IPNEWS: The Ministry of Labour has given LAC 30 days to explain why it has allegedly failed to pay work permit fees for foreign workers since 1959.
Labour Minister Cooper W. Kruah Sr. says records show nearly 70 years of non-compliance, despite previous warnings.
Labour Minister Cooper W. Kruah Sr. stated that records indicate nearly 70 years of non-compliance with work permit regulations, despite the company paying immigration residence permit fees.
The Ministry has warned that if LAC fails to provide a satisfactory explanation within the 30-day window, the government is prepared to pursue the matter in court.
LAC has reportedly claimed it is exempt from paying labor-related work permit fees, a position the current administration is now reviewing after past ministers’ requests for compliance were ignored.
This action is part of a nationwide inspection campaign launched in March 2026 by the Ministry of Labour and the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) to enforce the Decent Work Act and ensure all businesses regularize the status of foreign employees.
The ultimatum comes amidst a broader crackdown on labor violations at LAC and across Liberia:
In March 2026, the Ministry also ordered two subcontracting firms at LAC to pay nearly US$19,000 in back wages to over 500 workers who were being paid below the legally mandated minimum wage.
The government recently tripled the annual fee for alien work permits from US$1,000 to US$3,000 to prioritize the hiring of Liberians and boost national revenue.
