Two months after the amendments were passed in the House of Assembly, the business community has given mixed reviews to last July's changes to the Immigration Act.

Several business and labour concerns made their opinions known at Tuesday night's panel discussion on the amendments, which made it easier for foreign spouses and children who were born on the Island to non-Bermudian parents to gain status.

Among the organisations that have endorsed the changes is the Bermuda Employers' Council, a 320-member advisory body that represents the interests of employers in business and labour matters.

"We think it's a positive move,'' executive director Mr. Malcolm Dixon told The Royal Gazette yesterday. "No doubt the changes will be improved on as they're looked at and refined. But we endorse the general thrust of it.'' On Tuesday, BEC representative Mrs. Debby Graham was more specific.

"We support the amendments because when we talk to qualified Bermudians who are working overseas about coming home they always ask: `What about my spouse? I will not come home unless he or she is guaranteed status.' "(The changes),'' she added, "will ensure that those people will be able to come home and contribute to Bermuda.'' Also in support of the changes to the Act is the Bermuda Human Resources Association, which was represented on Tuesday by president Mrs. Gail Henderson.

Less than enthusiastic, however, is the newly-formed Bermuda chapter of Professional Secretaries International, which expressed concern that the granting of work permits to more foreigners will displace Bermudian office workers.

"Will this compound the frustrations of Bermudian secretaries?'' PSI vice-president Mrs. Leleath Bailey asked of Home Affairs Minister the Hon.

Irving Pearman.

"Will this make the situation worse for those who are already passed over in favour of `administrative assistants'?'' Mrs. Bailey, whose organisation was founded in July, proposed that the Government adopt a "three-tier'' system of handing out permits, with the order of priority being Bermudians, non-Bermudian spouses and foreigners.

She said the PSI chapter would gladly assist in the implementation of such a system.

But Mr. Pearman, who spoke at the forum with Shadow Home Affairs Minister Mr.

Alex Scott, made no commitments, saying "the only change is that spouses of Bermudians have been put on an equal footing with Bermudians.'' He also pointed out that the number of work permits provided to foreigners dropped from more than 10,000 in the early 1980s to just over 5,000 now, with only a "minimal'' amount given out between July of 1993 and July of this year.

MR. MALCOLM DIXON: Employers council "approves the thrust.''