Dialogue Begins On Bermuda's Work Permit Term Limit Issue

by Amanda Banks, Tax-News.com, London

14 August 2003

Bermudian business leaders met with the new Home Affairs Minister Randolph Horton this week for what they hope will be the start of a series of meetings tackling the unpopular work permit term rules, which have placed a six year limit on the residency of foreign employees.

According to the Royal Gazette, Charles Gosling, president of the Chamber of Commerce, described the meeting as productive, although he emphasised that at this early stage it was more of an introductory meeting. Mr Gosling revealed that he is hopeful that they will meet again in September.

"There is a lot of terminology in the policy that still has to be properly defined and I think we are seeing a slightly different interpretation on how the policy is actually going to be put into practise, so, yes, I think there is considerable point to us meeting," Gosling told the Gazette.

He added: "It's early days yet, but I think Mr. Horton made it perfectly clear in his press statement that Government did not want to do anything that was going to turn businesses away from Bermuda, whether they be old or new businesses."

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