Wage Rates and Labour Laws

The Department of Labour prescribes a minimum wage of EC$8.20 (US$3.04) an hour. However, many employers pay significantly more. The recommended minimum wage for a Call Center type BPO operation is US$5.00 (EC$13.50).
The work week is up to six days with a maximum of 8 hours per day.
Any employed or self-employed worker who is not a national of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), or an approved resident of Antigua & Barbuda, requires a work permit to be employed or to manage a business in Antigua and Barbuda.
Work permits are approved primarily by the Department of Labour.
In applying for a work permit, employers are required to demonstrate that their duly publicized job vacancy notice failed to attract a suitable local applicant.

Wage Rates and Labour Laws

A non-OECS CARICOM national does not require a work permit if possessing tertiary level qualification in specified areas. In this case, one can obtain a CARICOM Skilled National Certificate from the Department of Labour, either before or after entering the country, although preferably before. This certificate does not have an expiry date.

The Antigua and Barbuda Labour Code provides the Legislative and Regulatory Framework for Industrial Relations in Antigua and Barbuda