Restaurateurs have called for the Government to suspend the English test requirement for new work permit applicants.

Hospitality and construction leaders say the test is hampering their efforts to bring in much needed workers.

They claim the test goes far beyond the level of English understanding required by many workers to do their jobs, and that the impact on recruitment is prolonging a labour shortage likely to become more severe with the reopening of the Fairmont Southampton.

The issue has been aired in talks between the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce and Jason Hayward, the Minister of Economy and Labour. The ministry has encouraged employers to come forward with any concerns.

The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) was introduced last November in the updated work permit policy on the grounds that incoming workers should have “a working knowledge of the English language to ensure that they can perform their work duties in a safe manner”.

Phil Barnett, president of Island Restaurant Group, said fellow restaurateurs had shared with him that the English test was proving problematic, in terms of both recruiting and securing work permits for needed staff.

He said the TOEFL test was designed for people from countries where English was not the first language to attend universities in English-speaking countries, where they would have to conduct their studies in English.

“This is therefore a very high burden of competency and far beyond the requirements that our industry has for our staff to speak and understand basic English to properly service customers,” Mr Barnett said.

“To be clear, the restaurant industry is aligned with the intent as we are an English-speaking country. It is incredibly important that our guests can be clearly and effectively understood and communicated with, and that the customer orders and requests are properly received and processed.

“As it stands however, the cure is likely to kill the patient.”

With the unemployment rate estimated at 1.4 per cent, there are concerns that bars and restaurants could lose staff, as the Fairmont Southampton seeks to fill as many as 700 roles.

Marico Thomas, president of the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce, said last November that companies would be “picking each other’s pockets” to survive if the island did not prepare for the strain on the labour market.

The Chamber of Commerce raised the recruiting problems linked to the English test with Mr Hayward at a recent hospitality round table, Mr Barnett said.

“The minister, to his credit, listened carefully, and shared some of the reasoning behind why the policy came into effect in the first place,” Mr Barnett added.

“The minister also detailed that should the employer feel the employee’s command of English was sufficient, that the refusal of the work permit could be appealed.

“While this is indeed helpful, the added difficulty in now recruiting workers who have a tertiary education level command of English — not to mention the considerable cost in taking the test — is causing significant and immediate recruiting issues at a critical time.

“The restaurant industry therefore calls for an immediate pause on that component of the work permit policy and requests we work collaboratively with ministry officials to come up with a workable solution.”

He added: “Our industry, especially for front-facing staffing positions, must have reasonably competent English speakers who can listen, understand, and reply in our country’s official language.”

The construction workforce too has come under strain. With ongoing work on major projects including the Fairmont Southampton, Brookfield Place and Luscar Place, and more in the pipeline, such as the redevelopment of Elbow Beach and increased government investment in housing, contractors have healthy order books.

Alex DeCouto, president of Greymane Construction and co-chairman of the Chamber of Commerce construction division, said the number of locals working in construction was falling, and that the industry had to import about 30 per cent of its labour.

The construction and quarrying sector provided 2,163 jobs in 2024, according to government employment statistics.

“The TOEFL test that Immigration is requiring is a $200 test that takes over two hours to do and tests proficiency in reading, writing, speaking and listening — it is akin to secondary level English,” Mr DeCouto said.

“For many of our blue-collar workers from places like the Azores, South America or Asia, this test requirement is way over the top.

“Our ability to source workers has been getting more and more restricted, and this is an incredibly burdensome hurdle. This is completely unfair to our blue-collar staff who frequently do not have a lot of formal or academic training, but that does not diminish their utility on the job site.”

A spokesman for the Ministry of Economy and Labour told The Royal Gazette: “The Ministry of Economy and Labour recognises that some employers have questions about the application of English language proficiency requirements.

“These standards support workplace safety and effective communication, while also helping to maintain service and employment standards across Bermuda’s labour market.

“The ministry understands that operational realities vary by industry and role and welcomes direct engagement with employer groups and industry associations.

“To that end, we encourage them to share their experiences and concerns with the ministry. Ongoing dialogue helps ensure policies remain practical, fair, and responsive to Bermuda’s economic needs.”