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Bermuda Work Permits for Employment of all non-citizens

Required for all working newcomers including those from the United Kingdom and visiting consultants or guest speakers

By Keith Archibald Forbes (see About Us) exclusively for Bermuda Online

To refer to this webfile, please use "bermuda-online.org/employwp" as your Subject.

Introduction

March 12, 2007. It was announced that the Bermuda Government is to make businesses provide an employment profile to find out if their hiring practices are skewed against Bermudians. Labour and Immigration Minister Derrick Burgess said there had been a large amount of complaints from locals losing out to spouses of Bermudians or Permanent Resident Certificate holders. He noted some people mistakenly thought those groups were equivalent to Bermudians. He said: “This is not so! I must remind employers there is no category of residents that can be selected for a job over a suitably qualified Bermudian.” Construction and landscaping companies, when applying for work permits, are already required to submit company profiles listing the number of Bermudians and non-Bermudians that are employed by them. Mr. Burgess said the procedure was introduced because of complaints from companies hiring mainly Bermudians that they were losing jobs to companies that hired mainly non-Bermudians on lower wages. “As a result, those companies with mainly Bermudians were frequently forced to lay off their employees because they were not getting the work. “To discourage these unfair business practices, we started to demand an equal ratio of Bermudians to non-Bermudians.” He said many of those employers argued that Bermudians would not apply to their advertisements. “So they were instructed to look for Bermudian apprentices before they would be granted work permits. “You will be amazed at how motivated these employers became when told that the approval of their work permits depended on the recruitment of Bermudian apprentices. “There are very few who have not been able to recruit at least one or two Bermudians apprentices. One company has recently hired 12 Bermudians! This particular company has now added to the contracts of his non-Bermudian employees a requirement that they must train Bermudians. “When four of his work permit holders refused to do so, he sent them packing. While I must respect his privacy and not name him, I wish to assure him, and any other employer who adopts the same approach, that we will grant him work permits as long as he demonstrates such a positive attitude towards his Bermudian employees and cultivates that culture within his company.” 

The Minister reminded employers the existing policy showed the hiring hierarchy should be: Bermudian; non-Bermudian spouse (including the widow or widower) of a Bermudian; divorced parent of a Bermudian; Working Resident’s Certificate holder or permanent resident; non-Bermudian with a qualifying Bermudian connection; other non-Bermudians. Mr. Burgess continued: “Because of the number of complaints we have been receiving, we will soon be requiring employers to provide us with a company profile and organisation chart identifying the Bermudians, spouses of Bermudians, Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC) holders and work permit holders and their role in the company. “Where it appears the numbers are skewed towards spouses, PRCs and/or work permit holders rather than Bermudians, or we receive specific complaints about the hiring practices of a company, we will be asking that company to provide a report of their recruiting and development practices specifically as it relates to the hiring of Bermudians.” And he said Immigration spent an inordinate amount of time investigating complaints about employers who lay off Bermudians or make them redundant while retaining work permit holders in the same job category. “Not acceptable! Bermudians in the same category are always the last to be laid off or made redundant,” he said. “Alternatively, an employer cannot increase the job responsibilities of a work permit holder in a different job category to include the job of a Bermudian that he or she has laid off or made redundant.” And Mr. Burgess re-iterated his intention to crack down on people working illegally or working outside the terms of their work permit. “We have found masons painting, (which by the way is a closed category); masons working as carpenters, carpenters tiling floor; gardeners building houses; steel erectors with a work permit with one employer on a specific job site working for another employer in a totally different location; persons claiming to be spouses of Bermudians who are not married at all. “It amazes me when we discover the offenders; their employers claim that they do not know the rules.” 

He said a five-man task force had been set up this year to investigate immigration abuses in the construction industry. The group, said Mr. Burgess, had been “extremely successful in finding illegal aliens with no permission to work, many of whom were posing as spouses of Bermudians with no proof that they were married to anyone; persons who were working outside the terms of their work permits; and persons who have a work permit for one employer but working for another.” He said those employees with a valid work permit who are working outside the terms of their work permit will be asked to stop work immediately and are likely to be asked to settle their affairs and leave Bermuda. Any work permit applications that have been submitted by the offending employer, whether they are asking for new employees or the renewal of an existing work permit, will be placed on hold or refused outright. He said companies would suffer work permit delays or even refusals if they didn’t advertise jobs properly. “Let me cite one example that I have seen in recent advertisements that is sure to guarantee a refusal. “Employers will state in their advertisements that the person must possess a driver’s licence or, on occasion, their own transportation. “Then these same employers will sometimes have the temerity to submit an application for a work permit holder who has never been to the Island so would have neither a Bermuda driver’s licence, having never driven on our roads, nor their own transportation. “I would advise all employers to remove this requirement from their advertisements or they will be guaranteed an immediate refusal when they submit the applications.” 

