‘Migrants not a threat’ – Foreign Secretary highlights Guyana’s skills gap

Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud has said that migrant labour should not be viewed as a threat to local workers, but rather as part of a broader effort to address the growing skills shortage in Guyana.

Speaking during a national discussion on labour, diaspora engagement and workforce development, held on Wednesday, Persaud stressed that the country’s rapid transformation requires a balanced approach that develops local talent while also attracting skills from abroad.

“This is not a conversation about excluding persons living here. It is about including and enhancing local capacity while bridging the skills gap,” Persaud said.

He argued that migrants and returning members of the diaspora are meant to complement, not replace, Guyanese workers.

According to Persaud, the aim is to support national development while ensuring local citizens continue to benefit from expanding opportunities. He also said that competition for skilled workers has intensified between the public and private sectors, especially as the economy continues to grow.

“There has always been competition for talent. Now, as the country develops, that challenge has become even greater. The vision is about putting Guyanese first and giving them opportunities to participate in every sector of the country’s transformation,” he said.

He also said that Guyana has long maintained systems to regulate foreign labour. Companies seeking overseas workers, he explained, must prove that the required skills are unavailable locally before approval is granted.

Persaud also defended the country’s labour protections, arguing that Guyana has some of the strongest worker-protection measures in the Caribbean region.

The forum also examined diaspora return programmes, migrant labour pathways and strategies to train local workers for emerging opportunities across the economy.