Government further curtails office hours in May

IMPACT – HIGH

What is the change? The Venezuelan government has announced further limitations on government working hours to reduce energy consumption.

What does the change mean? In addition to a reduced schedule of 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. for most government offices, all government entities during May will be closed Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

• Implementation time frame: Immediate.
• Visas/permits affected:Work permits, visa renewals, legalizations.
• Who is affected:Foreign nationals seeking immigration-related or other government services in Venezuela.
• Impact on processing times:Delays are expected to continue until the end of June.
• Business impact:Companies should anticipate significant delays that may impact business schedules and start dates.

Background: Earlier this month, the government announced that most government offices would be closed on Fridays and work a reduced schedule Mondays through Thursdays. According to an updated announcement, during the month of May all government entities will further reduce working days to Mondays and Tuesdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. only.

The closures are intended to save energy during the El Niño storm season.

BAL Analysis: Employers and foreign nationals should be aware that most government offices will only be operating 10 hours per week in May. Even if normal hours resume in June as planned, applicants should anticipate a backlog to cause delays through June.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in Venezuela. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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