And he said another example of an advertisement doomed to failure is the requirement for a nanny to speak a second language. “While there are circumstances under which the knowledge of a second language may be necessary, the requirement to know a second language cannot be used to exclude an otherwise suitably qualified Bermudian nanny from a job.” He said Bermuda had a number of language schools and tutors that can be used to teach children another language. “And, if it is the parents who cannot speak English, then our policy requiring work permit holders to speak English will apply.”

March 12, 2007. Government announced that newly-arrived foreign workers will soon have to pass an English test or face being booted out, Labour and Immigration Minister Derrick Burgess has revealed. The test will apply to foreigners from non-English speaking countries. He told the House of Assembly on Friday: "You have heard the Bermudians in the news media, on talk radio and in this very House complaining of their experience, in restaurants in particular, when they have encountered a non-Bermudian waiter who cannot speak enough English to take their order and they end up getting a dish that they did not order. This does not bode well for our tourist industry. "Another downside to the language barrier is that persons cannot assimilate into our society and learn our culture when they cannot speak our language. This then causes conflict between Bermudians and non-Bermudians in the workplace." Mr. Burgess said he understood the challenges employers faced in recruiting from English-speaking countries. But he added: "It is unacceptable to have foreigners serving persons, whether it is in a restaurant, a hotel or a rest home, who cannot communicate effectively in English." And he said it was dangerous in a job where the employee has to also read prescriptions or the labels of dangerous chemicals. "Therefore I will be introducing a policy where work permits for persons from countries where English is not the primary language will only be approved subject to that person demonstrating to the Department of Immigration that he or she has a working knowledge of the English language." Once that person arrives they will be required to attend the Department to take a short test to demonstrate they understand English. "If he or she does not pass the test, the work permit will be withdrawn." The new policy could prove costly for employers who got it wrong, admitted Mr. Burgess. But he added: "I can assure employers we will work with their representative organizations to identify the job categories where speaking English is necessary and arrive at a mutually satisfactory solution. "But, ultimately, the onus is on the employer to ensure the persons they hire and bring to Bermuda can speak English."

For Canadians and others interested in working in Bermuda, see The Bermuda Cayman Recruitment Service, 824 Creekside Dr, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2V 2S6. Phone 1 519 591-5909. Leanne Bell, CA.

Non-citizens include British citizens who are not also Bermudian, including all Britons and European Community citizens. British laws do not apply in Bermuda. Expatriates including Britons who come are not "immigrants" but on Work Permits for no longer than a Bermuda-permitted period of time (see below). They have no automatic right of abode after 4 years as they do in Britain until 2005.

Newcomers who are not Bermudian should asking their prospective employers, or the employers with whom they are negotiating for possible employment in Bermuda, if they are registered by the Immigration Department of the Government of Bermuda as "good corporate citizens". Only the latter are being given maximum leeway re duration of Work Permits. Only 15 companies in Bermuda to date are registered as "Good corporate citizens."  What this boils down to is a maximum stay for most expatriates of about 6 years, or until their Work Permits are not renewed, whichever is the shorter.

A new Work Permit policy is now in effect. It is designed to reward employers who are " good corporate citizens" and be firm, fair, flexible when appropriate, and faster. But for most employers, there will be a maximum length of six years for Work Permits, with no renewals after that and no automatic renewals before that. In the meantime, here  are some unofficial but reliable facts. If you are a non-Bermudian (like "Canadian" - never Bermudan, the word does not exist) Bermuda can be a wonderful place in which to live and work. But know the full facts.  (This is believed to be the ONLY website giving such detailed information). 

A Work Permit from the Bermuda Government is required by all non Bermudian applicants for the specific full time or limited period or consulting or representative or pastoral position they accept from a specific local employer - and every time they change jobs. All part time and seasonal positions are unlikely to be approved. Since 2007, most work permits have a maximum 6 years duration. Newcomers who are not Bermudian or married to and living with a Bermudoan one must be prepared to leave Bermuda by then if not before.

Do not, under any circumstances, pretend to enter Bermuda as a tourist but look for employment while here. It is an immigration abuse similar to laws in other countries such as UK, USA and Canada for visitors and you could easily be deported (many are). If you are not Bermudian by birth (with at least one parent a Bermudian) or written status, apply for a job outside Bermuda directly to an employer, in response to a specific written newspaper (not in any other way) advertisement in a Bermudian or American or British or Canadian newspaper  and quote the advertisement's specific reference number for the vacancy well as the newspaper in question. Telephone applications or general enquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged. If/when your application is approved by the employer and the employer - not you - is issued a Work Permit to employ you, enter Bermuda with your copy of the Work Permit issued to your employer showing your name. If you enter as a married non-Bermudian couple, don't assume that only one of you needs a Work Permit. Both of you will need to find employers and obtain Work Permits unless one of you will not be employed, period.

