Wilson: Chamber Work Permit Claim ‘Misleading’
Kim Wilson, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, today [Jan 10] released a statement saying that claims made by the Chamber of Commerce regarding the number of work permits lost over the last three years are “misleading.”
The report released by the Chamber of Commerce says that more than 3,500 work permits have been lost since 2007, and that each permit holder accounts for an estimated $100,000 direct spending in the Bermuda economy, which equals a $350 million loss over three years.
The statement released today said “While it was stated that 3,500 work permits have been lost on the Island since 2007, these figures do not accurately describe the entire picture. While there were less work permits issued during these years, there are actually more active work permits which have not expired.” It went on to say that “There were in fact 636 more expatriate workers in Bermuda in 2010 than there were in 2007.”
The full statement today follows below:
While it was stated that 3,500 work permits have been lost on the Island since 2007, these figures do not accurately describe the entire picture. While there were less work permits issued during these years, there are actually more active work permits which have not expired. To elaborate further: 5-year work permits issued in 2007 do not expire until 2012; 4-year work permits issued in 2007 would not expire until 2011 and so on. The Work Permits Section of the Department of Immigration can report that 3,500 valid work permit holders have not terminated their work permits. There is, indeed, a reduction from 2009 to 2010 of one-year and temporary work permits, most of which can be attributed to the end of the construction projects and the slow-down of the tourism industry.
In 2007, there were 3,635 active one-year work permits and 5,856 active two-to five-year work permits granted, compared to 4,326 active one-year work permits in 2009 and 6,675 active two-to-five year during the same year, giving a total of 9,491 in 2007 versus 11,001 in 2009. This is, in fact, an increase not a decrease as reported by the Chamber of Commerce.
In 2010, there were 3,720 active one-year work permits and 6,407 active two-to five-year work permits.
Minister Wilson said: “While it is clear that the Chamber of Commerce used information collated by the Department of Statistics in 2009, it has been used out of context. There is a difference between the number of active works permits versus the number of work permits issued.”
The Chamber has quoted the numbers of work permits issued which range in length from up to three months to five years. There has been a drop between 2007 and 2009. However, this is because some employers submitted applications for two-to five year work permits which would in turn reduce the need to apply for yearly work permits as may have been the case previously.
There were in fact 636 more expatriate workers in Bermuda in 2010 than there were in 2007.
The Government remains confident that by placing Labour and Training, Bermuda College and the issuance of Work Permits, all under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, a better assessment of the workforce needs can be accomplished. In short, the amalgamation of these Departments under one Ministry will better ensure that fairness and equality exists as we strive to reach the delicate balance between allowing in the appropriate cases, the contributions of our guest workers to live and work in Bermuda, whilst at the same time, taking steps to best ensure that qualified, Bermudians are not displaced in the process.
The work permit data provides invaluable information that is to be used as a guide to understanding the needs of the workplace. It is this information that should serve to educate an empower Bermudians to train in specific areas.
She continued: “As the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, I will work with all employers to ensure that both local and expatriate workers are given fair treatment and equal opportunity in the workplace.”
As it relates to general employment matters, these are indeed difficult times and in the coming days I will share more specific employment data and discuss short-term steps that the Ministry will be taking in this respect.
Ok…..now i’m more confused…I need a calculator and a note pad to keep up. I would think it would just be easier to say, “there were X amount of people in Bermuda on work permits in 2007 and now there are X amount here in 2010/11. When you throw in totals, versus, active and non-active, that causes a disparity depending on how you look at the numbers.
I know, I stopped reeading after the first paragraph…LOL
A case of lies, damned lies and statistics? The figures quoted by Senator Wilson still do not make the actual number of work permit clear. For example, Senator Wilson says “in 2010 there were 3,720 active one year permits and 6,407 active two to five year permits”, yet on November 17 Senator Wilson advised a meeting of ABIC that there were 6,817 active permits. So on Nov 17 there were 6,817 active permits, but yesetrday there were 3,720 plus 6,407 or 10,127 active permits. Surely at any one time there are X number of active permits regardless of term? Quoting numbers with term limits, extensions and waivers merely muddies the waters more, or is that the intent?
Figures lie and liars figure…..
It is interesting that Ms. Wilson pulled together these statistics so quickly.
Why is it if she has these sorts of statistics readily at hand that they are not regularly published for the public to view and completely appreciate the true work permit situation? Why must we wait for the Chamber to publish a report based upon old data before new data becomes available?
