MONROVIA – If he had harbored any thought that his confirmation hearing would have been a walk in the park, acting Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) Commissioner Elijah Rufus got the shock of his life when he appeared before the Liberian senate on Monday, May 19, 2025 to justify why he should be confirmed following his recent nomination by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai. Facing the intense grilling of Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon and other members of the Senate Plenary, acting LIS Commissioner Rufus faltered on several occasions to explain the role of the Liberian Immigration Service in the granting of resident permits to immigrants, and how the Service is facilitating the exclusion of qualified and available Liberians from participating in the private sector. Commissioner Rufus also could not substantiate or deny allegations that his officers were extorting US20 from undocumented Burkinabes roaming the forests in Southeastern Liberia, according to Senator Bill Teah Twehway of Rivercess County.
Grilling the nominee on the issue of resident permits and work permits, Senator Dillon called on the Liberia Immigration authorities to work and correct the inherent flaws in the granting of resident permits to immigrations, especially those who are given special privilege resident permits in less than the required 90 days, just to facilitate them getting work permits for jobs that are restricted to qualified and suitable Liberians.
“We want it corrected. We will not pass concessions here that are supposed to provide or create 1,000 jobs. We put in the Decent Work Law, that the Labor Ministry must not give work permit to non-Liberians for certain category of jobs that Liberians are qualified for, available and suitable. Then in the end, Immigration gives the people resident permits within two weeks because that resident permit will be used to go obtain work permit. At Western Cluster I have evidence that carpenters, not-Liberians, far from even West Africa and Africa, are doing carpentry jobs.
“They are doing plumbing jobs at Western Cluster. They are doing Accounting and Bookkeeping jobs at other places, and they get those work permits before the 90 days expire that they are supposed to qualify for resident permit. You are giving them the resident permit so they can go take the jobs from our Liberian people. And then our people are out there saying we are doing nothing. When we pass the law, you are supposed to enforce the law. You are not enforcing the law, and it comes back to haunt us,” Senator Dillon passionately addressed nominee Elijah Rufus whose demeanor and utterances bespoke the gravity of the situation.
The Grilling on Resident and Work Permits
Senator Dillon for his part rose to the occasion by attempting to establish the link between the processes of resident permit acquisition and the issuance of work permits, which ultimately lead to immigrants using loopholes in the processes to obtain jobs that are prohibitive to non-Liberians.
Senator Dillon: Resident permit and work permit work in tandem. Correct? Without residence permit you can’t be issued work permit.
LIS Nominee Rufus: Right
Senator Dillon: How long should by law an immigrant be resident in Liberia before he or she is qualified for resident permit, which is a condition precedent to obtaining work permit?
LIS Nominee Rufus: The issue of resident permit issuance, because there are other institutions, when they bring in somebody, they bring them on the basis of contract. So, if you enter lawfully and you bring them to work in the country, you can apply for resident permit. But if you came on a business adventure, you should not go beyond 90 days. You should be able to apply for your resident permit.
Senator Dillon: How long should an immigrant be resident in Liberia to qualify for a resident permit which is a condition precedent to obtaining a work permit?
LIS Nominee Rufus: Three months.
Senator Dillon: You live here for 90 days and you already qualify for resident permit.
LIS Nominee Rufus: Yes Honorable Senator.
Senator Dillon: So, without resident permit, an immigrant cannot get a work permit?
LIS Nominee Rufus: You cannot.
Senator Dillon: So, somebody can come and apply for few weeks for a particular job.
LIS Nominee Rufus: Yes, it is permitted. Some entities hire individual or person…
Senator Dillon: Do you think that is a loophole in the law that we need to correct or have the screws tightened?
LIS Nominee Rufus: We can look at that, Honorable Senator
Senator Dillon: Like the PPCC law, they say in order for us to manage government money and get best outcome of it, we must go through bidding process. Then in the same law we say where there is emergency, we can do single source. So, everybody goes for single source. Road construction, chicken eggs. Everybody is leaving all the bidding process and using single source, So, there is a loophole in that law that is not yielding what was expected for the outcome.