 Only some qualifying non-Bermudian spouses of Bermudians are exempted from the need to have a Work Permit - and after they have been married to the same person for a qualifying number of years.

Priority order of precedence for employment in Bermuda by all non-Bermudian applicants

• #1. Bermudians - by birth or status - official grant in writing. If a Bermudian applies for a position, meets the qualifications specified, he or she is employed in preference to all others.

• #2. A non-Bermudian with Spouse Employment rights by marriage to a Bermudian, if he or she is living together with his or her Bermudian spouse who is ordinarily resident in Bermuda, or is a widow/widower of and lived in life with a Bermudian.

• #3. A divorced parent of a Bermudian - someone the other parent of whom is a Bermudian.

• #4. A working resident's certificate holder.

• #5. A non-Bermudian with a qualifying Bermudian connection (for example a resident Bermudian sibling. Note that children born in Bermuda to parents neither of whom are Bermudian are not Bermudian themselves).

• #6. Other non-Bermudians. Including persons who have worked in Bermuda before and whose children are born in Bermuda but not Bermudian because neither parent is Bermudian.

This is how the Bermuda Government's Department of Immigration rates their chances. Know that thousands of Bermudians return home each year to work after university or work experience abroad. Why? Because Bermuda has the third highest standard of living in the world. So employers tend to advertise internationally only those posts which Bermudians are unable or unwilling or unqualified to do.

Applicable laws

• British laws do not apply in Bermuda, Bermudian laws do.

• Britons and European Economic Community (EEC) citizens do not have any of the same rights to live, be domiciled, be employed and retire here as they do in the United Kingdom or EEC.

• For those who want to work in Bermuda, Work Permits apply just as much in every way to Britons and Europeans as to Japanese, Philippine and other Asian nationals.  Britons who are not also Bermudians have none of the rights that Bermudians in the UK now have if they apply for UK passports. It was the UK Government - and presumably the EEC too - that approved quite recently that Bermudians could have, on application, a UK passport and be treated as full UK nationals in every other way, but that Britons in Bermuda who are not also Bermudian would not have any reciprocal rights.

• The only recourse for non-Bermudians who believe their employment rights have been violated by their Bermuda employers or the Bermuda Government is to complain to their own countries, or the European Court of Human Rights. Some have done so.

Basics

Overseas nationals - who of course include Britons - who want to work in Bermuda are welcomed when it is appropriate to employ them. But there are several things all expatriates - non-Bermudians, persons from beyond Bermuda - need to know, understand, accept and comply with in advance. Here are the most important details:

Deal directly with the actual Bermuda-based employers. Recruiters or head hunters - especially if they are not Bermuda-based themselves - don't always know the facts or costs of living, or politics or likely length of a Work Permit in your case, or other factors. 

All non-Bermudians seeking professional employment are expected to hold at least a graduate degree from an accredited university, or an appropriate Masters degree, or a PhD, and based on academic and professional qualifications and current relevant work experience will already be earning at least £50,000 (or US$82,500 when £1 = US$1.55) a year in gross salary - much higher with a Masters or PhD degrees. In this regard, the salary requirements to qualify you to be considered for Bermuda are about the same as those for anyone who is not a UK national by entitlement or marriage to be allowed to live and work in the United Kingdom. 

But this is where any similarity between Bermuda and the United Kingdom ends, in employment matters. Policies in the UK and Bermuda are very different, a lot more restricted in Bermuda as the notes below reveal, and it must be noted at the outset that although Bermuda is a (nominal) British colony or overseas possession, no British/UK law applies to it or in it, only Bermuda law.

Without these basic academic and professional qualifications, you are either extremely unlikely to be allowed to come.

Those from overseas who arrive married and with their spouses and any child or children should note that when one spouse is offered employment, the employment contract applies only to the person employed. The other spouse must make his or her own arrangements with his or her own employer if they wish to be employed - and if - which can be a big if - they are allowed to accept employment locally. All spouses should be aware that if they do not have a degree - sometimes not just a degree but a good, relevant degree - it is extremely unlikely they will be able to obtain any remunerated employment in Bermuda. One of the many problems with recruiters or head-hunters - including some used by Bermuda-based banks, insurance companies, accounting firms and law firms - is that they are untruthful or evasive, instead of being forthright and honest, to both new work-permit holders and their spouses who also hope to get employment in Bermuda. They advise - wrongly - that spouses will have no problems finding employment. Its a ploy to have a new recruit say "yes" to on offer of employment. They don't say, as they should, that under no circumstances will any non-Bermudian be allowed to get any kind of employment in a "proscribed area" and that in all other areas, Bermudians take preference, in the priority order shown above, then the 5 other priority orders apply. This evasiveness or outright deception serves no purpose in the long run, because if the spouse is unhappy in Bermuda, and unable to find employment, chances are that the contract will be broken and both employee and spouse will leave the island. As it happens so frequently, it should be built in to the contract of employment that in the event a spouse is unable to find suitable employment for which she or he is qualified and able, the employee should be allowed to break the contract for cause, claim damages and compensation and leave the country without any blemish whatsoever by both the Bermuda-based employer and Bermuda Government.  

