The newly-elected Vanuatu Government has put businesses on notice to ensure local employees occupy the Ni-Vanuatu reserved occupations in their workplaces.

The new Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs, Ishmael Kalsakau, issued the order on 11 May 2020.

Commissioner of Labour, Murielle Metsan Meltenoven, says under Vanuatu’s labour law, ‘reserved occupations’ mean only Ni-Vanuatu can occupy certain jobs such as security guards, cashiers, hair dressers, receptionists and others that Ni-Vanuatu employees have the skills to perform.

VBTC has witnessed businesses in the capital, Port Vila which have foreigners working in positions such as cashiers or shop security.

The Department of Labour says it is inspecting these businesses.

The Labour Commissioner says from their inspection they have found that some foreigners who are working in some of the reserved occupations are Vanuatu passport holders.

She says the Department of Labour has issued some businesses with notice, but they continue to employ expatriates to jobs that Ni-Vans could do.

Commissioner Meltenoven says that once inspections are completed by her team, they will report back to the government through their minister.

She says Minister Kalsakau will then make a decision based on the Department of Labour’s findings.