WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24: More than 10,000 expatriates are currently on one to five-year work permits, it was revealed this morning.

In a statement in the Senate, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Senator Kim Wilson elaborated on her statement last week when she said 6,817 people had been granted work permit waivers or extensions this year.

The extensions granted in 2010 included nine people who have been granted eight to ten-year extensions.

Last week’s statement had caused confusion over the total number of expatriate workers now on the Island.

Referring to the 6,817 figure Sen. Wilson said: “To be clear, this is not the total number of work permit holders. It is rather the number that represents those applications that have been made for exemptions or extensions or wherein the Department of Immigration has confirmation that the work permit holder is subject to term limits.

“The total number of one-to-five year work permits is 10,127.

“It should be noted that this 10,127 work permits excludes temporary and periodic work permits.”

More detail in tomorrow's Royal Gazette