The Minister of Justice and the Department of Integration, Management, and Admission of Foreigners (DIMAS) have provided a detailed overview of the results of the ‘Hunto pa Progreso’ (Together for Progress) legalization project. The figures illustrate a significant shift in the labor market, where a large portion of applicants successfully formalized their legal status through an employer.
According to the shared data, a total of approximately 6,800 individuals submitted applications during this process, seeking a path to regularize their stay in Aruba. Of this total group, the vast majority opted for the direct labor permit route.
Distribution of Permits The analysis of the figures shows a clear division in how the legalization was executed:
- Permit via Employer: A total of 4,200 individuals received permits legally linked to an employer, after being undocumented for several years and in violation of existing Aruban laws. This means these individuals are now formally functioning within the island’s workforce.
- Temporary Permit: A group of 1,591 undocumented individuals received a temporary permit. This document grants them the opportunity to be legal for a limited period, even though they did not have a registered employer at the time of the decision.
Strict Rules for the Temporary Group The Government and DIMAS have stipulated very specific conditions for the 1,591 individuals who received the temporary permit. The primary goal is for this to serve as a “bridge” toward structural legalization.
“This permit is valid for one year only and cannot be renewed,” the authorities emphasized.
The fundamental condition is that, during the course of this year, the individual must find and formalize an employment relationship. This is the only way they can apply for a regular permit in the future and thus guarantee their continued legality in Aruba.
A Step Toward Labor Progress The ‘Hunto pa Progreso’ project not only seeks to provide foreign nationals with peace of mind but also aims to combat the informal economy and ensure that more workers contribute to the social security systems. With these figures on the table, the challenge now lies with the temporary group to meet the requirements within the stipulated timeframe to avoid falling back into illegal status