Rib'e Lugá for employers: what to sign and what to pay
If someone who works for you has been in Curaçao without documents since before November 13, 2025, they can apply for a temporary residence permit through Rib'e Lugá for the purpose of “work.” You provide part of that application: your declaration, your guarantee, your Chamber of Commerce extract and your CRIB number are included in the online application. If they do not have these when they register, they cannot apply for a work permit, and registration closes on October 31, 2026.
What you need to give your worker
The official list for the work purpose requires four things from the employer:
- The employer declaration (Werkgeversverklaring), with a XCG 10 tax stamp (plakzegel) and a copy of your identity document.
- The guarantee declaration (Garantieverklaring), with another XCG 10 stamp.
- A Chamber of Commerce extract for the company, less than 6 months old.
- The CRIB number of the company.
These are Rib'e Lugá’s own forms, not the forms for a regular work permit. A declaration without its stamp is not accepted.
What the employer declaration asks for
The worker’s and company’s details, as well as employment details: the position, start date, whether the contract is permanent or fixed-term, whether there is a probation period, weekly hours (those in the contract and the actual hours), gross and net pay, per month or per week, and whether vacation pay is provided. You sign that the worker is employed by your company or will join it on a specific date: the form allows both.
What signing the guarantee means
The person who signs is liable for the costs the country may incur because of that person’s stay in Curaçao, legal or not, including travel to leave for a country they can enter, and those costs can be charged to them. The guarantee ends when the person actually leaves Curaçao or when they are granted a change to their permit.
- If the company signs, its name, as well as the details and signature of the director or an authorized person, must be included.
- If a married individual signs, their partner also signs.
- By signing, you authorize the Toelatingsorganisatie to request information about you from third parties.
How much it costs
- The fees for the work residence permit, paid before submitting the application: XCG 655 for 1 year, XCG 1.270 for 2 years and XCG 1.885 for 3 years.
- Two XCG 10 stamps, one for each declaration.
- After approval, the guarantee deposit, which depends on nationality (the table is in fees, deposit and refund), and local health insurance for at least one year.
- The work permit requested by the employer (below).
Official pages do not say who must pay the fees: that is something you and your worker agree on.
After approval: you apply for the work permit
The official process ends as follows: the worker pays the deposit, takes out insurance, collects their permit, registers at Kranshi and, as the final step, the employer goes to SOAW to apply for the work permit (tewerkstellingsvergunning).
- At the Loket Digital, it costs XCG 500 for up to 6 months and XCG 1.000 for 6 to 12 months. At present, only these two durations are processed.
- So, even if the residence permit is for 3 years, the work permit can be requested for a maximum of 12 months. We have not found a written explanation of how the two fit together.
- The Rib'e Lugá pages also do not say whether SOAW requires the same conditions here as for a regular permit (for example, having first looked for local staff). Ask at the Loket before relying on processing times.
In the meantime, be careful
No official page says that a pending application allows someone to work, so we will not tell you that it does. The law penalizes an employer who employs a foreigner without a work permit (what happens to a company that hires without a permit). If you have doubts about your situation, ask the Toelatingsorganisatie or SOAW in writing.
If your worker cannot apply through work
Rib'e Lugá has two other purposes: self-employment and family reunification, each with its own requirements (Rib'e Lugá overview). To hire someone who is not in Rib'e Lugá, follow the regular route: how to legally hire a foreigner.
Frequently asked questions
Do they already have to be hired?
Not necessarily. The employer declaration allows you to state that the person will join the company on a specific date.
Can someone register for us in exchange for money?
There is no need. The Toelatingsorganisatie says that each person can submit their application without intermediaries, at ribeluga.cw. IOM provides free help: Hoogstraat 18-22 (Triangle building), Willemstad, telephone and WhatsApp +5999 665-8644.
What if they later leave my company?
Your guarantee ends when the person leaves Curaçao or when their permit is changed. What happens to their permit when changing employers is explained in changing employer or purpose.
What happens after 31 de octubre?
No one else can register, unless another extension is announced, and there is none at present. Find all dates in the Rib'e Lugá calendar.
Sources: Toelatingsorganisatie, Rib'e Lugá, work purpose (requirements, fees and process), Rib'e Lugá policy and its frequently asked questions; the Rib'e Lugá Werkgeversverklaring and Garantieverklaring forms; Loket Digital, tewerkstellingsvergunning. Consulted on September 27, 2026. General information, not legal advice.