If any recruiter or recruiting agency refers to "Bermudans" - wrong word, out of sheer ignorance - be even more wary. 

"Good corporate citizens" and "key" staff. Which recruiter or head hunter will tell you that from April 2007 there will be such fundamental changes by the Bermuda Government in Work Permit policies that from then on, only Work Permits of "key" senior staff in the private sector will be allowed - and only at companies which pass the Immigration tests to become "good corporate citizens". Expatriates presently in Bermuda on Work Permits will have to leave unless they fall into this category - which will vary according to the individual rating of employers with Immigration. (NB: Law Librarian and Knowledge Manager positions have been added to the exempted professions under the Immigration Act, meaning that there is reasonable hope of a 3-year, instead of 1 year, Work Permit). The fact they may be needed by employers will not, by itself, count. If there is a genuine need, new expatriates will be allowed in to replace them for a limited period. This policy is likely to apply more to private sector expatriate employers and employees than to public sector employees.

Key staff can be CEOs or CFOs or other senior managers. The criteria for their companies to be regarded as "good corporate citizens" will include:

• The person is the best in the world, or:

• The person has rare commercial expertise that cannot easily be found in Bermuda or world-wide, or

• Without the particular expertise of a person, the business could be seriously injured, or

• The person has crucial business contacts which can be revealed, or;

• The person is directly responsible for creating well-paying jobs for Bermudians, or

• The person is directly responsible for training Bermudians in worthwhile upwardly mobile careers and the business relies greatly on his or her skill.

With the huge cost of employees compared to USA, Canada, Europe, Caribbean, etc. and the fact that most Bermuda-based employers have much smaller numbers  of staff than than those overseas, don't send them resumes of a general nature. If you do anyway, don't expect a reply, ever. Instead, answer specific and usually numbered and dated advertisements for specific vacancies specifying reference number, academic and professional qualifications and published first in the print editions of the local and then if needed, overseas newspapers.

Until recently, if you and your spouse have more than two children, or you are single parent with more than two children, you will not be considered for private-sector employment - and probably not for public-sector employment either in Bermuda unless under very special circumstances deemed acceptable to the Bermuda Government. This makes sense for an island of only 21 square miles in total land area, with the third-highest population any per square mile or square kilometer. From the environmental point of view, there have to be some restraints. But since 2003 some work-permit holders - for example, waiters - are no longer allowed to bring in their spouse or any children. One of the Immigration Department's concerns is that a 2-children family of a newcomer brought in to do a job not in the highest of professional categories would use accommodation that should be available to working-class Bermudians. On an island already with probably the highest accommodation costs in the world for all classes of Bermudians - see Cost of Homes in Bermuda -  Immigration has advised that further restrictions may apply to more newcomers.

Only top or upper middle management or very specialized positions will be offered by the private and public sectors. Bermudians occupy 75% of all positions available and that at last count there are only about 8,300 positions held by non-Bermudians in this island of 21 square miles in total.

Be aware that there are some employers in Bermuda whose non-Bermudian staff on Work Permits get trapped when behavior to staff is not acceptable to Bermudians. As a direct result, from April 1, 2003 when companies apply for Work Permits, they are also required to send in a statement of employment with details such as salary. One reason is to try to prevent employers from under-paying their staff because they are not Bermudian. Immigration checks with other employers to see if salaries are on a par, and if not, applications from employers for Work Permits will be refused. If higher, applications will not be prejudiced. 

There is no chance whatsoever of becoming Bermudian by citizenship unless you marry a Bermudian, stay married and live together and then wait ten years to apply. 

For anyone who is not the CEO or CFO of a major global insurance company re-domiciled in Bermuda, the likelihood of being allowed to stay in any public sector (Government) or private sector position for more than six (6) years is very slim and getting slimmer every year. 

Engaged - but not married - men or women who are not Bermudian will be regarded as temporary stay visitors for three weeks only - not six weeks as some recruiter allege. They will not  be able to move to Bermuda to live if they are merely engaged - not legally married in a respectable jurisdiction. If you are told otherwise by any recruiter, challenge it. Before they can stay longer, they must apply for and get, from overseas, not while they are in Bermuda purely for a visit - jobs ahead of time like all other expatriates. 

