Plans To Improve Immigration Customer Service

September 19, 2018

In looking at ways to improve customer service and application processing times at the Department of Immigration, the Minister of Home Affairs Walton Brown has been working with department staff to “create both short-term and medium-term plans.”

“In order to address outstanding applications and bring them up to date, a short-term solution will require the swift return of incomplete applications to applicants and a reorganization of the file room to ensure that files are immediately available. Additionally, the Department is actively recruiting to fill two vacant positions, as a matter of urgency,” the Ministry said.

“In July, the Corporate Services Section collectively addressed the accumulation of applications by spreading the backlog across all members of the team. The department expects to carry out similar backlog project in October.

“In the medium term, the department will be reorganized to include seasonal staff who will assist in both the Personal Services Section and the Corporate Services Section, as well as the introduction of more senior officers to help clear the backlog.

“Currently, the department has contracted an IT firm regarding the introduction of electronic ‘smart forms’ for applications, which will cut down the turnaround and processing times; as well as the introduction of a document management system to eliminate the ‘bulky’ files.”

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Comments (23)

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  1. Ringmaster says:

    Sounds promising, but was the IT contract put out to tender? It would be good to know when and the cost – in the name of transparency.

    • IT RFP? says:

      RFP? Are you kidding. I work in IT and its been some time since the company that I work for has been requested to submit an RFP for anything IT related in government. However, when I visited both of my children’s schools it was obvious that there were lots of new computers and other equipment. I’ve asked friends at other local IT companies to see if they were invited to bid. Neither company was. So where are the RFPs, who is being asked to bid, and where is the public announcement. The transparency? hah.

      • Donations says:

        Simple, it’s called donations a la America’s cup. Fact. Next question

      • sandgrownan says:

        Friends and family my friend. Friends and family.

      • Drama says:

        Aww sounds like you need to throw your rattle out of your pram? If your “company” was so good you would have the contract! Whine, whine, whine!

  2. Gustav says:

    Simple Solution: refuse all Applications
    No Backlog anymore
    All grassroot bermudians will Be happy

  3. Great news.
    Removing those who do not belong in Bermuda will be a priority. Not one Bermudian, can go to Canada, United States and establish a work permit, treat those in that country in trashy and racist ways.
    Bermudians, stand up for your own Bermuda.
    Processing will happen faster. Fairness for all working Bermudians will be a priority. Just like for foreigners who are here, in their countries, they are their own priority!!
    Good news!!

    • LaV says:

      “Removing those who do not belong in Bermuda will be a priority. ”

      Good riddance FORWARD…do you need help packing?

  4. Bermy says:

    Will they also be offering customer service training for their staff too? Because most of them are nasty, act like they are doing you a favor or something.

    Both there and at the Post Offices.

    These people act like they HATE their jobs.

    Please don’t talk about shortage of staff as an excuse either. Some people really aren’t cut out to handle customers. They seem to be employable candidates at BDA government.

    • Yup says:

      Agreed. Let talk about the airport. I hate traveling back from a nice vacation and getting grilled like I’m not supposed to leave the country. After 2or 3or 7hrs flying here you gotta be greeted by miserable people with badges, some. The later the flight the worse. I find American customs leaving better.
      Better yet take out the human aspect and let us scan our passport and just have one or two agents behind a screen controlling and access gate like at Gatwick.

    • sandgrownan says:

      Dept. of Imm. are not protecting Bermudians, they actually put them at risk. Delays and capricious decisions are driving business away. The tone, of course, is set by the Government.

  5. That's Entertainment! says:

    Bermuda Immigration and Customer Service. The first time in history those words have been joined in the same sentence.

  6. Me says:

    They all need to be taught how to smile maybe have smiley face posters everywhere to teach them how

    • Drama says:

      Aww just because someone does not say “good morning” or “smiles” is an impact to your miserable life? Get real and get a life!

      • Real Deal says:

        Bermuda is his life and saying good morning/and or smiles is Bermuda.

        this is cultural practices and it is what sets us apart from the rest of the world. and reminds people that they are in Bermuda

      • Karen says:

        When it comes to customer service YES a Good Morning or Afternoon WITH a smile makes the biggest difference and if you were or are Bermudian YOU would know that. So you go get a life.

  7. Justasuggestion says:

    Lets be honest, how many times have you been in the que arriving back and some in the que gets pulled aside and fastracked without even the checking of a landing card. Friends and family bull crap. That said. No bag was checked. Was there undeclared duty? Drugs? Gun?
    Immigration here has got so lazy of late. Only in last 6months was a person allowed to fly out of BDA without the correct legal docs. It was when they landed in Toronto, immigration and customs there noticed that BDA officials failed in their duty. The sense of pride and integrity has been lost with the old timers. Fresh faces needed

    • Drama says:

      It is not “Bermuda officials” who failed dummy! It is the agent for the airline who is supposed to match your passport at check in to your Canadian visa application! Don’t blame someone who has nothing to do with that process!

  8. Real Deal says:

    for some reason i thought this was about the Customer officers are the airport.

    i had an idea to fix their doom and gloom attitudes using layers.

  9. Question says:

    They make renewing and picking up your passport as miserable as possible. Training won’t make any difference.

  10. campervan says:

    Bermuda Immigration. Standing strong for Cayman and Halifax.
    Hows your health insurance?

  11. HHMM…
    Canada for Canadians..Trump for “his own”, Bermuda for Bermudians FIRST. Let’s be FAIR here.
    Yessss… the application process looking at Bermudians first.

  12. Karen says:

    By improve Immigration customer service, you mean get rid of the staff and put people in place that WANT to help people?????