MONROVIA, LIBERIA – In a significant policy overhaul, Liberia’s Minister of Labour, Cllr. Cooper Kruah, has announced a tripling of work permit fees for foreign nationals, effective immediately.
The move, intended to strategically curb the influx of non-essential foreign workers and boost local employment, comes amidst mounting public speculation and concerns regarding the issuance of permits.
Speaking to reporters up Capitol Hill on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, Minister Kruah confirmed that the fee for a foreign work permit has been adjusted from US$1,000 to US$3,000.
He stated that the primary rationale behind this substantial increase is to discourage international companies and concessions operating within Liberia from importing expatriate labor for positions that can be adequately filled by qualified Liberian citizens.
“This policy shift is designed to ensure that positions which can be adequately filled by qualified Liberian citizens are not unnecessarily occupied by expatriate labor,” Minister Kruah asserted.
He urged all entities to actively recruit and employ Liberian nationals for jobs currently or historically held by foreign workers, emphasizing the importance of empowering local talent and fostering indigenous economic growth.
The Minister also took the opportunity to directly address and refute pervasive allegations of corruption within the Ministry, specifically claims that work permits were being “sold” illicitly to foreigners.
He dismissed these accusations as “unfounded lies,” asserting that those who spread such misinformation inherently lack an understanding of the Ministry’s legitimate and strictly regulated processes for issuing and distributing work permits.
Meanwhile, Minister Kruah also criticized recent actions reportedly carried out by Labour inspector Charles Browne, involving a Chinese national.
The Minister stated that Browne’s actions were “totally against the Ministry’s ethics and operation.”
He stressed that these individuals are not law enforcement officers but instead civil civilians whose roles are not authorized to make arrests or to use handcuffs on individuals.
Such actions, he asserted, fall completely outside the scope of their training, official instructions, and the established operational guidelines provided to them, underlining a commitment to proper procedure and human rights within the Ministry’s scope.