The documentation new arrivals must complete, whether visitors or Work-Permit approved, is a lot more detailed than in any other jurisdiction. It may not occur to some non-Bermudians that Bermuda is a foreign country to all non-Bermudians including Britons and that that the procedure they must go through is similar to - but more complex, regulated and restricted than - the proper process for admission of non-nationals for employment in the USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, etc. Remember that unlike in the above where persons are treated as immigrants, non-Bermudians are not given any of the rights or privileges of immigrants, or eventual citizenship, even when they have been in Bermuda for decades, unless they marry and stay married to Bermudians. 

Even if they get married to Bermudians, non-Bermudians will continue to be on Work Permits for a stipulated time. Not until they have been here for at least ten years and and are still married to and living with the same Bermudian and are of good character, may they apply for local citizenship. If they are not married to a Bermudian, they will never get local citizenship or be able to vote or buy real estate property in any category. Bermuda's lack of citizenship for anyone of good character who has been here for 5 years or more, or who was born here, is obscene, a Human Rights wrong, a United Nations mockery coming back one day to haunt them.

Under no circumstances can you start your own company in Bermuda to get employment in Bermuda, not even if you buy a home. 

Non Bermudians (non nationals) include

• Any person born in Bermuda but with neither parent being Bermudian by birth or status.
• Illegitimate children born outside Bermuda with American or other non-Bermudian mothers, or of American military men or Bermudian men not in Bermuda.
• A person born in Bermuda without a parent having been born here as well and who never got status.
• Any person not on The Bermuda Status by Grant or Register list under The Bermuda Status by Birth or Register Act 1992.
• Someone born in Bermuda but whose father was based in Bermuda because he was in the military forces of Canada or United Kingdom or USA or any other country outside Bermuda
• Someone not born in Bermuda who acquired Bermuda Status by residence but lost it by residing overseas for beyond the maximum stipulated period and does not appear on the current Bermuda Voters List with a bona fide local residence.
• All foreign born spouses of Bermudians who do not have Bermuda Status because they are not yet deemed to be entitled to it under Bermuda law. (To qualify, this includes constant domicile in Bermuda, being of good character and law-abiding, being non-controversial, living constantly for at least 10 years with the same Bermudian spouse, his or per permission in writing, and having an application published in the newspapers showing the applicants, full name and address.
• All foreign born or Bermuda-born children or stepchildren of non-Bermudians who may be of sterling character and may have been residing and domiciled in Bermuda for  30 or more years but do not have Bermuda Status because they are not deemed to be entitled to it under Bermuda law. 
• Otherwise, citizenship opportunities for newly arriving non-Bermudians are zero unless they marry and live constantly in Bermuda in a marital union with that same Bermudian and wait at least 10 years.

With all these points known, these websites will be useful as a guide.

This file supplements the information shown in the following files, all by this researcher and writer.

• Airfare.

• Apartment & Homes, buying or renting

• Bermuda Islands - an intro

• Bermuda Basics

• Bermuda, British Overseas territory

• Bermuda organizations & groups

• Bermuda banking

• Bermuda business basics

• Bermuda Cost of Living Guide

• Bermuda Employers

• Bermuda International Business

• Bermuda - Leading Domicile in Insurance

• Bermuda Media

• Bermuda Captive Insurance Brokers and Managers

• Bermuda Government

• Bermuda Population and citizenship

• Cameras, 35 mm SLR and similar and other expensive optical equipment. See Photography in Bermuda. 

• Cell phones. See www.bermuda-online.org/iddcosts.htm under "Cell Phones."

• Cuisine & Restaurants

• Disabled in Bermuda

• Drug stores and pharmacies. See under "Pharmacies" in Senior Citizens of Bermuda.

• Economy

• Education

• Electricity & Gas (cooking)

• Environment

• Gasoline (petrol)

• Getting Around - Locals (including professional newcomers)

• Getting Around - Visitors

• Hospitals and Health Support Groups

• Insurance Advantages of a Bermuda-based Insurer

• International Businesses in Bermuda

• International telephone costs

• Internet from Bermuda

• Senior citizens of Bermuda. They do not compare well, compared to those elsewhere, in age to qualify. benefits and services.

"Closed" or "proscribed" or restricted" categories

Under no circumstances or in only very special and pre-approved by Bermuda Immigration circumstances (for example, if you are married to a Bermudian for longer than three years or such other item as may be applicable) can non-Bermudians (non nationals) find employment in Bermuda in any junior clerical or lower management or middle management administrative, or clerical or technical or management fields. They include the following:

For further information, see Bermuda Department of Immigration.

