FAQs

All businesses must complete the first step in the process which is the reservation of a business name. The second step is different for Limited Liability Companies (LLC) which file articles of incorporation. You will use the following online tools to complete this process

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Minimum wages are set by the Minimum Wages Act. Normal working hours are 8 hours per day 5 days per week, inclusive of meal break and rest period.

Compensation varies according to the industrial sector. Other fringe benefits such as health insurance, meals, travel allowances and bonuses may also apply.

• Average wage earnings for high level occupation groupings - US$60,000 per annum

• Minimum wage - TT$20.50 per hour (approx. US$3.05)

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The GORTT generally only gets involved in foreign investments when the investor is seeking government incentives or concessions such as tax holidays, duty-free imports of equipment and materials, or exemption from VAT on inputs. The government also becomes involved when an investor wishes to lease land in one of the government-owned industrial parks, and when a planned activity requires a license, such as mining or drilling. Nationals and non-nationals are generally treated equally with respect to obtaining licenses.

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Any person who is not a citizen, a Caricom national or resident of Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) and is engaging in a profession, trade or occupation, whether for gain or not, or being employed in T&T, for a period exceeding 30 days within the proceeding 12 consecutive months of their visit, must obtain a work permit.

 

Global Nationals:

Work permit applications may be submitted electronically as follows:

Electronic submissions – The registered applicant submits an e-application with all supporting documents via the TTBizLink website.

Click here

Holders of CSME Skill Certificates issued by their home country do not require Work Permits

 

The following persons can apply for your work permit:

• Registered Attorneys-at-Law in T&T
• Consultants
• Your Employer

An inter-ministerial Work Permit Advisory Committee reviews work permit applications. The Committee meets every 2 weeks and comprises the following agencies:

• Permanent Secretary, Ministry of National Security

• Immigration Division

• Work Permits Section

• Ministry of Labour, Micro and Small Enterprise Development

• Trade License Unit, Ministry of Trade and Industry

• Ministry of Energy and Energy Affairs

• Tobago House of Assembly

The recommendations of the Work Permit Advisory Committee are placed before the Minister, Ministry of National Security for approval/denial.

• Fully completed application form

• Photograph of employee

• Copy of Advertisement / Vacancy Notice and report on outcomes of interviews / recruitment process

• Police Character Certificate including fingerprint search, with respect to the previous five (5) years OR Equivalent

• Other Police Character Certificates if applicant has stayed 6 months or greater in any country within the last 5 years

• Written Character Reference from last Employer

• Other Written Character Reference

• Résumé/CV

• Diploma(s)/Academic Certificate(s)

• Bio-data page from Passport including last stamp showing entry into T&T

• Contract of Employment

• Letter of Assignment from Employer

• Certificate of Incorporation

• Notice of Directors (if the applicant is a Director in the Company)

• Company’s Business Plan

• Comprehensive Covering Letter from Employer

Application processing fee:  TT$600.00

Approved work permit fee:   TT$ 450.00 per month x approved duration of work permit

E.g. an approved 1 year work permit is TT$ 450.00 x 12 months = TTS 5,400.00

 

Cash and Certified Cheque are the only accepted forms of payment at:

Temple Court II

Ministry of National Security

52-60 Abercromby Street

Port of Spain

Certified Cheques should be in favour of "THE PERMANENT SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF NATIONAL SECURITY".

• All supporting letters and Police Character Certificates shall not be older than 6 months at the time of submission.

• If documents, including Academic Certificates and Police Character Certificates, are provided in a language other than English, they must be translated to English and must be notarized.

• All applicants are to provide their Police Character Certificates together with a fingerprint search which covers a country-wide search of the applicant’s character. Name searches covering only a local geographical area, province or State are not accepted.

• It is acknowledged that there are countries where it is difficult or impossible to obtain Police Character Certificates. Such examples include China and Saudi Arabia. In such circumstances, applicants must furnish an affidavit as sworn testimony that there are no adverse records against their character in the countries they have previously stayed.

• Work permit endorsements will be granted up to the expiry date of the passport document. At the renewal of passport documents, the remaining duration of approved time will be endorsed.

• Applications for work permit extensions should be made 2 month in advance of their expiration.

