Work Permit Policies

I wish to speak to the matter of moving pot washers and kitchen assistants to the closed category. Also important is the differentiation of pot washer and kitchen assistant as job categories. Assumptions are being made that enough qualified Bermudians are interested in doing the work on offer, at the pay level the industry can afford. Pay which is based entirely on the economic model the industry currently exists in. Also assumptions are being made that Bermudians want to work all the shifts and days that employees are needed for. The facts are, insufficient Bermudians are qualified and available to fill positions on offer ("qualified" not just being limited to skill, but to all objective inputs that makes someone a good fit for a specific job). The reality for business operators are significantly different from well-intentioned but non-involved commenters, and we ask that anyone truly interested in the realities of the business they are commenting on "walk a mile in our shoes". Trying to artificially manipulate industry and market forces that are in play, even though admirably well intentioned, is not going to end well. As labour in any market or industry is an input to the output on offer, potentially causing labour shortages will: 1. cause increased automation uptake (jobs lost) 2. shrinking of the output through shortened hours of operation to match the available labour (less jobs and hours to work) 3. at the very worst, business closure (jobs lost along with community serving and tax paying economic activity). Labour is already very tight, and Bermudians interested and qualified to work as pot washers and kitchen assistants are currently garnering annual incomes of $40,000 and $51,000 respectively in my organization. The market is rewarding those Bermudians ready to work and qualified (see qualified definition above). Markets (which apply to labour as well as business) do best when existing freely, and without artificial influence. As one may see from the specific annual pay advice above, it is also extremely important to differentiate pot washers from kitchen assistants. They are not the same, both in job function or qualifications. To draw a comparison, the valuable worker who drives a garbage truck has different qualifications to the valuable worker who rides on the back of the truck loading. They can be collectively referred to as garbage truck workers, but their qualifications are different. Or, compare a GP family doctor to a specialist cardiologist doctor. Both are doctors however their qualifications are different. Our industry has that same differentiation of qualification for Potwashers and Kitchen Assistants. Employers and businesses on the whole want to do right by their valued employees and workers. However if those selfsame businesses cannot see an appropriate return on the significant risk of initial investment, then the tenuous economy of Bermuda will become even more so. Business, which hires people, can only exist by being reasonably successful and making a reasonable profit. That isn’t to say that all employers and businesses are reasonable and good. This is why the system as it exists currently makes it demonstrably difficult for fair employers to secure a work permit. Unfair employers should be rejected. Good employment practices and fair treatment have to be exhibited. Potwashers and Kitchen Assistants, by remaining in the restricted category, allow for necessary oversight by the Immigration Department and Board, whilst still allowing good business to function reasonably with qualified employees.

This is an example of what I see on my LinkedIn every day. I then go to RG to see if jobs are posted. I then go to the company web sites. It rarely correlates. "Reduce Your Rent & Save More When You Move Offshore. Watch here: https://lnkd.in/ez5C9UX #Rent #MovingOffshore #Cayman #Bermuda #BVI"

I would like to see the 60/40 rule be re-considered. . I also think it would be good to consider offering non Bermudian business owner/partners who create jobs for Bermudians a more secure permit that allows business owners to not worry about permits but rather spend the energy/time on working on a good business model that continues to create jobs for Bermudians. With the continuous worry of being on a work permit, there is always one foot in and one foot cautiously out. These people have an invested interest in Bermuda and it would be great to have people be confident in that. Also - I feel children of Bermudians regardless if they lived here before 18 or not should be given status. It was around 1999 that children of women could get status.

Not a fan of closed categories. Businesses need the best talent they can get and Bermudian need to compete. However, the playing field should be equal and that begins with greater transparency such as, as has been said already, each and EVERY job advert clearly displaying the pay scales and benefits. With minimum wage legislation also being discussed, it will force employers to justify their levels of remuneration and make the Dept., of Immigration's job easier in perhaps being able to see 'why' Bermudians may not have applied for any given job.

I have to disagree with some of the comments above. Bermudians are not protected. I worked with 5 other professionals who were pushed out of their positions with nowhere to go along with 2 who quickly found an alternative, 1 foreign national (executive) who attempted to do something about it ... all in a matter of a year. These people were incredibly talented, well-educated and had positive reputations. These were not redundancies. This was a matter of a large institution who is a major contributor to the economy getting to do what they want because of who they are. We cannot be focusing on protecting only the non-professional, non-managerial, trade positions for Bermudians. Bermudians spend 100's of thousands a year getting the best education for themselves and their children to be told that the only protected positions on the island (an island that is sold as an employment destination to foreigners... and I could give you MANY examples) is a labour position. Really? I do believe that we need diversity and global experience on the island, but it cannot be at the expense of the Bermudians who have worked so hard to get into the positions of leadership, only to be shown the door. The agreements that are in place between the companies and the government used to be pretty clear. Are they still? If yes, who is auditing this?

A good job has been done, but do to the last 25 years of weaking the Bermudian restaurant businesses. The mindset that there is no need for Bermuda cuisines I find a bit sad . We are proud Bermudians, we are not International we cater to International . The minute are visitors arrive they are asking where can we get Bermuda cuisines. (Not fast food).

The real underlying key to Bermuda's National Work Permit policies are creative, realistic National, long term economic and social plans for sustainable economic growth, via broad-based diversification, urban/cultural/environmental renewal/protections (without gentrification), improved health, education, training, and social progress with a robust, healing, oppornistic style safety net. Suggest we must face head on our horrific inequitable racial past and deal with the very high incidence of ACE's in our community. Bermuda Work Permits fees are much lower than places like the Cayman Islands and suggest they be increased substantially and the revenue be given to Public Education & National Training Board etc..

I am, like I hope everyone, completely in favour of Bermudians first. I am not in favour of closed or restricted categories at all in the longer term and would much rather see our approach focused on (I) training of Bermudians for the levels where we have the most numbers of work permit policies (specifically in hospitality and service; (ii) looking to ensure that the wages paid for these jobs are sufficient for Bermudians to live on. I agree with the comment that certain expats work hours not commensurate with a good life and send most of their wages off the island. This is not good for Bermuda at all - we need income circulating in the economy. I would rather pay more for a service (electrician, restaurant etc) that employed only Bermudians and I hope others would also. Finally, there still remains a stigma in certain service sectors which we need to remove somehow - help Bermudians to feel this is a good career as is the case in other jurisdictions. I don’t know enough about FA, but it is bizarre that we have Bermudians needing financial assistance when there are unskilled or lower skilled roles with numbers of work permit holders, let’s have a specific initiative one on one to get them into those jobs. Finally, do not have Term Limits - it is counter productive both economically and socially. Thank you for offering the opportunity to comment.

I would suggest that the Govt first of all take a very hard look at all the trends in their annual unemloyment/empolyment/emigration & economic trend surveys/dats along with the most recent census before entertaining any opinion based changes to WP policies. Additionally it would be VERY helpful if the Govt provided a very detailed breakdown of the WP numbers for each category for the past 10 years alongside Bermudian employment in each Category. You never know, we all might be very surprised what the real data is indicating, or not.