Employment law covers contracts, pay, working time, leave, workplace safety, representation, disputes and termination. Immigration law controls entry permits, visas, work, study, residence and citizenship, with the Immigration and Citizenship Authority assessing many applications and sponsors or employers supplying evidence. Criminal law defines offences and penalties and governs police investigation, prosecution, trial and appeal under sources including the Constitution and the Criminal Code Act 1974 (Ch 262). Consumer protection covers safety, information, choice and redress, but the complaint body may be the Independent Consumer & Competition Commission or a sector regulator for financial services, telecommunications, aviation, health or energy. Civil law governs contracts, property, family matters, inheritance and liability. Papua New Guinea has no single standalone Civil Code, so courts apply written law together with common law, equity and recognised custom. Formal courts and registries operate alongside customary processes such as Village Courts and land mediation. A legal problem should therefore be classified by its subject, the parties involved, the relevant location and any urgent risk such as detention, dismissal, unsafe goods, loss of property or a criminal charge.
Law in Papua New Guinea
Law in Papua New Guinea consists of rules that regulate public authority, private relationships, work, migration, crime and dealings between consumers and suppliers. The Constitution, Acts of Parliament, subordinate legislation, common law, equity and custom operate together within the country's Underlying Law framework. The responsible institution and available procedure depend on whether a matter concerns employment, immigration, crime, consumer dealings or a private dispute.
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