breaking immigration laws will be just a phone call away next month.

Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Paula Cox said last night the initiative was a vital plank in the PLP's election campaign.

"In the next few weeks the equipment will be tested and chosen so the hotline should be available in April,'' she said. "The hotline will provide openness and fairness and allow those who feel intimidated to complain.'' But she said malicious complaints would be looked into to prevent misuse of the service.

The Budget allocated $3.3 million to cover running costs of the Immigration department which is expected to raise $15.7 million, mostly through land acquisition and work permit fees.

Ms Cox said in the first 100 days of PLP reign the work permit process had been streamlined by cuts in paper-work.

A new computerised process would be fully online next month making the turnaround time of each application even shorter but she stressed that did not mean vetting procedures were more relaxed.

Shadow Minister Michael Dunkley -- a former Immigration Board member -- said the number of work permits issued was the same since the change of Government which suggested the PLP had a similar approach to the UBP.

He commended the Department's computerisation but said a system was needed to track work permits as they expired, along with penalties for late renewals and cooperation between Immigration and the Government Employment Office.