Working in Bermuda

Thinking of doing business in Bermuda? Here are a few things you'll need to know:

Employees

Bermuda is committed to providing essentials such as housing and jobs first to Bermudians. Because of this, non-Bermudians are discouraged from coming to the island to look for work. In fact, the Immigration Department forbids this.

Still, Bermudians alone can't meet Bermuda's demand for skilled workers, especially for nurses, actuaries, CPAs, insurance brokers and underwriters and IT technicians; and non-Bermudians can apply for work from their home countries through Bermuda newspaper advertisements. Some employment agencies will also work to place non-Bermudians in jobs suited to their skills.

For overseas companies working in Bermuda, an array of staffing services can provide temporary or permanent help. Bermuda Executive Services Limited, for example, specialises in offering skilled professional staff and administrative assistance to Bermuda's various businesses. They can also provide meeting and boardroom venues. (296-5627, info@bes.bm). BMI Relocation provides relocation services to companies and individuals, offering personalised service to ensure an easy transition. BMI offers clients solid advice on living and working in Bermuda. (295-1155, srowlinson@ibl.bm)

Businesspeople looking for audiovisual equipment and technical support can turn to Electronic Services Ltd. (295-3885, www.electronicservices.bm), which has been providing support to local hotels and offices on the island for 30 years and is conversant with the needs and requirements of large overseas companies and meeting planners. The firm provides technical support and equipment to major hotels, small properties and corporate offices in Bermuda.

Getting a Work Permit

Once the Immigration Department has agreed to its satisfaction that a non-Bermudian needs to be hired for a given position, it will grant a work permit for anywhere between one and six years.

Immigration maintains a list of work categories that are closed to non-Bermudians:

• Airline Ground Agent
• Floor Supervisor
• General Labourer
• Office Receptionist
• Painter
• Salesperson (unless it's seasonal work in tourist retail)
• Taxi-Driver
• Wallpaper Technician

There's also a list of restricted jobs. Should no Bermudian be found who is suitable for the position, a work permit will be granted for a maximum of 12 months. After the year, if no Bermudians are yet forthcoming, a worker can reapply for another 12 months.

• Bank Teller (no more than 10 percent of the bank's workforce can be foreign)
• Carpet Installer
• Commercial Cleaner
• Construction Tradesmen
• Entertainer/Musician
• Fisherman
• Photographer (journalists, specialty photographers of food, architecture, etc., and photographers working for overseas clients are eligible)
• Travel Agent (one Bermudian trainee for every non-Bermudian travel agent; within three months, the trainee must be hired.)

Six months is the limit that a visitor can spend in Bermuda without leaving and re-entering, and temporary work permits for three months each are available to accommodate seasonal workers.

Self-employment by non-Bermudians is discouraged by Immigration, and fees for temporary work permits, of which there are numerous types, are considerable. These fees range from $36 for a tutor permit that allows no more than nine hours per week of work, to a temporary three-month permit for $293; a standard one-year permit is $587; five years, $2,935. Even entertainers are required to pay for permits.

Bermuda Works

Whether seeking a few months' work as a seaside bartender, or several years as the president of an offshore mutual fund company, visitors to Bermuda will find their island business experience to be an unforgettable one.

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