WILLEMSTAD – A sharp rise in economic permit applications is prompting Curaçao’s Ministry of Economic Development (MEO) to continue reviewing its legislation, policies and internal procedures as it seeks to make doing business on the island easier and faster.
MEO received 1,828 economic permit applications during the first six months of 2026, equivalent to almost 65 percent of the 2,820 applications submitted during the entire previous year.
The figures indicate growing demand on the government department responsible for processing several permits required by businesses, including establishment, hospitality, street-vending and location permits.
Despite the increase, MEO says it has kept its backlog relatively small. By the time the results were compiled, only 60 of the 1,828 applications remained under consideration.
The ministry now wants to build on those results by examining where procedures can be simplified, how information provided to applicants can be improved and where processing times can be shortened further.
According to MEO, Curaçao’s changing economy makes such reforms increasingly important. Tourism continues to expand, the island has gained greater international visibility, and new businesses and innovative initiatives are creating additional economic opportunities.
Minister of Economic Development Roderick Middelhof said economic growth requires government services to keep pace with entrepreneurs.
“Entrepreneurs must be able to trust that the government facilitates their plans in a careful and expeditious manner,” Middelhof said.
The ministry said it will continue evaluating existing economic legislation and policies to determine whether they remain appropriate for the needs of Curaçao’s evolving economy.
MEO is also looking at its internal processes and communication with applicants, with the aim of creating a more accessible and predictable system.
“Economic development requires not only entrepreneurship, but also a government that is accessible, thinks along with entrepreneurs and helps make opportunities possible,” the ministry said.
The increased number of applications could provide an early indication of greater entrepreneurial activity on Curaçao, although the figures themselves do not show how many applications represent entirely new businesses or how many ultimately result in businesses becoming operational.