The DIMAS brugjaar Aruba initiative is helping approximately 1,500 people who received temporary permits last year connect with employers and potentially transition into regular employment.
DIMAS Director Kathy Paskel explained during an interview with DIARIO that the department has been holding discussions with employers as part of its effort to assist people who received what is known as a “brugjaar” permit.
According to Paskel, around 1,500 people applied last year and were granted this type of permit.
The permit gives participants one year to find an employer and establish a pathway toward regular employment.
DIMAS has made information about these permit holders available to employers through a dedicated link.
This allows companies with vacancies to identify candidates whose qualifications may match their employment needs.
Employers can then contact potential candidates, conduct interviews and determine whether they can offer them regular employment before the one-year permit expires.
Paskel said the objective is to give the 1,500 permit holders a realistic opportunity to make the transition into a regular job.
However, she emphasized that people who do not succeed in making this transition within the one-year period will not receive another extension of the brugjaar permit.
The initiative therefore gives participants a limited period in which to secure sustainable employment.
Exemption List Continues to Change
Paskel also explained that the employment exemption list used by DIMAS is reviewed periodically.
The list is evaluated in consultation with the Department of Labor and employer organizations to determine which professions or positions are currently needed in Aruba’s labor market.
According to Paskel, the list is not permanent and can be adjusted when labor-market conditions change.
Some positions currently included on the exemption list continue to show strong demand from employers.
DIMAS will continue monitoring these needs and consulting with relevant organizations to determine whether additional professions should be added in the future.
Through the DIMAS brugjaar Aruba program, the department aims to help eligible permit holders connect with employers while responding more effectively to Aruba’s labor-market needs.
