First preference for local professionals

Work permit policies in Bermuda are strictly enforced and centre around the requirement to check whether there is a suitably qualified local person* interested and available to take up your job vacancy. This check needs to be carried out prior to making an application for permission to hire an expatriate.

Advertising your job vacancy

Work permit enquiries require you as an employer to conduct a public search for local talent by advertising your vacancy on the official Bermuda Job Board and the Royal Gazette newspaper:

  • Jobs advertised on the Bermuda Government Job Board need to run for eight (8) consecutive days
  • In the Royal Gazette, your position must be advertised on at least three (3) occasions over a period of eight (8) days

Your job advert needs to explain the position’s duties and clearly specify the required qualifications and experience so that the suitability of local and expat applicants can be properly assessed and conclusions appropriately explained.

Each advert must include the following details:

  • The title of the job being filled
  • A brief job description. An advert may be judged invalid if it contains a job description that appears to be tailor-made to fit a particular existing or potential work permit holder
  • The minimum standards of qualification and relevant experience
  • The name, telephone number and mailing address of the employer
  • Notice of the deadline for application

Assessing the response to your advert

An employer who applies to employ a foreign national in a role for which there was local interest has to give clear, satisfactory reasons for not employing local applicants:

  • It’s worth clarifying that the Department of Immigration cannot force you to hire a local worker; it can only prevent the hiring of an expat by refusing to award a work permit
  • After the advert has finished its run, you must satisfy Immigration that you have informed all unsuccessful locals of the outcome of their applications, prior to the submission of a work permit application for an expat

Applying for a work permit

  • Any work permit application for an expat worker must be submitted within three (3) months of the date on which the position was last advertised in either the newspaper or the Job Board
  • The employer of the work permit holder who signs the application documentation is responsible for its contents and this responsibility cannot be delegated. Therefore, you need to be sure that you carefully check that all information on the visa application has been properly provided
  • Processing times can vary but it often takes 4-8 weeks for a regular work permit to be approved, once the entire application package has been submitted. There are provisions for faster processing options (e.g. Short Term or New Business permits)
  • At the time of writing, the government fee for processing a standard 2-year work permit is US$2,295
  • Your firm may be asked to participate in initiatives led by the National Training Board to boost the number of Bermudians employed in job categories where there are currently high numbers of expats. Generally, employers who employ more than five (5) work permit holders may be invited to participate in such initiatives

*i.e. Bermudians, Spouses of Bermudians and Permanent Residency Certificate (PRC) holders

The above information has been provided for guidance purposes only. Employers who are interested in hiring staff to work in Bermuda should take independent legal and other advice as may be necessary.

Read the ICAEW economia magazine interview with our founder, together with the premier of Bermuda and the CEO of Deloitte’s Caribbean & Bermuda region, in their country profile on Bermuda.

— Download our Recruitment Solution for Bermuda Start-ups PDF —

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