Department Of Labour & Industrial Relations | "Taking Our Organization Above Its Peers"

Our Vision

A smart, secure, fair and decent work environment.

Our Mission

Facilitate effective labour administration by maintaining industrial cooperation, ensuring compliance and enforcement, sustaining social dialogue, promoting equal employment opportunities and decent work.

Read More >

Our Core Values

We uphold the Constitution of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea and National Goals and Directive Principles while harnessing the following values.

Read More >

Organizational Programmes and Functions.



Executive Branch

The Office of the Secretary is supported by the 3 Deputy Secretaries. The executive management team is headed by the Secretary who oversees the operations of the Department and reports to Government through the Minister as required by law. The Executive Branch is support by the legal officer, the internal auditor, the public relations officer, the GESI officer and support staff.

Industrial Relations and Compliance

The Industrial Relation Programme promotes industrial stability and facilitate conducive environment for economic growth and will facilitate dialogue between social partners by creating and maintain harmonious industrial relations climate by settling and enforcing mutually acceptable terms and conditions of employment. It settles industrial disputes arising out of breach of the terms and conditions of employment and administers relevant industrial laws.



Corporate Services

The purpose of the Corporate Services Programme is to ensure efficient financial and human resource management by providing administrative and logistical support to all functional areas of the Department, including five programs and the seven statutory offices.



Policy, Employment and International Labour

Provides policy advice to the Secretary of the Department, assists with policy submissions to the NEC, and assist in the compilation of annual reports. Further, it designs and reviews policies to suit various working environments and ensures relevant strategies such as corporate, operational and legislative drafts are formulated and implemented.

Statutory Offices.

Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Tribunal and Minimum Wage Board

The Office of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Tribunal and Minimum Wages Board facilitates the settlement process under the Industrial Relations Act 1962, the Public Service Conciliation and Arbitration Act 1969, the Teaching Service Conciliation and Arbitration Act 1971 and formulates minimum wages policies for the country.

National Tripartite Consultative Council Secretariat

The National Tripartite Consultative Council Secretariat assists the NTCC in providing a forum where the government and its social partners, the employers and workers meet on equal status to exchange views, and deliberate upon and where necessary, make recommendations on matters referred through policy submission to NEC.

Office of the Industrial Registrar

The Office of the Industrial Registrar is a Statutory Office under the Ministry. The Office, as the administrator and regulator, facilitates employers and employees’ rights and freedom to form or join a union, and collectively bargain under the various legal frameworks.

Office of The Workers Compensation

The Office of the Workers’ Compensation is a Statutory Office established under the Workers Compensation Act 1978. The Office facilitates and provides compensation-related services to workers and their dependents in regards to injuries suffered arising out of or in the course of their employment.

National Training Council

The National Training Council is a Statutory Office under the Ministry. The NTC supervises and manages the implementation of the National Training Policy and makes recommendation to NEC any issue related to training. It establishes, preserves and improves standards of training fitting to the requirements of the country.

National Apprenticeship and Trade Testing Board

The National Apprenticeship and Trade Testing Board is established under the Apprenticeship and Trade Testing Act 1986. The Act describes the functions and activities of the NATTB, through its administrative arm, the Secretariat. While the development of polices rest with the NATTB, the administration of the ..

Independence Fellowship Scheme

The Independent Fellowship Scheme is a government funded Secretariat under the Department of Labour and Industrial Relations and was established by the Independence Trust Act 1978. The Act defines the function of the Office to assist the under-privileged Papua New Guineans in the rural villages, and for them to broaden their knowledge and skills for improved standards of living.