People want work permit, they just come in the country, they apply on special, and that is discretionary to the immigration. So the immigration can grant special privilege resident permit because somebody wants somebody to get a particular job on a work permit.
LIS Nominee Rufus: We do not prejudice the processes. It is open. If you talk to the Indian community, they will tell you.
Senator Dillon: So, somebody who lives here 90 days, you give them resident permit if they qualify by good behavior in keeping with our laws? Another person who came only for a particular job can apply within a week or two for resident permit for the purpose of getting the work permit, even if the work permit they are coming to apply for is carpentry job. Because some of the purpose for resident permit is to apply for work permit to do carpentry job, electrician job, driving job, store boy job that are prohibitive by law and restricted only for Liberians
LIS Nominee Rufus: So, Honorable Senator, the resident permit is not the requirement only for getting a work permit.
Senator Dillon: Resident permit is a condition precedent to obtaining work permit. So, somebody comes and applies in two week, they enter the country in two weeks and they want resident permit because they want work permit for carpentry job. And that carpentry job, for instance, driving job for instance, at Western Cluster, they are paying foreign drivers $3,000 a month and paying Liberians who are driving in that same company, the same equipment $600. How do you guys scrutinize these things?
LIS Nominee Rufus: Honorable Senator, usually when resident permits are requested, they do tell us specifically what the person is going to do. But if you do move to the Labor Ministry, you are asked what specific work you will be doing. If it up to Labor whether they should issue the permit to work or not to work. Because you can get resident and can’t be given a job to work.
Senator Dillon: Mr. Nominee, I’ve been in the Justice system. I know what I am asking. If somebody comes here, got a legal immigrant status, they live here for 90 days, after 90 days they apply to be resident in Liberia. You give them resident permit. Another person comes here and stays for two weeks and applies for resident permit because they want work permit, then you say it is only Labor Ministry? Somebody lives here two weeks and they say please give me resident permit because I want work permit to do a particular job. You don’t have a role there to ask?
LIS Nominee Rufus: We do.
Senator Dillon: And if a person is applying for a job that is reserved for qualified Liberians, available and suitable, and you’re still giving them the resident permit, don’t you think you are also part of the problem that is depriving Liberians from Liberia private sector job?
LIS Nominee Rufus: If a resident permit is given on that basis, I will say yes.
The Grilling on undocumented Burkinabes
For his part Rivercess Senator Bill Teah Twehway expressed serious reservations over reports of undocumented Burkinabes roaming the forests of Southeastern Liberia.
Senator Twehway: “The Burkinabes are known for invading other countries. They go there in their droves and establish themselves as citizens and they take control of those territories. If you ask the Ivorians, they will tell you how the Burkinabes entered their country as farmers. Today, they are a major force in Ivory Coast. They have entered Liberia. People are estimating that they may be between 40-50,000. They may be one million if we continue to do what we are doing. We go there and take US$20 from each of them. When you take $20 from 40,000 people, it’s a business. Immigration will be in business. They take the money to allow the Burkinabes to make their farms. What mechanism have you envisaged to not make that process a moneymaking process?
LIS Nominee Rufus: Honorable Senator, over the years that I have served at the Liberia Immigration Service, my records are there. If I am confirmed, those things will not be permitted at the Liberia Immigration Service because I am a different character they know of. Those things will be curtailed.
Senator Twehway: Is this your first time hearing about your officers collecting US$20 from the Burkinabes so they can allow them to be where they are?
LIS Nominee Rufus: About five days ago, I received this information and I launched an investigation into the matter. In fact, the information was shared with me by the Honorable Lofa County Senator Momo Cyrus. I will not take it lightly.
Senator Twehway: Mr. Nominee, I will never give you my vote because I am not convinced that you will stop the idea of Burkinabes entering our country. Many years from now they will take over our country and our children will not even have anywhere to live. I will vote against you.