• Documents submitted via the online application process should be notarized otherwise they need to be verified at the Work Permits office after submission of the application.

1. The work permit holder can include the names of their spouse and children when applying for a work permit. Relevant certificates such as marriage and birth certificates have to accompany the application. This will allow passports of family members to be endorsed by Immigration for the same period as the work permit holder. Cost:
2. In the absence of (a) above, persons with CARICOM/USA/Canada/UK nationality travelling with family members may present the marriage certificate and birth certificates of children (with the name of the work permit holder on it) along with the work permit at the point of entry in Trinidad & Tobago. A payment of US$67 or TT$400 per person is required for the Visa Waiver. Depending on the amount of time given for their stay in the country, the family would be required to visit the Immigration Office, Richmond Street, Port of Spain to apply for a Multiple Entry Visa.
3. Persons of Chinese or Indian nationality would have to write directly to the Minister of National Security to request a Visa and/or Visa Exemption for the period of the work permit.

A holder of a valid work permit can apply for a work permit renewal / extension 2 months before the current permit expires. (It is recommended that the process starts at least 3 months in advance to allow sufficient time to get a Tax Clearance from BIR and a PCC from TTPS)

 

Work permit applications may be submitted electronically.

Electronic submissions – E-applications may be made via the TTBizLink website.

Click here

The following persons can apply for your work permit:

1. Registered Attorneys-at-Law in T&T

2. Consultants

3. Your Employer

 

An inter-ministerial Work Permit Advisory Committee reviews all work permit applications. The Committee meets every 2 weeks and their recommendations are placed before the Minister, Ministry of National Security for review and signature.

The following documents must be submitted with your completed application form:

1. Photograph of employee
2. Tax Clearance Form from the Board of Inland Revenue
3. Police Certificate of Good Character from any police station in T&T
4. Bio-data page from passport including stamp showing last entry into T&T
5. Comprehensive covering letter from Employer
6. Contract of employment
7. Copy of current work permit
8. Notice of Directors (if the applicant is a Director in the Company)
9. Evidence that the conditions of the previously approved work permit have been satisfied

Application processing fee:  TT$ 600.00

Approvedwork permit duration fee:  TT$ 450.00 per month x approved duration of work permit. Example, an approved 1 year work permit will cost TT$ 450.00 x 12 months = TT$ 5,400.00

Cash and Certified Cheque are the only accepted forms of payment at:

Temple Court II

Ministry of National Security

52-60 Abercromby Street

Port of Spain

Certified Cheques should be in favour of "THE PERMANENT SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF NATIONAL SECURITY"

Please note the cost for a work permit and a work permit renewal/extension are the same

 

A Tax Clearance Certificate is required by persons for the purpose of - Tendering; Seeking Citizenship; Seeking Residency; and the Extension of a Work Permit.

The following are the guidelines for the submission of the Tax Clearance Form for a work Permit Renewal/Extension

•All Income Tax Returns must be filed and all outstanding taxes paid (where applicable).

•Submission of last work permit acquired.

•Must be interviewed (where necessary).

 

For further information and a copy of a the Tax Clearance form click here

 

A citizen, or non-national living in Trinidad and Tobago, can visit any police station in the country to make an application for a Certificate of Character.  Non-nationals must present a valid foreign passport. A processing fee of TT$50.00 must be paid at the time an application is made. A PCC can be collected 2 weeks after the application is made.

Yes. Work permit endorsements will be granted up to the expiry date of the passport document. At the renewal of the passport, the remaining duration of approved time will be endorsed.

Yes. However, documents submitted via the online application process should be notarized. If they are not, applicants must furnish all original documents to the Work Permits Section in order that they can be verified for authenticity. The original documents will not be kept by the Work Permits Section.

 

Spouses and dependants are covered under an applicant’s work permit. They will receive endorsements in their passports for the duration of time of the approved work permit. Please note that a spouse covered under a work permit will not be allowed to work as each work permit is issued to a specific company or institution, as described in the permit.

There is no additional cost to include spouse and children on a work permit application.  

 

 

 

You should report your lost or stolen work permit to the nearest police station in T&T.

