Any non-Bahamian national wishing to work in the Bahamas for a period longer than 90 days, should apply for a long term work permit / visa. For long term work permits, a Labour Certificate (with Notice of Vacancy (NOV)) is required from the Department of Labour.

The completed application form(s) and supporting documents must be submitted to the Department of Immigration.

Application Process for Notice of Vacancies (Normal Circumstances)

• Employers must advertise the position vacancy in one of the daily newspapers for a period of three (3) days.
• The employer is required to provide a copy of the advertisement, a receipt of payment and photo identification to the Department of Labour (DOL) in order to submit an NOV application for consideration.
• The application is submitted to the Director of Labour for consideration.
• If the application is approved, the employer is required to present a copy of the receipt in order that the Labour Certificate (LC) can be issued. The approved LC is attached to the application for a work permit pursuant to the First Schedule (Regulation 3) of the Immigration Act Chapter 191 Statute Laws of The Bahamas. 
• If the application is denied, the Employment Exchange Unit (EEU) of the DOL will, in a 4 – 6 week period, utilize its database to identify suitable job seekers to match the position vacancy.
• If the EEU identifies suitable candidates for the vacant position, interviews will be scheduled with the employer for the candidates to be considered for the position.
• If the EEU does not identify a suitable candidate, the NOV application will be resubmitted to the Director of Labour for approval.
• The Director of Labour after reconsidering the application may issue the LC in accordance with the Government’s Policy relating to identifying an understudy and review the established training programme of the employer to ensure knowledge transfer.  
• If the application is denied after reconsideration an EX – 1 form is issued to the employer.

Application Process for Notice of Vacancies (Special Circumstances)

The Fast Track Protocol (FTP) will be utilized in selected circumstances to expedite the application process when Employers are seeking to match vacant positions and the potential job seekers are needed in the following circumstances:

• International Job Seeker contractual engagement must be confirmed expeditiously;
• International Job Seeker is required for a limited time;
• International Job Seeker is required for a special project for a limited duration with the understanding that no extensions will be granted;   

• Employers must advertise the position vacancy in one of the daily newspapers for a period of three (3) days. The telephone numbers from the Department of Labour should be included in all advertisements that may require a Labour Certificate.
• If no suitably qualified Bahamian responds to the advertisement or is interviewed for the vacancy and is not selected, the employer shall write to the Minister requesting that consideration be given to utilizing the FTP.
• The Employer shall provide the relevant job description/outline and or specifications for the vacant position. The Employer shall also be required to provide evidence of the interview and reasons why the Bahamians who were interviewed for the vacant position was not selected to fill the vacancy. 
• The Department of Labour will ensure that, due diligence is conducted to ensure that there are no qualified Bahamian job seekers to fill the vacant position.
• In the event that qualified Bahamian job seekers are identified by the Department of Labour to fill the position, the requisite information on the job seekers will be forwarded to the employer who shall consider these candidates to fill the vacant position.
• In the event that a qualified Bahamian job seeker cannot be identified, the Department of Labour will issue a Pre-Qualified Notice (PQN) to the employer. The PQN then authorizes the employer to match the vacant position with an international job seeker.
• Once the employer identifies an international job seeker to fill the vacant position, an NOV application, accompanied with the PQN will be submitted to the Minister of Labour & National Insurance for approval.
• The Department of Labour will release the Labour Certificate within two (2) working days of the NOV application being made.

The employer shall make application to the Department of Immigration for a Work Permit with the attached Labour Certificate and shall provide a copy of the Work Permit Application to the Department of Labour.

The appropriate application form(s) must be completed and notarized, affixing a BS$10.00 stamp.

• A letter of request from the prospective employer stating reasons for the application, the position and the period of time required.
• A copy of the bio-data page of the applicant's passport.
• 2 passport-sized identical colour photographs of the applicant, with the applicant’s name printed on the reverse side.
• A police certificate of character covering 5 years residence in the Bahamas (issued not more than six months prior to the submission of the application.
• A medical certificate dated not more than 30 days prior to the submission of the application.
• Written reference(s) from previous employer(s) (no more than 2 in total).
• Copies of certificates of examinations referred to in the application form.
• Copies of applicable job vacancy advertisements in the local newspaper, with replies and results from interviews, if any.
• A certificate from the Department of Labour, with Notification of Vacancy (NOV) attached, indicating that a Bahamian is not available to fill the position (please refer Sections 3 or 4 below).

Once the actual application has been accurately and completely submitted, applicants should contact the Inquiries Unit at 502-0550 within a 3 to 4 week period for an update of the progress of the application. Application Process for Notice of Vacancies (Both Normal & Special Circumstances) Turn-around time is dependent on the availability of suitable candidates. There are no deadlines associated with this process.

Application Process for Long Term Work Permits

• An application fee of BS$ 100.00 must also be paid upon submission of the application.

Application Process for Notice of Vacancies

• Upon application, a non-refundable fee of B$25.00 is paid by the employer.

Department of Labour
Clarence A. Bain Building
Thompson Boulevard
P. O. Box N 1586
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Email: deptlabourgeneral@bahamas.gov.bs
Phone: (242) - 302-2550 thru to 302-2562
Fax: (242) - 356-5585