Venezuelans who have been waiting to collect their registration cards, which will allow them to work in this country, expressed relief on Saturday outside the Immigration Division on Richmond Street, Port of Spain.
One woman, smiling after collecting her card, said the process moved quickly and only took a few minutes. The Ministry of National Security on Friday announced the weekend collection drive to speed up the process of delivery. There was a only a small number of people outside but the line was expected to increase later in the day.
Between May 31 and June 14, 2019, under the Migrant Registration Framework, just over 16,000 Venezuelan nationals were registered by the Immigration Division.
Over the past few weeks, Venezuelan nationals have been lining up outside immigration offices seeking to get their cards. The Ministry said the immigration offices will remain open on Saturday and Sunday between the hours of 8 am and 3 pm to facilitate the process.
In June 2019, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley told Parliament just over 16,000 Venezuelans had registered under the framework granting them the ability to work in TT for six months legally.
The initial six-month period granted to some Venezuelans, who received cards, recently expired and Minister of National Security Stuart Young on Thursday announced that he had advised the immigration authorities to grant an automatic extension of six months.
Speaking at Thursday’s post-cabinet press briefing at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, Young said, “The instructions I have given is that with respect to the expiry of the initial six months (on registration cards) which may vary, is that there will be an automatic six-month extension granted to all those who have already been granted first (six months.)”
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