| Issue | Description | Examples/Impacts |
| Enforcement and Compliance Gaps | Government agencies struggle to monitor and enforce skills transfer requirements, such as mandatory training plans for locals paired with expatriates. Employers and foreign workers bear primary responsibility, but oversight is weak. | Leads to minimal actual training; PNG spends up to PGK 750 million (USD ~230 million) annually on foreign consultants without proportional local capacity building. |
| Language and Communication Barriers | Many expatriates lack proficiency in Tok Pisin or local languages, hindering effective knowledge sharing with PNG workers. | Expatriates cannot easily mentor locals, resulting in "disadvantaged" PNG workers who rarely benefit from embedded skills transfer components in work permits. |
| Regulatory and Licensing Hurdles | Local professional bodies (e.g., PNG Institute of Engineers, Law Society) impose lengthy, opaque processes for expatriates to practice, while local employment quotas (e.g., specific ratios of locals per foreigner) are inconsistently applied. | Discourages expatriates from engaging deeply in training; contributes to broader business constraints like weak contract enforcement and corruption. |
| High Costs and Retention Challenges | Expensive recruitment and high living costs in PNG make short-term expatriate contracts common, limiting long-term mentorship. Infrastructure issues (unreliable power, poor logistics) and security concerns further deter sustained involvement. | Foreign workers rotate quickly, disrupting continuity; overall skills shortages hamper economic growth in emerging sectors like agriculture and tech. |
| Cultural and Systemic Mismatches | Expatriate-focused systems (e.g., English-only training) overlook PNG's diverse cultural contexts, including rural-urban divides and gender disparities in access to training. | Youth and women are underrepresented; programs like youth skills initiatives (e.g., Australia's AUD 17.5 million investment from 2015-2019) show mixed results due to urbanization and low education levels. |
These challenges perpetuate a cycle where foreign expertise fills immediate gaps but fails to build sustainable local capabilities, as highlighted in ADB case studies on infrastructure projects.
Strategies for PNG to Attract International Experts for Training the Next Generation
To counter these issues, PNG can leverage its resource-rich economy (e.g., mining, energy) and international partnerships while addressing barriers like security and bureaucracy. Drawing from successful models like the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, ILO collaborations, and resource sector forums, here are targeted recommendations:
- Streamline Immigration and Work Permit Processes: Simplify skills transfer requirements in work permits by introducing fast-track visas for trainers (e.g., 6-12 month "expert exchange" categories) with reduced licensing hurdles from professional bodies. Partner with agencies like NES Fircroft for compliant mobilization of expatriates across provinces, ensuring cultural orientation and 24/7 support to ease relocation.
- Offer Competitive Incentives and Support Packages: Provide tax breaks on expatriate salaries, subsidized housing in secure compounds, and family relocation allowances to offset high living costs. Highlight PNG's unique appeal—biodiversity, cultural immersion—through targeted campaigns on platforms like LinkedIn. For instance, the PNG Institute of Management (PNGIM) has successfully adapted international courses (e.g., from New Zealand Institute of Management) with local customization, attracting trainers via accredited, paid programs.
- Foster International Partnerships and Exchanges: Expand bilateral agreements, such as the Australia-PNG Comprehensive Strategic Economic Partnership, to include dedicated training quotas under schemes like PALM, which emphasize remittances and reverse skills transfer (PNG workers abroad return with expertise). Collaborate with multilaterals like the ADB, ILO, and IFAD for funded programs—e.g., ILO's joint training with PNG University of Technology trained 78 engineers in rural infrastructure in 2025. Host joint workshops, like RMIT University's women's research capacity-building or GGSA's education uplift with DFAT.
- Promote Sector-Specific Events and Networks: Co-host high-profile forums like the annual Petroleum and Energy Summit or PNG Mining and Petroleum Conference to draw global experts, followed by embedded training commitments. Use digital platforms for virtual mentorship (e.g., AI-driven tools from Leaders Institute collaborations) to bridge remote areas. In tech, align with 2025 cybersecurity needs (2,500 experts required) via bootcamps and events like Port Moresby Tech Society meetups.
- Invest in Local Infrastructure and Monitoring: Upgrade training facilities (e.g., via ADB's Employment-Oriented Skills Development Project) and establish digital tracking for skills transfer outcomes. Prioritize inclusive programs for youth, women, and rural groups, as in IFAD's 2025 knowledge-sharing initiative across five countries, including PNG, to build entrepreneurial skills.
Implementing these could reduce PNG's foreign consultant dependency by 20-30% over five years, per ADB projections, while creating a pipeline of trained locals. Success depends on government-private sector coordination, with early wins in mining and energy sectors serving as models.