As part of the emergency measures brought in to support the economy during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Department for Enterprise has taken a number of measures to temporarily relax the work permit system:
- All existing work permits automatically extended by 6 months;
- All work permit holders and workers engaged in employment which is exempt from the requirement for a work permit (e.g. ICT, doctors, teachers) may change their job without requiring a work permit (though this doesn’t apply to people with certain unspent criminal convictions etc.); and
- Employers’ usual duty to provide certain information about exempt employments is suspended.
The aim is to remove bureaucracy from the work permit process and enable businesses and individuals to be as resilient as possible when impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eligibility
These measures apply to anyone who was or is in employment from 28 February 2020 until midnight on 15 May 2020.
The Order has been brought forward under the Emergency Powers Act. It is aligned to the removal of residency requirement for the claiming of certain benefits including the new Manx Earnings Replacement Allowance (MERA).
For more information on work permits, please contact the team at workpermits@gov.im