The Bermuda government has released the presentation made to the public concerning the policy and progress of its comprehensive immigration reform programme
Following the public meeting on comprehensive immigration reform that was held on September 26, the Bermuda government has now released its presentation on the issue.
It was noted that immigration reform is an important step and there was a need to balance the legitimate expectations of Bermudians with the legitimate needs of businesses. It was also acknowledged that successive governments had previously attempted unsuccessfully to bring about immigration reform in Bermuda, an indicator of its complexity and sensitivity. The current government had however pledged to implement comprehensive immigration reform in its Speech from the Throne last year and was working to do so. The government’s policy is being implemented in four phases as follows:
- Clearing the backlog of work permit applications
- Identifying and implementing process improvements
- Policy and legislative reform including regularising the issues surrounding mixed-status families
- Implementation
The issue of mixed status families – where one or more parents has Bermudian Status or holds a Permanent Resident’s Certificate but their children or spouse do not – formed the main part of the presentation.
The report can be read in its entirety here.
