The Zonal Coordinator In-charge Zone E of the Nigeria Immigration Service Comprising Abia, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ebonyi, Imo and Rivers States, Assistant Comptroller General (ACG) Angela Elo-Okoye has urged companies operating in the country to adhere strictly to the implementation of the Federal Government Executive Order 5 on Employment quotas, warning that failure to adhere to the implementation on Employment of Expatriates will attract sanctions.
According to Assistant Comptroller General (ACG) Angela Elo-Okoye , the Companies face possible sanctions if it fails to respect all the laws on Employment of Expatriates, Utilization of Expatriate Quota, Submission of Monthly Returns and Allowing the Understudy to enjoy career progression and promotion as at when due in line with the intent and purpose for the Understudy program as enshrined in the Expatriate Quota grants.
The Zonal Coordinator In-charge Zone E of the Nigeria Immigration Service Comprising Abia, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ebonyi, Imo and Rivers States, Assistant Comptroller General (ACG) Angela Elo-Okoye made this known on Monday during a workshop organized by the Rivers State Command of the NIS, titled “Workshop and Sensitization on Liberalization of Operations and Investment Driven Services” held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
In his opening speech, the Comptroller of Immigration Service, Rivers State Command, James Sunday PCC , who double as a resource person, advocated for companies and organisations not to renege on their responsibilities to their local employees who are educated and qualified for career advancement and progression based on the understudy provision in the Expatriate Quota grants and Business Permit giving to Companies/ Organisations that have expatriates whose employment is quota dependent and who have Nigerian Understudies to understudy for possible take over after a period of internship and mentoring.
He also pointed out that the Executive Order Five stipulated provisions of government for Skill and Technology Transfer, Ease of Doing Business, Facilitation of employment for employable youths and adults who are qualified by virtue of educational achievements and Certification.
He noted that “Critical areas of abuse of Immigration laws and Regulations discussed, with the aim of educating, enlightening and informing companies of their responsibilities, duties with respect to timely submission of Monthly Expatriate Quota Returns, adherence to the use of appropriate visas for employment, temporary work permit and avoidance of quota trafficking by following the right procedure for disengaging from a company, requesting for letter of no objection before moving to another company or resigning where necessary from a substantive employment leaving or travelling out of the country to return with a prescribed visa while returning as entering the country for the first time with a current visa issued for the purpose of new employment and by the new employer instead of leaving a company without proper disengagement and taking up another while still on the quota of the former employer”.
The Employers are also advised to delete where necessary from their qouta list any expatriate that resigned or left their employment following due process and issuing them Letter of No Objection to enable them get employed in any other company of their choice through Change of Employment.
The Companies were advised to follow the procedures for either Change of Employment or Re-designation or taking up fresh employment by following laid down procedures, with relevant papers and visas at every point and time their expatriates are employed, upgraded or have course to change employment from one company to another without abusing laid down rules and regulations nor trafficking in qouta thereby attracting appropriate sanction as stipulated in the Immigration Act 2015 and Regulations 2017 and other extant laws of the country including the local content laws.
The Executive Order Five stipulated provisions of government for Skill and Technology Transfer, Ease of Doing Business, Facilitation of employment for employable youths and adults who are qualified by virtue of educational achievements and Certification.
All the Participating companies contributed in the discourse by raising salient expectations and seeking clarifications in areas of technicalities based on wrong visa endorsement by embassies and other human errors which Immigration Officials at the point entry uncovers from time to time, with a need to get the Service and Companies come to the same level for seamless work and facilitation at the point of Entry or Exit.
