I don’t think the Immigration works the way you sees it.

You’re saying that hiring a Bermudian can be off the book. It will not happen if a Bermudian in the first place won’t allow it. You agreed to be off the book because you wanted big take home cash and not even thinking of it’s consequences.

You also mentioned about the insurance not being submitted accurately or not at all. I think you need education on this.

For social insurance, you can check your contributions online.

For health insurance, call your provider.

I have watch “Poverty in Paradise” and appreciate it. But believe it or not, Poverty in the Philippine is a lot worse than that.

Stop hating work permit holders just because Bermuda and her people are struggling.

Bermuda is in it’s current state because of the natural phenomena called change.

Expats are not the sole reason of Bermuda’s unemployment.

Bermudians do not need to say “Go home expats” and leave locals alone to fix their homeland.

We came here not just because we wanted to. We are here because Bermuda needed us. We were called and we responded.

If not because of us do you think most Bermudians would value what they have?

Competition is good if the competitors are friendly.

People are just not interested into certain things that’s why they don’t do it.

and most of time forced to do something just to have some money.

They are not lazy.

Are you sure about this? There is no such position here in Bermuda that is just for expats.

Bermuda is hiring expats because the position requires expertise.

Before a work permit is grandted, the Immigration gets a chance to study it thouroughly.

Those who are working for the Department of Immigration are experts in their fields. If the employer does not present enough evidence that they cannot find any suitable local for the position, do you think the Immigration will grant work permits?

The actual fact is that since August 2010, the Immigration has not been renewing any work permit.

It’s been almost five months now since the moratorium was announced.

I am not against what Bermuda Government is trying to do to help out her citizen. Any country would do the same.

75 work permits are already gone. I have read a lot of comments here saying they had been applying for work and yet could not find one. Some are even saying that they are qualified not just because they are Bermudian.

Government should have a moratorium for employers.

I would like to encourage all Bermudian applicants who had tried hard enough and yet did not get the position left by the work permit holder to publish the names of the companies.

How come some company owners say no locals applied to them, that the local they hired only showed up on the first day of work, that locals are on the phone most of the day. And here you are..

Let’s help the immigration find the culprints of this problem. It’s not just one (the work-permit holders), it’s a group of greedy and politically incorrect minds.

@Keeping it unreal: Filipinos who had left the island had been very polite and greatful to Bermuda. They had doubts in their minds. They had questios in their minds. But they just accepted the decision of the Immigration and left the island some with tears, some with smiles but most of them are looking forward to working in Bermuda again..

1. No messing around with immigration, works permits, as well as the costs for a work permit
2. The ability to hold onto a valued member of staff who may have taken many years to train, as well as any cost associated with any training.

Unfortunately stereo types such as yourselves mean that workers from other counties such as the Philippines have to be brought in to do the work of 2/3 lazy Bermudians. If it was not for these people from the Philippines cooking your food, washing your dishes, and doing the work that you think is way above you, you would not have the quality of life that you have in Bermuda, regardless of you not having a job. We need to be grateful that such people from the Philippines choose to come to Bermuda and put up with ignorance from people such as you, who obviously have not idea on what makes the economy tick.

When a job is advertised in the paper it is usually/generally only to satisfy the immigration requirement of three days and if a qualified local does apply often the response, if there is any, is that they have decided not to fill the position at this time. A lot of legitimate jobs do not get applied to due to locals thinking it is just for a permit (post in the ad that it is not). Another approach is that a general advert is placed for a particular field and all interested locals apply and then a few weeks later another advert is placed with very exact qualifications which just happen to be one step beyond any of the locals in the field who had previously applied. Just watch the trends. Another good trick they pull is to straight out lie and say no locals applied and when you ask they say they must have lost your application.

Personally I have applied and been told by employers that the position was for a permit and if they did not get the permit for the person they wanted they would not be hiring anyone anyway, so not to bother. And yes this has been reported to Immigration and I hope it helped to finally bring about some action.

No disrespect to Filipinos anywhere, I have worked alongside many of your countrymen (and enjoyed singing Karaoke with them) and also many people from all over the world, but today I need a job and it is time for many people to politely leave and let us sort out the problems in this country for ourselves. When we have a surplus of jobs again please feel welcome back but understand we have to take care of our own first.