Work Permit basics

Bermuda is very small - less than 21 square miles in total area - with a resident population of 62,400 and isolated, more than 600 miles east of the USA. This must be appreciated as one of the factors in limited upward mobility for non-Bermudians not in top administrative or professional positions. It has one of the highest populations in the world per square mile, higher than in Bangladesh and Bahrain and exceeded only by Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Macau, Monaco, Singapore and Vatican City. 

This means that Bermudianization is something most imported employees have to expect at some point. Many Bermudians have two or three jobs, to make ends meet. But this is not allowed for people who are not Bermudian. Expatriates are only allowed a Work Permit for one employer, not several.

Nor may they own real estate property at the same price as Bermudians. They are limited in applying for ownership of real estate - to the top 5 percent in value of real estate in single family dwellings or condominiums. 

Their children, despite being born here, will not be Bermudians unless a parent is and will never qualify for any of the grants or bursaries or scholarships awarded to Bermudians. Parents or a single parent of infants and small children require landing permits from the Bermuda Government's Department of Immigration for their offspring to re-enter Bermuda after a visit abroad.

If a guest worker quits a job voluntarily or otherwise while on contract or later, there is no right of expectation to be given another Work Permit with a different employer. If a guest worker quits after less than a year, he or she is unlikely to be able to find another job and will have to leave. In general, he or she will be expected to stay with that employer for at least three years if his/her Work Permit is extended for that long. But the 6-year cap on Work Permits means that non-Bermudians may be allowed to go to another employer after three years if the next employer is a good corporate citizen. Honesty and openness - not falsely complimentary references - are expected from Immigration by employers as to why that employee is leaving. If he or she gets a failing grade, they will not be allowed to get another job and will have to leave. An otherwise good employee will not be allowed to quit one job as an employee to go into competition - as an employer or partner or employee - with the firm that hired him or her, without Immigration justification. But it works both ways - if an employer falsely accuses an employee of being bad to block another employer from getting a new Work Permit for that person, it will rebound on the bad employer and affect its own character from a Work Permit perspective. Good non-Bermudians should not be afraid to tell Immigration when they have been treated badly.

A non-Bermudian is not automatically entitled to a replacement Work Permit. There is an appeal process but factors that count include a report from a current or previous employer. There is no recourse if an appeal against a Work Permit revocation or lack of renewal is denied.

Some Bermudians have reported to Immigration they have been passed over for promotion by a non-Bermudian. Non-Bermudians do not have the same Human Rights laws as Bermudians.

New Non-Bermudian employees are advised not to give notice to their overseas employers until they are notified their Work Permit has been approved. Some Work Permits can take many months to be issued or re-issued. There is no set period. Initially, they are in huge detail, include a medical history, medical evidence the person can work in the sub tropics, does not have tuberculosis or any other known disease such as HIV or AIDS; can stand the constant humidity, has a complete and verified previous employment record and much more.  Some international and local companies have brought delays on themselves and prospective employers by attempting to skirt strict rules affecting non-Bermudians. As a result, their applications are more closely examined. They include some very big corporate names. 

Work Permits do not accord immigrant status to those approved. They merely give permission for approved persons to live and work in Bermuda as guest workers for the stipulated period of time and any approved renewal, or during the pleasure of the employer and with the agreement of the Bermuda Government. Most Work Permits are now for a maximum period of three years and are not renewable.

Work Permit requirements are the same for nationals of all countries including Britain. Applications for Work Permits made by Bermuda based employers for vacancies in administrative, management, professional and technical categories are considered on their merits. But these depend entirely on specific employers applying in the pre-ordained way for permission to employ non Bermudians and receiving consent, with Work Permits issued when approved.

There are Bermuda Government fees for each type of Work Permit issued and renewals. Fees are the responsibility of employers. They are payable to the Bermuda Immigration authorities, when the employer submits the application and full set of accompanying documentation. Relatively few Work Permits are approved for up to 5 years initially. They depend on the seniority and sensitivity of the advertised post.

Employers are also required to hold valid at all times round trip tickets back to their country of origin of all Work Permit approved employees and their dependents, or to make equivalent arrangements in terms of a cash deposit with the Bermuda Department of Immigration. This is in case Work Permit approved persons are ever declared undesirable and a deportation order is issued. It ensures the deportation will not occur at Government's expense.

Originals of Work Permits, naming the new Work Permit holders, have to be sent by Bermuda based employers to new Work Permit approved employees. They must have the original in their possession when they arrive at a Bermuda port of entry such as the Bermuda International Airport, for inspection by Bermuda Department of Immigration officials.

A copy of the Work Permit, naming the stipulated employer, is generally retained by that employer. Note the emphasis on the stipulated employer, a deliberate policy. It is extremely unlikely a Work Permit will be issued allowing a person to work for more than one employer. It virtually excludes any possibility of any Bermudian arriving and setting up operations as a consultant to other organizations. So the Work Permit is extremely specific. It should not be compared to a Green Card holder in the USA who can jump from employer to employer without further Government involvement.

