A new edict orders procedures which are very similar to the "melting pot" held under previous administrations, in order to regularize the status of undocumented immigrants.
An article on Prensa.com reports that "...Decrees 167 and 168 issued on June 3, 2016 by the Executive for general regularization and also for migrants from China, respectively, have generated a debate about its resemblance to Decree 547 of July 22, 2012, whereby migratory regularization fairs known as the Melting Pot were created during the administration of Ricardo Martinelli."
The government has asked the Assembly to return to the first legislative body a bill which eliminates the immigration fairs and to start discussions to establish a migration code.
At the request of the executive branch, "... The document was dropped from second to first debate, "arguing that it had to go back for review and take into account the considerations of the business sector, particularly the hotel industry and businesses linked to the Colon Free Zone.
"... Some of the professions reserved for national citizens are chemical engineering and petrochemicals, careers which are not offered by any university in Panama. "
EDITORIAL
Acting as a backdrop to the contradiction between migrant's human right to work and the need to reserve jobs for nationals, is the upkeep of competitiveness and economic development of each country.
Panama is repeating the process of granting residence and work permits to foreigners who have resided in its territory for more than a year.
A statement from the National Immigration Service reads:
Javier Carrillo, Director General of the National Immigration Service (SNM) and Samuel Vargas, Director of Employment, Ministry of Labour and Social Development (MITRADEL) explained at a press conference on Wednesday September 26, all the features of the tenth Special immigration Regularization Process, known as "Crisol de Razas" (Melting Pot).
Migratory and tax benefits have been Established for foreign staff of multinationals based in Panama.
The approved changes have also given rise to the "Licensing Commission for Multinational Corporations, hereinafter the Commission, as a consultative and advisory body for the establishment of Multinational Corporations, which will be attached to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry", and that aims to streamline the procedures for installation of multinationals.
In the ninth round of “Crisol de Razas” (Race Melting Pot) organized by the National Immigration Service (NMS) some 5,300 foreigners have had their immigration status regularized.
Since the beginning of this conference, the NMS has issued some 23,000 temporary permits to foreigners.
For its part the Ministry of Labor and Workforce Development (Mitradel), gave out 1.205 two-year work permits.
The General Migration and Foreign Affairs Office issued new regulations and guidelines for entry visas.
A press release by Lexincorp Central America reads:
On May, 17th, the highly anticipated Alien Bylaws were finally issued as a complement to the General Migration and Foreign Affairs Law, which is in force since March, 10th 2010. In these bylaws, several aspects of the law are specifically regulated such as residencies, visas, guest workers, among others mentioned.