Business owners/employers and managers whose businesses have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, are asked to provide the following information to the Department of Labour and Workforce Development and the Immigration Department to adequately assess the workforce needs in the Territory:

• The functionality of the business as it relates to its operations (business hours, etc.);
• Employees that may have been laid off/released or will be laid off/released and those that have been retained, along with their respective positions and immigration status.
• Any additional information that may be useful to the assessment.

Employers are also reminded of the Preliminary Section of the Labour Code, 2010, which pertains to a “National policy underlying the Code” which states in 2 (b) “the legitimate employment interests of Virgin Islanders and Belongers shall be paramount and shall override all other competing expression on national policy” when accounting for any layoff measures that may have to be induced.

Information should be sent to the labour and immigration department at labour@gov.vg and immigrationinfo@gov.vg or call (284) 468-4707/4708, (284) 468-4703 if any additional assistance is required.