Whenever a Work Permit approved person wishes to change an employer, the new employer must go through exactly the same advertising of the position and Work Permit application process for that person as the original stipulated employer - and again pay the requisite Work Permit fee. However, there is generally no need for a duplication of the Bermuda Immigration Questionnaire documentation.

Employees with Work Permits who wish to leave Bermuda temporarily, for example when traveling on business or for vacation purposes, must obtain Re-Entry Permits for their return. Their employers know the procedure and will assist with it. Re-Entry Permits are also required for non Bermudian spouses and children. Again, this is an employer's responsibility. Each Re-Entry Permit application involves a cost.

Film companies

If not Bermudian and planning to film in Bermuda, the company will need to:

• register with the Bermuda Department of Immigration & Labor
• have a local (Bermudian) agent
• secure Work Permits for all non-Bermudian personnel coming to Bermuda.

Work Permit types 

For any category of personal or corporate or office staff. It should be assumed these are always payable by the employer individual or organization. This is purely a representative, not a complete, list. For further details, apply to the Bermuda Department of Immigration, Chief Immigration Officer, Ministry of Labor, Home Affairs & Public Safety, Government Administration Building, 30 Parliament Street, Hamilton HM 12, Bermuda. Telephone Work Permit Officer at (441) 297-7940 Fax: (441) 295-4115.

Employment in Bermuda

(1) Public Sector

The Bermuda Government is easily the biggest employer in Bermuda, employing both direct Government employees and Bermuda Government owned organizations (quangos). Anyone wishing to be considered for most Bermuda Government positions must complete an application form from and send it directly to the Department of Personnel Services, Floor 3, Global House, 43 Church Street, Hamilton HM 12, Bermuda. Teachers should submit their details by airmail to the Ministry of Education at 7 Point Finger Road, Paget DV 04, Bermuda. As with all other jobs, qualified and capable Bermudians get preference, with non Bermudian wives or husbands living locally having the next priority. There is little or no chance of obtaining any local summer or seasonal or part time employment if you or a parent are not Bermudian. 

Non-Bermudians are no longer permitted to work for the Bermuda Government on a permanent basis, except for a few people. Their term will not exceed three years except for special reasons or if the Police Service needs them beyond that date.

As at February 27, 2007 there were many expatriates (non-Bermudians) employed in the Civil Service excluding the Hospitals, Bermuda Police Service and quangos. They include "contract officers" meaning an officer employed under a written contract for a fixed period. All members of the Bermuda Civil Service - employed by the Bermuda Government - come under the Public Service Commission Regulations 2001. The Bermuda Government is committed to a policy of Bermudianization  and a new training initiative has started to ensure Bermudians are skilled and trained to take senior positions in the Government.

In the Bermuda Police Service, Police Headquarters are 10 Headquarters Hill, Devonshire DV 02, Bermuda. P. O. Box HM 530, Hamilton HM CX. (441) 295-0011. Fax (441) 299-4459. To apply for employment as a Police Officer, phone 299-4304, or fax 299-4485, or e-mail bpor@ibl.bm. It is paid for by Bermuda taxpayers, not the United Kingdom. With 460 full time officers, mostly from Bermuda, Britain and Caribbean. It also has about 100 civil servants and industrial staff. If it cannot find enough Bermudians or those married to one, the Bermuda Government periodically recruits from overseas policemen between 19 and 49 years old for the Bermuda Police Service. Its mailing address is Police Recruitment Officer, P. O. Box HM 530, Hamilton HM CX. Telephone (441) 299-4290. Policemen in the United Kingdom are not "seconded" to Bermuda, they must interrupt their service and if they are wise, apply before they resign if they wish to have a job to come back to when their Bermuda contract ends. If necessary, newcomers may come from Canada also.

The lowest salaries elsewhere in the Bermuda Government are currently about $40,000 for jobs for unqualified Bermudians (only). With a decent Bachelor's degree, government employees currently earn from US$70,445 a year. In 2007, average household income was estimated to be $78,500. The average salary per person island-wide in 2007 was US$ 57,000. The great majority of the Bermuda Government positions at the higher salaries are also held by Bermudians.  Non-Bermudians are unlikely to be considered for any offering less than $75,000 a year. Bear in mind that basic salaries mentioned in job vacancies are the same, whether for Bermudians, others resident here and non-Bermudians who have not yet arrived. All salaries are annual.

Return travel for candidate, spouse and up to two children, and shipping and resettlement allowances are provided by the Bermuda Government. Because of the high cost of living in Bermuda, recruiting families with more than two children is discouraged. Employment for a spouse is sometimes available (especially if the spouse has a professional qualification) but is not guaranteed.

