Employers Must Pay Fees for Foreign Engineers Upon Registration

When sponsoring foreign nationals with engineering degrees, employers in Papua New Guinea must pay annual membership fees in full, upon registration of each foreign national with the Institute of Engineers Papua New Guinea (IEPNG). The membership fees will cover the duration of the work permit or work visa. 

Previously, employers only had to pay registration fees upon registration, after which IEPNG would send invoices for membership fees. 

The registration fee is PGK 1,210 per applicant and the membership fee is PGK 495 per year per applicant. 

The registration is processed once IEPNG receives payment confirmation of the registration and membership fees, such as a bank transfer slip. Once registration is complete, the foreign national can then submit the work permit application. 

If the issued work permit is eventually cancelled by the company before the expiration date, the company may request a refund directly from IEPNG. 

What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals 

Companies in Papua New Guinea that fail to pay timely IEPNG membership fees may face delays in the work permit application process. Employers can check with their immigration professional to determine if there are any outstanding invoices. 

The alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].


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