A Minister has scotched fears Bermuda will suffer a ?mass exodus? of foreign workers in 2007.said that although new six-year work permit time limits kicked in from April 1 next year, this would not spark a stampede of workers jetting back overseas, as some critics claim.

He told a budget debate in the House of Assembly that he had listened to the business community, including both international and local companies, and had agreed a list of ?key? job categories that would be exempt from the six-year ruling. These have included CEOs, chefs and accountants.

Regulations passed in April 2001 brought in six-year limits for many categories of jobs, although the policy allowed companies to apply for three-year extensions where compelling reasons were proved. The Minister has said that time limits would not apply to ?key workers?. He stated that the ?vast majority? of guest workers would not fall into that category, although it would be ?irresponsible? to apply time limits indiscriminately.

Recent figures show that there were 9,865 permit holders in Bermuda last year, compared to 5,863 in 1993.

Mr. Horton told the House on Wednesday that critics seemed to think that the restrictions would have a damaging impact on international business.

But he said Government had managed the economy successfully for the last eight years and would do nothing to ?jeopardise? business. He said a balance had to be struck between the expectations of Bermudians and emerging needs of the business community.

In February, nearly 2,000 letters were sent to companies by the Department of Immigration outlining the policy and waiver rules for key workers. And he said results have been ?immediate?, with responses flowing in over the last few weeks.

Nine seminars answering questions on the work permit policy will be held over the next three weeks.

Mr. Horton said that recent trends have shown that 75 percent of work permit holders leave the Island within seven years, with 50 percent leaving earlier, after three-and-a-half years.

Despite these figures he said the policy was needed. ?Bermuda cannot continue to sustain even another 1,000 work permit holders and their families every seven years who have an expectation that they will be allowed to remain in Bermuda indefinitely and that they will one day appeal to the Government to give them and their children permanent residence.?

Mr. Horton said that before 2003 work permit holders were allowed to bring families to Bermuda, placing a strain on an already overheated housing market.

He said this process has been ?curtailed significantly?, and the fact that many families who arrived in 2001 and earlier would be leaving in 2007 would help free up family homes for Bermudians.

He said a new cross-ministry, multi-agency workforce strategy would assess gaps in the labour market and help Bermudians meet the country?s employment needs.

The National Workforce Development Strategy would help ease the reliance on work permit holders, added the Minister.

In response, Shadow Home Affairs Minister said he had been told that some work permit holders were sitting on walls. He said the country did not need to import people to maintain this tradition and added: ?If you are not Bermudian and you are sitting on a wall you better have a pretty good reason or you will be heading back home fast.?

And he said Government should be serving notice to foreigners dabbling in the drugs trade that they will be pursued with the same amount of vigour as Bermudians. Mr. Burgess also hit out at ?sham marriages?, when people tie the knot to stay in the country to avoid being sent home.

He said the high number of work permits meant that foreign families were moving into areas, such as Parsons Road and Friswell Road, that Bermudians ?used to be able to call home?.

He said it was no wonder Bermudians were ?feeling the squeeze? and a sense of alienation was increasing.

Mr. Burgess, who said that Bermudians and non-Bermudians needed to mix more socially, added: ?We need them (Bermudians) to feel a part of Bermuda or they are going to tear it down for all of us.?

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