The police station will provide you with a receipt confirming that you’ve made an official report regarding your lost or stolen work permit. This receipt should be furnished to the Work Permits Section for provision of a replacement of your work permit at no cost to you.

 

Under the free movement clause of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), skilled Caribbean nationals are entitled to move and work freely throughout the Caribbean region. Skilled persons include:

• University graduates

• Media practitioners

• Artistes

• Musicians

• Sportspersons

CSME Skills Certificate applications are made by manually submitting 1 original and 6 copies of the duly completed application form with all supporting documents to the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs.

The Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs must see all original documents for the processing of the application of the Skills Certificate. In this regard, applicants must appear in person with their original documents and copies. The Ministry would certify and keep the copies and return the originals immediately upon examination.

The following documents are required when submitting a CSME Skills Certificate application:

1. Fully completed application form

2. Three (3) passport sized photographs of the applicant attached to the form in the space provided before photocopying application

3. Proof of Citizenship – National Identification Card

4. Birth certificate

5. Birth certificates of all dependents and spouse (where applicable)

6. Colored copy of valid passport pages showing the biographical details (for the applicant, dependents and spouse). Non-nationals are also required to provide a copy of the passport page with the Immigration stamp showing approved stay in Trinidad and Tobago.

7. Marriage certificate, Divorce Decree or Deed of Separation (where applicable)

8. A valid Police Certificate of Character from the applicant’s country of origin and from any other country where the applicant lived for three (3) months or more consecutively. (This applies to both Nationals and Non-nationals of Trinidad and Tobago).

   1. Applicants who pursued their degrees at institutions other than their home country are required to submit Police Certificates of Character from the country in which they studied.

   2. Persons who left their country of birth before age sixteen (16) and have not resided there subsequently for three months or more are required to submit an affidavit indicating such.

Note: For the purpose of this process, the Police Certificate of Character remains valid for six (6) months from the date of issue.

University graduates are to provide the following as needed:

1. Persons applying as University graduates (holders of a Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree and/or PhD) are required to provide university degree certificates.

2. For degree certificates which do not state the major or concentration, a transcript is required.

3. Applicants who pursued their degrees via distance learning are required to submit a letter from the relevant local institution indicating such, along with the degree certificate. Please note that letters will not be accepted in lieu of the degree certificate.

   Note: A Statement of Recognition from the Accreditation Council of Trinidad and Tobago (ACTT) is required for qualifications obtained from Universities other than those specified in the Act (University of the West Indies; University of Guyana; University of Technology, Jamaica; University of Suriname)

Persons applying as Artistes, Musicians, Media Workers, or Sportspersons are required to submit, in addition to relevant qualifications, the following documents:

• A letter from the respective National Federation or Ministry which clearly states that the applicant was registered in a particular field of art, music, sports or as a media worker

• Letters from previous employers clearly stating the function the applicant was performing

• 2 copies of portfolio of work previously done (Where pictures are provided, a brief description is needed. Portfolio would include samples of work. NB: Portfolios are not returned to the applicant

• at least 5 invoices from previous jobs completed

• at least 3 references which attest to work previously done

Note: Where necessary, applicants must also register with the applicable Professional Body e.g. the Medical Board of Trinidad and Tobago (for Doctors), Ministry of Education (for Teachers), and any registered/recognized copyright organization for Artistes and Musicians

The CARICOM Skills Certificate can be submitted to the Ministry Foreign and CARICOM Affairs located at:

Levels 10-14, Tower C,

Waterfront Complex

1A Wrightson Road,

Port of Spain

The Certificate of Recognition of CARICOM Skills Qualification should facilitate entry into another Member State. You will be granted entry for six (6) months if you enter a Member State with a Certificate issued by your home country or a Member State other than the receiving country.

During this period your qualifications will be reviewed by the receiving country and once that Member State is satisfied that you have met the qualifications, you will be granted indefinite entry. 

The Committee that reviews the application meets once per month. If the application is approved, the Certificate is issued. It takes approximately 6 – 8 weeks for the application to be processed.

There are no fees for the application or issue of a CARICOM Skills Certificate.

CARICOM nationals who have been issued with Skills Certificates in a particular category e.g. Artistes, Musicians, Media Workers and Sportspersons must work in the field for which the Skills Certificate was issued.