Ms. Wilson should take charge and see to it that full monthly or at least quarterly statistics on all active and non-active work permit numbers in distinct granularity are published for all to see. Especially considering she has shown that such statistics are readily available.
Completely agree. When the govt issues stats, which is infrequent, it’s always in a murky, unclear way that is very difficult to understand. They often change the way things are ‘defined’ to enhance numbers, so it becomes difficult or impossible to compare one year to another. This is deliberate, of course. I wish they would regularly issue consistent and understandable stats about employment, crime, education results, the economy, tourism.
Just seems odd to me that every other oganization has it all wrong all the time….
LOL
Especially the Chamber of Commerce! If I am going to believe anyone it would be a group of financially and economically minded individuals. Let’s look at it plainly, without the Chamber of Commerce, there would be no international business in Bermuda. So if they are concerned we should listen!? Yet the government seems to think its ok to mislead the public. I wonder in 30 years time if this place is a jobless hell hole with nothing to offer, what the PLP voters will say? I guess they will be happy as there will be no expats and probably not too many white people around to blame their own plight on!
Lol all you guys have to do is go to the the Department of Immigration and ASK for it! It is open to the public! Hey Bermyman, if you wanted to get more cheap labour to your business or get a tax break, would you lie? just a question CJ?
“There are actually more active work permits that have not expired.” What does that mean?!?! It reminds of that famous quote that ends with “baffle them with bullsh*t”.
What I find interesting is that suddenly we have a labour Gov’t promoting the fact that we have 636 more expatriates here than in 2007. Strange times.
Boy, it is scary at how much the government is trying to hide just how bad it is. They are going to GREAT lengths to not create panic. What does that tell me? Things are much worse than they appear to be.
All you have to do is look at the number of apartments for rent in the paper to know that the number of expats in Bermuda has dramatically reduced over the last couple of years! Agree with Peter – the Government is trying to baffle with BS.
It appears that she has obtained a copy of Paula Cox’s handbook on releasing statements to the public.
First chapter deals with how to baffle with meaningless wordy waffle.
“The Work Permits Section of the Department of Immigration can report that 3,500 valid work permit holders have not terminated their work permits.” This relates to the same ufigures the Chamber released. So what was with all the back peddling. It this comment is just a knee-jerk reaction. Once again information was released, more information released in an attempt to confuse the general public. Both sourcees of information saying the samething.
This little tidbit of “There were in fact 636 more expatriate workers in Bermuda in 2010 than there were in 2007″ should be a shock as this is contray to the so called vision of less work permits.
We may have more work permits now than in 2007 but not the ones that count. Most of the work permit holders now are cooks and servers who send all their money back home. The ones who now do not have work permits are the big execs that spend all their money in Bermuda entertaining and living high on the hog. Which work permit holder would you rather have here??
Exactly!
I am a supporter of clear, clean information being available. And while I have publicly on this venue been a staunch supporter of the Minister, I have to admit she fluffled this time. Use plain easy english deciphering the info for the benefit of us taxpayers – exactly what we want to know?
How many active work permits were there outstanding in 2007?
How many active work permits are there today?
Certainly the DOI has a handle on the resource requirements of its workload. In the private sector, if volumes /demands decrease by 30%,then the people required to support it goes down 30%. Thats the bigger issue. To go further, how many work permits were outstanding in 2005, 2006, 2007 etc so that we can determine our own trend lines and the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the Government’s Bermudianization and industry’s training policies.
if the DOI wants to break down how many are spousal permits? how many are exempts for key? after the key question of how many is addressed, then fine. But this verbage she gives us is useless and is of great disservice. Shame Shame Minister.
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see that there are clearly less professionally paid workers in Bermuda than in 2007. We as landlords, business owners etc, have a right to know to what extent.
I would like to see which sectors those 3500 permits come from. If it’s mainly construction jobs, well should be expected.
With 54 sq miles and how many large scale projects did the construction industry expect to have??? I mean seriously, they should have expected that there was no way in hell that the construction industry could or even should have expected to sustain the business it had in the 10+ years.
If majority of work permits were from internation business well we all know about the recession and shareholders are the ones who make the decisions on who or what should be cut.
Thankful Brown for pointing that out!
54 square miles ? ? We wish !
The Department of Immigration is HARD AT WORK helping to keep EX-PAT’S
here and working! Please stop by, ONLY EX-PAT’S PLEASE APPLY