Critical decision makers and specialists whose jobs can’t be filled by Bermudians will be among those eligible to apply for a 10-year work permit, according to new Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Patrice Minors.Ms Minors was delivering a speech on immigration at the Bermuda Employer’s Council ‘Lunch and Learn’ session yesterday which was attended by about 70 people at which Government’s technical officers gave an update on the restructuring of the organisation and implementation of the 10-year work permit.She said that a balance needed to be struck between work permit holders and the Bermudian workforce, retaining those guest workers who had made a significant contribution to the economy to ensure business continuity while making sure that qualified Bermudians were considered for openings which they had the proper expertise to do.“Government is actively working towards putting in place the programmes, policies and legislation which are necessary to underpin economic growth and job creation. At one level, we need to evolve how we strike a balance between work permit holders and the Bermudian workforce,” she said.“There are many experienced non-Bermudian executives in companies who do much to contribute to the Bermudian economy and have done so for years. We want to keep these individuals thoroughly involved in investing in the Bermudian economy and we do not want to disrupt the business continuity of their organisations.“On the other hand, it is our responsibility to make certain that qualified Bermudians are carefully considered for jobs that become open for which they have the necessary skills and experience.“Part of the balance is for international business to create opportunities for Bermudians. One of our roles as a Government is to make certain international companies advertise posts when a work permit reaches term. This is particularly important for those knowledge workers who are seeking employment.“The current moratorium on work permits for certain job categories has created opportunities for general-skill jobs among Bermudians. But a moratorium is not the right solution for the international business sector.“International business employers understandably want to renew work permits for people who have become integral parts of their organisations over time. Experience has shown that if our work-permit policy is too strict, we run the risk of companies moving to other jurisdictions and the ‘knock-on effect’ is that we lose jobs at all levels of the work force.“The 10-year work permit policy is an important step towards gaining the balance we need to strike with regards to work permit holders. However, the 10-year work permit should not be looked at in isolation. It should be linked to meeting certain criteria to make certain that those holding the permits are in positions that will help build the Bermudian economy.”The Minister said that based on the feedback she had received, there were ongoing concerns over the 10-year work permit and the term limit policy, including the cost and the associated criteria for obtaining a 10-year work permit and the continuance of the term limit policy generally.An attendee at the event told The Royal Gazette: “It was interesting that the Minister is thinking of allowing 10-year permits in some cases. But the cost of the 10-year permit is still a major factor.”