Govt Clears Work Permit Application Backlog
The Department of Immigration [DOI] advised “that following the cyber-attack on September 20, 2023, the backlog of work permit applications awaiting decisions has been addressed.”
A Government spokesperson said, “Despite the DOI team being unable to access the systems required to validate essential information, they continued manually processing work permits as much as possible. During this period, it became abundantly clear that the team spent a significant amount of time vetting applications and engaging in frequent dialogue with employers because employment contracts or statements of employment did not include the new minimum hourly wage of $16.40.
“The Employment [Minimum Hourly Wage] Order 2023, which took effect on June 1, 2023, affects all workers, including persons employed in hospitality, domestic, and similar job categories.
“In addition to weekly/bi-weekly, monthly or annual salaries, employers must indicate the hourly wage in all employment contracts and statements of employment.
“Employers will also recall the advisory to submit updated, amended employment contracts for current work permit holders and for work permit applications approved before June 1, 2023, or currently being processed and yet to be issued by July 30, 2023. Work permit holders must have updated and amended employment contracts or statements of employment to avoid automatic refusal when submitting new and renewal work permit applications, even if including the new minimum hourly wage rate in the latest applications.
“Employers are encouraged to meet these requirements to avoid the automatic refusal of applications.”
How about general status inquiries that were submitted the end of June?
Government Insurance must be Backlogged as well. Claims put in during September have still not been paid. Wonder how long the Backlog is? When money is owed to Government, oh they want their money immediately or within 30 days. Transparency and justice leave much to be desired. Oh the Times…..September, October, November, December, January 2024 , and the WAITING GOES ON!!
Then there are the Passport Debacles too! Wonder how many months to renew now? ????
None of the issues at the Department of Immigration are new.
Even in the 20th century, a work permit could take months to renew.
In the 21st century, an application by a spouse of a Bermudian for Bermuda status takes years to be considered.
On the passport front, it takes about 30 days to renew a British Passport but about 9 months to renew a Bermuda Passport (I have renewed both of mine recently).
People walking around in Govt departments with a piece of paper trying to look good. Pathetic
The work permit backlog has definitely not been ‘cleared’.
The Dept of Immigration should simply state that if you apply and get no answer within 3 weeks, you can consider your permit approved.
If the ‘backlog is cleared’, that would be no problem at all, presumably.
“The Dept of Immigration should simply state that if you apply and get no answer within 3 weeks, you can consider your permit approved.”
Such a policy would amount to automatic approval of every application.
It would certainly call their bluff on the implausible idea that the work permit backlog is “cleared”.