Liberian Employment Rises 77% in Sampled Firms

By Kruah Thompson

MONROVIA, September 11, 2026: Employment of Liberians in 1,552 entities monitored by the Ministry of Labor increased by about 77 percent between 2023 and July 2026, Labor Minister Cllr. Cooper Kruah has disclosed, as the government tightens restrictions on foreign work permits.

Kruah said the number of Liberians employed by the sampled entities rose from 30,890 in 2023 to 54,682 by July 2026.

The minister linked the upward employment trend to government efforts to prioritize qualified Liberians in the labor market, including the September 4, 2025 increase in the alien work permit fee from US$1,000 to US$3,000.

Speaking Thursday, September 10, at the Ministry of Information’s weekly press briefing in Monrovia, Kruah said the policy was intended to discourage the unnecessary hiring of foreign workers for jobs that qualified Liberians can perform.

According to figures presented by the minister, Liberian employment among the sampled entities increased from 30,890 in 2023 to 48,829 in 2024 and 52,891 in 2025 before reaching 54,682 by July 2026.

The increase from 30,890 to 54,682 represents approximately 77 percent over the period.

Kruah said the Ministry of Labor deployed its statistics team to gather information and monitor employment trends across selected entities as part of efforts to assess participation of Liberians in the workforce.

“What we gather is that under 1,552 entities every year, there has been an increase in the number of Liberian employees that they had,” Kruah said.

He explained that the figures do not represent every employer operating in Liberia but provide an indication of the direction of local employment.

“This is very scientific, and this is simply a figure here. The 1,552 might not be the totality of entities employed in Liberia, but it shows the trend of employment in Liberia during this administration,” Kruah said.

Meanwhile, the Labor Minister disclosed that the ministry received 7,012 applications for alien work permits between January and July 2026, of which 1,373 were denied.

He said another 2,643 applications were voluntarily withdrawn after applicants became aware that the ministry was subjecting work permit applications to increased scrutiny.

According to Kruah, the denied and withdrawn applications could create additional employment opportunities for qualified Liberians in positions that might otherwise have gone to foreign workers.

The government increased the alien work permit fee from US$1,000 to US$3,000 on September 4, 2025, as part of measures aimed at encouraging employers to prioritize qualified Liberians.

Kruah said the ministry will continue monitoring employers and scrutinizing work permit applications to ensure compliance with Liberia’s labor laws and protect employment opportunities for citizens.