In contemplating the possibility of increased work permit fees, the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association (SHTA) and the St. Maarten Marine Trades Association (SMMTA) state emphatically that they support hiring locally.
Setting the Bahamas as a standard in which to aim for is an admirable goal; realizing that the Bahamas has reached that goal after 40 years of synchronized labor, education and immigration policy. With regards to the fees, it’s important to note that the work permit fees in the Bahamas range between $800 for line workers and $15000, which only applies to the highest position available in a company –CEO. Additionally, the Bahamas, with over 340,000 residents, a long established college focused on education in the Hospitality sector, and a comprehensive tourism tracking statistical database has put forth a lot of government funding to support its Tourism economy. The SHTA and SMMTA would like to see St. Maarten move toward this model for sustainable economic growth, and effective public private partnership with respect to the Labor Tripartite committee, flexibilization of the labor laws and a comprehensive statistical visitor database.