Papua New Guinea's Foreign Affairs Minister Rimbink Pato confirmed Wednesday that the review of Papua New Guinea’s migration legislation is nearing completion and will be announced soon.

The new migration laws will drive growth and connect Papua New Guinea to the outside world once ready, he said.

Pato told the Post-Courier that the flexibility of these laws will readily help the PNG LNG project, which is now approaching completion, and small and medium enterprises which need flexible immigration processes responsive to the needs of businesses.

There was a meeting yesterday of the steering group for the review of migration legislation, convened and chaired by chief migration officer Mataio Rabura.

A separate briefing session will be held today to advise major business groups of the proposed changes. Once the stakeholder consultations are concluded, the draft legislation will be put to the National Executive Council for consideration.

The legislation review project has been assisted by the International Organisation for Migration with funding from the Australian Department of Immigration.

“National significance projects, such as the PNG LNG project now approaching completion, are engines of growth that are driving development in PNG,” Pato said.

“These large projects, as well as small and medium enterprises, need flexible immigration processes that are responsive to the needs of businesses while protecting the jobs and rights of PNG workers. PNG’s new migration legislation will meet these demands as well as connect PNG with the rest of the world.

“The current Act and Regulations, which have been in force since the late 70s, are outdated and need revision. We need legislation for the 21st century and beyond,” he said.

Pato said, “PNG is rightfully taking its place as a modern, advanced nation. The new migration legislation will place PNG in a prime position to take advantage of the opportunities of a globalised world.

“Over the past 18 months, the government has undertaken the most comprehensive review of its border control and visa arrangements since Independence. The intention of this review process is to ensure that PNG has a legislative framework for managing people movement which is comprehensive, which is consistent with national development plans and aspirations and which delivers services efficiently and with a high degree of integrity.”

“I am hopeful that the draft legislation will be put before the National Parliament in the second half of 2014,” he said.