Companies that violate the recently implemented Expatriate Employment Levy (EEL) regulation would be fined N3 million for each infraction.
The infractions include failing to file an EEL, failing to register an employee, failing to renew an EEL within 30 days, and giving misleading information about an EEL.
An financial contribution known as the Expatriate Employment Levy is levied against employers who engage foreign labour.
By guaranteeing fair contributions from foreign employment, the levy, which is mostly levied on the offshore earnings of foreign workers in Nigeria, aims to strike a balance between workforce development and economic growth.
President Bola Tinubu launched the policy on February 28, 2024.
He stated that the EEL would close the wage gaps between expatriates and the Nigerian labour force while increasing employment opportunities for qualified Nigerians in foreign companies operating in the country.
However, the handbook sighted by our correspondent on Sunday said offences such as inaccurate or incomplete information could lead to penalties.
“Failure of a corporate entity to file EEL within 30 days is liable to a fine of N3,000,000.
“Failure to register an employee within 30 days will attract a fine of N3,000,000.
“Falsification of information on EEL is liable to a fine of N3,000,000.
“Failure of a corporate entity to renew EEL within 30 days attracts N3,000,000 fine.”
Also, according to the handbook, companies are expected to pay $15,000 for expatriates employed as directors, and $10,000 for other categories.
“Employers of expatriates covered by the EEL are required to pay $15,000 for directors and $10,000 for other categories of expatriates,” it added.
The Ministry of Interior in a notice on its website stated that the EEL card is a mandatory document like a passport.
It added that it would be required for any expatriate to leave and enter the country.
The ministry, however, fixed April 15 for compliance with the policy.
The notice partly read, “For further details and registration of your company and expatriates working with you, kindly go through the Handbook and User Manual available on the portal.
“The last date of compliance with EEL is Monday, April 15, 2024.
“An EEL card is a mandatory document like a passport, and will be required at the time of lawful exit and entry into the country.”