Deandrea Hamilton
Editor
Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands – Deputy Premier and Minister of Border Services and Immigration, Hon. Jamell Robinson, has outlined several key initiatives under his ministry’s budget aimed at transforming the labour market, immigration policy, and customer service delivery across the Turks and Caicos Islands. In his 2025/2026 Budget Address, Minister Robinson revealed that over $2 million has been allocated for the development and rollout of a Labour Market Information System (LMIS). This system will collect, analyze, and distribute data to better understand the local labour market and ensure that employment and training strategies are more targeted and effective.
“This is critically important as the government prioritizes Turks and Caicos Islanders for job placement in mid and upper management positions,” Robinson stated.
The Deputy Premier also emphasized ongoing improvements to border and immigration services, including the transition from manual to fully electronic systems. Residents can now access immigration services online, and for those without internet access, public-use computers have been installed at service locations across the country.
A new logistics system featuring barcode scanners will soon be introduced to track documents between departments, with the goal of improving efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Robinson also highlighted progress made by the Labour Tribunal, which now has a functioning court in Grand Turk. The court will handle disputes from Grand Turk, Salt Cay, and South Caicos, promoting fairness and timely resolution of workplace conflicts.
On immigration, Robinson pointed to the active work of the Immigration Population Policy Council (IPPC) in crafting a national Population Policy. Key issues being addressed include residence eligibility for long-term illegal migrants and legislative safeguards for current residents.
The policy, now in its final stages, aims to attract desirable residents while discouraging unlawful settlement in the territory.
