COMPANIES who employ guest workers will be invited next week to make applications for "key employees" to be considered for a waiver of the six-year time limit on work permits.

The Government introduced the time limit in April 2001 and guest workers who have been on the island since then and are still here by April next year ? apart from the those in the professions that are exempt ? will be the first to see their time limit expire.

Assistant Chief Immigration Officer Rozy Azhar said yesterday that her department would be sending out a letter to all companies with employees on work permits, aiming to respond to concerns arising in the business community.

Ms Azhar added the Government had introduced the term limits to ensure there was "no glass ceiling to stymie Bermudians from reaching their full potential".

Labour & Home Affairs Minister Randy Horton was well aware of concerns and questions about the imminent permit time limits raised by businesses, Ms Azhar said. "In fact, the Minister and the Department of Immigration have been meeting with the organisations which represent the business community to discuss ways of implementing this policy while minimising any negative impact to businesses and to our economy," she added.

"Next week, all employers who employ persons on work permits will receive a letter from the Department of Immigration reminding them of the impending date of implementation of the term limits and inviting them to make application for a waiver of term limits for their key employees. I am certain that the letter will answer many of the questions raised.

"We are also working with the representative organisations to schedule seminars during the month of March to answer any questions that employers may have."

We gave Ms Azhar an example of a guest worker applying for a one-year permit in May this year ? 11 months before the time limits kick in ? and asked her what sort of permit, if any, could be granted.

"Although the implementation date is April 1, 2007, it is not intended that all work permits of employees subject to term limits will expire on April 1," Ms Azhar responded.

"In your example, if an employer applies for a work permit in May to expire in May, then the work permit would expire when it is supposed to ? in May.

"In addition, it is important to remember that, of those persons who are subject to term limits, only those persons who were resident continuously in Bermuda from prior to April 2001, or whose initial work permit was issued from April 1 to December 31, 2001 and have been here continuously for six years from April 1 to December 31, 2007 will be affected by the term limits in 2007 when their work permits expire.

"The Government introduced terms limits as a result of their commitment to Bermudians in 2001 that while we addressed the issues of long-term residents by giving status and permanent residence to those residents that arrived in Bermuda prior to August 1, 1989, and remained in Bermuda up to this time, we would not be creating any further long-term residents.

"The Government is also committed to providing opportunities to Bermudians and ensuring that no glass ceilings are created to stymie Bermudians from reaching their full potential."