So, your last exams are finally behind you and before you know it you will have graduated from secondary school.
So, what happens next? Perhaps you desire to further your studies at a local or international university, or you might have seen a particularly nice job offer and want to start working as soon as possible. Whatever the case may be, there’s no doubt you’ll need most, if not all, of the following paperwork to help get you started in your career.
Academic certificate
Before starting a job or any type of higher education, you will need an official copy of your secondary academic or CXC/CSEC qualifications. Students usually receive this from their school. Although the majority of students follow the conventional path and complete exams in the fifth form of secondary school, there are instances where students would have been awarded proficiency certificates for subjects studied in lower grades. Grade acceptance policies may differ between institutions. For example, a student entering the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) through the Associate Degree in Education (ADE) programme must have grades I-III in Mathematics and English Language, as well as passes in the area of specialisation. CAPE qualifications are sometimes an asset for admission to local and regional universities.
Passport booklet
In addition to being useful for travel, a passport can also be used to confirm one’s identity. Because passports are processed much faster than ID Cards, they are especially useful for persons just out of school because they allow you to navigate situations that require identification while you wait for your ID Card. Within 30 days after applying, you should expect to receive your passport from the Central Immigration and Passport Office on Camp Road in Georgetown. The current Guyana CARICOM passport has a 5-year expiration date after which it needs to be renewed.
Currently, the standard price for a passport booklet is GY$6,000.
Identification Card
Identification cards, or IDs for short, are issued by the Guyana Elections Commission and are a means of letting other people know who you are in a way that enables them to validate that the holder matches the picture on the card. IDs feature your full name, birth date, sex, nationality, date of issue, as well as your signature and identity number. Your height, eye colour, and any distinguishing marks are also mentioned. The cost of registration is free.
TIN Certificate
You might be wondering, ‘Why do I need a TIN Certificate if I’m not really a taxpayer?’ The thing is, because you will eventually have to pay taxes, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) requires anyone who conducts any kind of transaction, whether in the public or private sector, to register for a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN). This unique nine-digit pin number is used to confirm your tax records. Think of having one of these slips as proof that you are paying taxes. Before submitting an application for a TIN certificate, you must decide in advance whether you want to register as a company, partnership, individual, or any other entity. That is to say, if you are a young owner of a small business, you will register as a company, or a partnership if that business is co-operated by more than one person. If you are employed, you are to be registered as an individual. Depending on where you live, you should send your application for a TIN certificate to the GRA Headquarters at 200-201 Camp Street in Georgetown or to any of its regional branch offices. A taxpayer applying for a TIN is required to pay a fee of GY$1,000.
Police Clearance
Also called a Police Certificate of Character or Good Conduct Certificate, this document really is a way to communicate whether or not you have a record of previous criminal convictions in Guyana. While you may not have a record as someone now leaving school, it’s still a good idea to have a clearance just in case. Many times, employers and institutions at the tertiary or vocational level require that one be submitted in the application process. The Guyana Police Force Headquarters located at Young St. Eve Leary, Georgetown, is responsible for processing all police clearances. The processing fee is GYD $500.
NIS Card
All locally-employed people in Guyana are covered by the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), a contributory funded social security programme. In simpler terms, as long as you are working, whether as an employee or a self-employed person, you are subject to compulsory NIS deductions from your paycheck. It’s usually your employer or the scheme that gives you an NIS Card. Aside from that, the NIS oversees a variety of benefits: short-term, long-term, and industrial. However, self-employed contributors are not eligible for industrial benefits. Insured people who are unable to work temporarily due to illness or maternity get short-term benefits. Long-term benefits are more permanent and usually provide payouts such as old age pensions for citizens who are 65 or older. It should be noted that in order to qualify for the NIS pension, one would have had to make contributions equivalent to 750 stamps. Workers in the industrial sector usually receive paid coverage or services, like injury insurance. Industrial death and disablement benefits are also provided. Registration is free and can be done at any NIS regional office in your area.
The bottom line?
Obtaining these documents now will put you in a more advantageous position later on. Sometimes things get delayed and there’s nothing we can do about it. You don’t want to wind-up in a situation where you have to lose a great job opportunity because the deadline is near and you have yet to receive a police clearance. Once you have taken the time to prepare all of these documents, you should store them in reasonably secure locations (not under your mattress) until you need to use them. Invest in plastic folders rather than paper ones since they are more durable. Lidded file boxes and filing cabinets are also great choices when it comes to document storing and organisation.
