The Papua New Guinea immigration authority says 31 detainees from the Manus Island detention centre are being employed in PNG.
Protesters assemble for the 50th day of action. Photo: supplied
The acting chief migration officer Solomon Kantha told the National the 31 held refugee visas which allowed them to work.
PNG has recognised about 600 men detained on Manus as refugees the majority of whom do not want to be settled there.
Detainees tried to send that message to governments in Canberra and Port Moresby today during a peaceful protest in the detention centre, the 50th such protest in as many days.
A detainee's picture marking the 50th day of protest action. Photo: supplied
Meanwhile, another detention centre is being built in Port Moresby for about a hundred asylum seekers on Manus not granted refugee status.
Many of those men abstained from PNG's refugee determination process out of fear they would be forced to stay.