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Solomonisland

Work Permit in the Solomon Islands

Why is Work Permit Needed?

To pursue your career legally in the Solomon Islands, you must have a Solomon Islands work permit. All those people who are not citizens of the Solomon Islands, except Government employees, Commonwealth Government employees, diplomatic staff, and children under the age of 18 years, must have the Solomon Islands work permit to work here.

About Solomon Islands job market

Solomon Island Map

Number of Expats:

1,000 to 2,000

Expats Job Websites:

Popular Industries for Expats:

Fisheries, forestry, mining, food, beverages, wooden products, tobacco

Requirements for a Solomon Island work permit

Before applying for the Solomon Islands work permit, make sure that you follow the work permit requirements:

Foreign investor

– As a foreign investor, you must have the following with you:
– A completed and duly signed application form
-The application fee receipt
– One passport size photo, colour or black and white
– One copy of FIRC (Foreign Investment Registration Certificate)
– Properly documented copy assuring that the applicant is a legal representative of the investor (if applicant’s name is not there on FIRC)
– Company registration certificate

Foreign worker

In case you are a foreign worker looking for a Solomon Islands work permit, make a note of the following requirements:
– A completed and duly signed application form
– The application fee receipt
– One passport size photo, color or black and white
– Resume/biodata
– A copy of your degree certificates
– One reference letter from your recent employer
– One copy of FIRC approval (if your employer is a foreign investor)
– A copy of the Localization Training Program
– Employment Organization Chart
– A copy of the business registration certificate, if your employer has a 100% locally owned business.

Solomon Islands Work Permit Application Process

The Solomon Islands work permit application process is a multi-tiered one and involves the following:

  1. The office of the Commissioner of Labour receives your application with the appropriate fees
  2. Your application is then assessed 
  3. A letter will be issued on behalf of the Commission of Labour accepting/denying your application.

However, you must remember that shareholding or ownership either wholly or partly does not ensure that your work permit will be approved. Also, there are high chances that your application will get rejected in case of any false information.

Points to remember before making Solomon Islands work permit application

Now that you are aware of the process and documents needed for the same, keep these points in your mind before applying for the Solomon Islands work permit:

  • While applying for a new Solomon Islands work permit, you must reside outside the country boundaries. In case of permit renewal or permit application for family members, you can be present in the Solomon Islands.
  • A separate permit is needed for entering the country and living there, ie. Entry permit and residence permit. These two demands two different applications that need to be addressed to the Director of Immigration.
  • The Solomon Islands work permit application must be complete in all respects, either by the employee or the employer. The application must be attached with a reference letter, certificates, resumes, Organization Charts, localization training programs, and evidence of the job acceptance.
  • You should submit the completed application to the Commissioner of Labour with a copy of the application fee receipt. A cover letter can also be added to the application explaining your reasons for the application.

Timeframe for work permit application process

The typical time limit to obtain your Solomon Islands work permit is 7 to 14 days, 7 for investors, and the latter for foreign workers.

Solomon Islands Work Permit fees

The Solomon Island work permit fees can be categorized into different segments. They are:

Work permit application form 5 USD
Work permit application fee 200 USD

Work permit approval fees (USD)
Less than 3 months 150
>3 months but <6 months 200
>6 months but <8 months 350
>8 months but <12 months 500
>12 months but <15 months 650
>15 months but <18 months 950
>18 months but <20 months 1,000
>20 months but <24 months 1,100

Other fees (USD)
Appeal fee 500
Variation fee 500

Final decisions regarding your Solomon Islands work permit

Upon an acceptance or rejection of a work permit, the following steps need to be followed:

In case of Solomon Islands work permit acceptance:

  • The approval in principle will be only issued to the applicant.
  • Then, the candidate needs to submit the work permit fees and furnish other details as mentioned in the acceptance letter.
  • Next, the permit will be processed, registered, duly signed, and passed on to the Director of Immigration.
  • Soon, the applicant will receive his letter of acceptance regarding the Solomon Islands work permit.

In the case of Solomon Islands work permit rejection:

  • A rejection letter will be issued in the applicant’s name advising him to appeal to the Minister responsible for Labour.
  • The applicant must lodge an appeal within 14 days from the issue of the rejection letter.
  • While lodging an appeal letter to the Solomons Islands Government, an appeal is to be paid.
  • The Minister will notify the applicant within 28 days of their appeal.
  • If the Solomon Islands work permit is accepted, the Commissioner of Labour will be instructed by the Ministry to grant the work permit formally. Else, he would give proper instructions to the Commissioner of Labour to be advised to the applicant. 

This is how Multiplier can help with a Solomon Islands Work Permit

The application process for Solomon Islands work permit is a multi-tiered tedious process. Partnering with Multiplier will ease your visa application hassles and ensure you are not missing anything important while making the application. 

We are a global EOR firm in over 150+ countries that help you with effective personnel management solutions. Our skilled team of professionals will help you at every step, from onboarding talented persons to managing them in the most effective ways. Furthermore, we will track all your visa-related notifications on your behalf and keep you updated about every development occurring.

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Frequently Asked Questions

All those who are not citizens of the Solomon islands, except diplomatic staff, Government employees, Commonwealth Government employees, and children under 18 years, can apply for the Solomon Islands work permit.

For investors, it takes seven days, while for foreign workers, it may take 14 days to obtain the Solomon Islands work permit.

If you are a foreign investor looking forward to renewing your Solomon Islands work permit, keep the following in hand:

  1. A completed and duly signed application form
  2. The application fee receipt
  3. Original work permit

But suppose you are a foreign worker. In that case, apart from the above-mentioned documents, you must also make a report explaining how conditions prescribed in the original Solomon Islands work permit have been addressed.

If your application is rejected on the first go, you can appeal to the Law of the Minister responsible for Labour within 14 days of your rejection. The Solomon Island Government will take the next decision within a period of 28 days. Thereafter, the decision will be instructed accordingly to the Commissioner of Labour.

The work permit fee is 200 USD. But there are additional charges for the work permit approval fee which varies depending upon the tenure of the work permit.

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