A foreigner is open to abuses and is willing to do extras in order to keep the job. A local will be looking for his holiday pay once full time, vacation and sick time after their first year and then of course redundancy pay when they are eventually let go. Not to mention the expectation that their pension, social insurance, health insurance and payroll tax portions are going to be managed properly (how many employers are guilty of transgression in that regard?). In many cases I know of permit workers are not paid holidays, have no leg to stand on if they question any illegal/substandard/inappropriate works they are asked to do by the employer. They can be sent home and replaced if they are injured or will have to continue working even if sick or injured. If there is a slowdown in work they can just be sent back home until works progress to a point they are needed again which helps out a lot when a local would be looking to be continuously employed. Often they are brought here and offered one rate and once they arrive it changes and the employer also wants to make extra deductions for things like housing which were not expected or as promised. A lot of people come here and turn right back around once they see the situation but then there are those who are willing to shut up and do as they are told, right or wrong, it is the truth. I have personally had to repair faulty works done by some of these workers who I know personally and they knew better but were told by the employer to do the work that way, they have a choice of a flight or to do it. When it is found faulty they will be gone anyway. There are many many reasons why it is beneficial for an employer to hire foreign labour which is why we are in the situation we are in. Locals are not asking for unreasonable rates, they cannot be expected to work for 1980′s rates nowadays. Everything has gone up but employers are constantly trying to lower the rates for us locals.

The majority of jobs held by ex-pats in the IT field are high specialized and something that a college grads is years away from being able to do. Do you think that a CIO would let you loose on his core network infrastructure just because you have been at school for a few years. Your inexperience could cost the company millions when you mess up, which you will when do as you learn the industry which takes many years.

Also for the record some of the past IT people I know how no education and have the desire and hunger to learn themselves. The so called book smart ones are often the ones which are the best dressed, and have a huge ego to go with it, and no very little about the industry.

Yup, another really smart PLP policy.

Filipinos pay rent

Filipinos pay foods

Filipinos pay bus pass

Filipinos buy gas

and who doesn’t here in Bermuda..

ganja mon, there is nothing free here for expats..

AND MOST OF ALL….

FILIPINOS KNOW HOW TO PAY RESPECT..

how could you say foreigners dont spend their money here..

by the way, do you spend your money here? MAYBE NOT ALL because you spend your mother or granny’s money..

The habit of proof reading what is written would help too.

where did you apply?

I think it will be helpful if you will mention the name of the company you tried to work with.

Because I am happy and proud that I was given a chance to share my abilities to all Bermudians.

I am devastated due to the current situation here in Bermuda, but I don’t blame anybody. I still don’t have my own house in the Philippines, my sisters are still studying, my parents rely on me. Days or weeks from now, I will be sent home. And I don’t have any idea how am I going to start my life there again.

We are brothers and sisters no matter what color or race we belong.

Minister Wilson, I may not be satisfied yet with my earnings but I am very appreciative for what Bermuda has given me.

Since the Government is brave enough to say that 75 work permits had not been renewed, and probably they’re all back home. They are even saying that it could swell up 150.

Minister Wilson, I hope that the previous positions that these 75 work-permit holders use to have is well occupied.

I hope that these 75 Bermudians are now happy and feel secured.

I hope that their Employers are happy and secured as well.

I hope that this 75 work permits had made a change.

Because the 75 post-work permit holders had already made a big shift in their lives.

“Our construction industry is so crippled that currently there is no reason you can give me to have a non-Bermudian here at the moment, if you don’t have enough people then it just might take a little longer, especially if companies continue to take advantage of the situation and offer Skilled Tradesmen (Masons, Carpenters, Mechanics and Plumbers) hourly rates like $20-$25 or less.”

Here’s a reality check for you from the Cayman Islands….count your blessings!

A/C Technician – 5 years experience 8.00-12.00 per hour
Carpenters – 5 years experience, own tools 8.00-12.00 per hour
Masons – 5 years experience, own tols 8.00-12.00 per hour
Mechanic – 10 years experience 10.00-12.00 per hour
Tiler – 5 years experience 10.00-14.00 per hour

Take a wild guess how many work permit holders hold the above jobs because it’s just “beneath” a Caymanian’s dignity to work for this little. They have the same unemployment situation as Bermuda and whine constantly about all the foreigners taking their jobs. I think both Caymanians and Bermudians need to get over themselves and lose the sense of entitlement. Just because you were born a “local” doesn’t mean you automatically deserve the big bucks.

Smart man(or woman)

I calls it like I sees it Lol

If you all read the the article, you will see that the types of jobs these people did were cleaning, cooking, landscaping etc. All of which a Bermudian WILL NOT DO, or will not do as well as they did. I actually prefer going somewhere and dealing with a filipino or indian versus a Bermudian, because guess what? They don’t give you attitudes, dirty looks or act ignorant.

Such a stupid choice not to renew their permits. Just another nail in Bermudas coffin

@ Ganja mon

You’re a moron. That is all.

want proof , check with department of social insurance and immigration, to the amount of comapnies (cleaning) companies that are delequent on paying for their staff insurance foreign and Bermudian.

b) straight pay is acceptable, but are you one of the cleaning companies that does not pay holiday pay or time and half during a holiday.

The era of Bermudians having all they want due to entitlement is over – nice while it lasted – gone forever.