The Bermuda Government assumes responsibility to find suitable, furnished accommodation for expatriate pr non-Bermudian contract officers (one bedroom for a single or married person, three bedrooms for a family with two children), and rent in excess of 25% of the contract officer's salary is fully subsidized. Candidates are expected to remain at the accommodation provided for at least three months but thereafter may choose to move into accommodation of their own choice. Rent in excess of 25% of the employee's salary will continue to be subsidized within reason.

Other Bermuda based employers, including the Government owned and operated medical King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and the other hospital it owns and operates, often recruit academically and professionally qualified, full time, adult employees with relevant job experience when there are insufficient adult full time Bermudians with the appropriate qualifications to fill specific posts.

(2) Private sector

Biggest employers in the International arena are the multinational insurance companies with Bermuda offices and in the local arena, the banks. Resumes should be sent directly to them, never to this website.

Dentists who may be interested but are not Bermudian by birth or status or do not have a Bermudian of the opposite sex as a spouse living with the interested party as man and wife should be aware that they are extremely unlikely to be granted a Work Permit in Bermuda. There has not been a Bermuda Government recognized shortage of dentists for many years. Currently, Bermuda has one dentist for every 1,792 people. But those needing a dentist may have to wait two months or more for an appointment unless in an emergency. A number of Bermudians are studying dentistry abroad with intentions of returning home shortly. It is extremely unlikely that a dentist without a Bermudian spouse will ever be allowed to get permanent employment as a dentist in Bermuda. The Bermuda Dental Association is the private sector agency of record and if it approves, the Bermuda Government will sometimes permit a locum tenens for up to but not exceeding one month, with a full set of information required.

Medical doctors. Somewhat different rules apply. If they follow the procedure, they may be allowed to have a locum for a few weeks. In all cases, interested parties should discuss matters directly with a potential employer. 

Priests. In the Anglican Church, a Work Permit is only for one church. The AME Church does not have such limitations. Its priests can preach at any church. 

Employment advertising procedures points to note

A number of conditions have to be met before work permits are issued. All employers must first advertise their vacancies on three separate publishing days, in the print editions of stipulated Bermuda newspapers of record. These give qualified Bermudians the opportunity to apply. The advertisements must state the nature of the job, the qualifications required, the procedure to apply, and deadline dates for receipt of applications. So while an employer in Bermuda can also advertise any applicable vacancy in any overseas newspaper, if there are overseas applicants, the position MUST always be advertised in a print edition of a Bermuda newspaper of record if it is also aimed at expatriates.

In Bermuda, employers don't have to publish help wanted advertisements if they fill vacancies from within by Bermudians.

The expatriate must have these essential qualifications - a basic degree, possibly a Masters or doctorate as well, appropriate job experience, applicable job skills, specific related written references, above board character displayed in testimonials from accredited relevant individuals and an approved Work Permit from the Bermuda Government as the result of a request from an approved employer who made the Work Permit application. If so, it will be for that one employer only, usually on a one year renewable Work Permit if the employer and Government agrees. The Government will agree to a Work Permit only when an employer goes to the time and trouble of demonstrating to the satisfaction of the Government that no qualified and competent Bermudians have applied.

Some local and overseas newspaper advertisements for employers are really work permit renewal applications when employers already have non citizens employed. This means they are to comply with local laws which require them to advertise in the event that there are any qualified Bermudians now available. If so, they usually get preference.

The documentation includes a Bermuda Immigration Questionnaire that requires many details and submissions. It is your employer's responsibility to send it you. It is your responsibility to complete it fully, honestly and provide the documentary details required in health history, previous employment, testimonials and Police record matters and then send everything back to your prospective employer. From there, it will be submitted to the Bermuda Department of Immigration. The process can take weeks or months.

Work Permits issued each year

• 2007 - 10,730

• 2006 - about 9,800

• 2005 to 2006 - 8,400

• 2002 to 2004, about 7800

• 2001 - 7,900

• 2000 - 6,700

• 1999 - 7,412

• 1998 - 7,263 

• 1997 - 6,907

• 1996 - 6,597

• 1995 - 5,998

For more on Work Permits, or length of stay or clarification of Bermudian status

• Bermuda Department of Immigration, Chief Immigration Officer, Ministry of Labor, Home Affairs & Public Safety, Government Administration Building, 30 Parliament Street, Hamilton HM 12, Bermuda. Telephone Work Permit Officer at (441) 297-7940 Fax: (441) 295-4115. 
• Or contact your current or pending employer with any questions. (An employer is entirely and solely responsible for having your Work Permit and Contract of Employment approved by the Bermuda Department of Immigration).