken at Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Gaston Browne, who opened discussions with an update on the state of the economy and what was described as the strong performance of the jobs market.
According to Director of Communications Maurice Merchant, the amnesty is intended to support key sectors experiencing labour gaps, while providing relief to non-nationals who have fallen out of immigration status primarily due to financial difficulties rather than deliberate non-compliance.
The initiative will allow qualifying individuals to bring their status back into good standing without penalties, enabling them to live and work legally and contribute more fully to national development.
Cabinet also noted that the measure is expected to assist employers by expanding the available labour pool at a time of increased economic activity and rising demand for workers.