Almost half of all guest workers with six-year work permits expiring this year will be expected to leave Bermuda during 2007.

The work permit rule became law in 2001 and will see the first batch of six-year work permit limits expire from April 1.

A waiver has been given to 28 percent of work permit holders allowing them to stay as they are judged to be "key" employees, while a further 19 percent are being given extensions to stay for between one and three years extra.

Labour and Immigration Minister Derrick Burgess said Government would "walk its talk" by assessing the 800 work permit holders employed within the civil service and Government to ensure the policy is applied equally and fairly.

He has also given a clearer picture of how waivers and extensions will be applied and what companies and occupations are now deemed eligible.

The six-year work permit limit was set in motion in April 2001 and reaches its first 'cut-off' point on April 1 when those guest workers who have been in residence for the full six years and do not qualify for any of the exemptions or extensions will be told time is up.

However those "six yearers" holding work permits that expire at a date beyond April 1 can remain until their permit is exhausted, be that April, August or December, Mr. Burgess explained to MPs in the House of Assembly.

And he said it had been surprising to find that less than half of the 1,900 employers sent waiver application forms last February to register key employees had returned them.

Mr. Burgess said it was regrettable the planned term limit announcement, to have been at the end of December last year, had been delayed because of a heavy workload at the Department of Immigration caused by unexpected changes to documentation proof requirements of Bermudian residents wishing to enter the US.

"It is now the Ministry's expectation that letters providing the results of applications for term limit waivers or extensions will reach employers before the end of the month," said Mr. Burgess.

"There will be no mass exodus of work permits holders in 2007. While current figures will vary somewhat once all the applications are reviewed, once we include the work permit holder who have been approved for a waiver and those who are exempt, it is not expected the percentages will vary significantly from where we are now."

Giving details of waivers and extensions to the six-year rule, Mr. Burgess said: "We are prepared to consider an extension of one or two years where small and medium sized company demonstrate they require more time in which to replace employees who are leaving within the year."

Key employees who will be eligible for a waiver include; actuaries, butchers, chartered accountants, registered nurses, senior catastrophe and finite insurance/reinsurance modelling analysts and top executive officers of companies. Within large, internationally owned hotels the positions of managing director, general manager, director of operations, chefs de partie and higher and a number of other posts are also in the 'key' employee range.

Medical positions that appear on the UK's "skills shortage list" are also listed as key in Bermuda.

Occupations that will be eligible for term extensions of between one to three years include teachers and trainers, managers and assistant managers, architects, surveyors and engineers, news reporters, and certain IT positions.

Mr. Burgess points out that even where extensions to work permits can apply, employees will still be required to fulfil the requirements of proving that there is not a willing and qualified Bermudian seeking the position before they renew a guest worker's permit.

He added: "Government continues to work with local employer organisations, including the Association of Bermuda Insurance Companies, Bermuda Employers Council, Hotel Employers of Bermuda and others as it addresses and assesses the impact of the term limits policy and seeks to resolve challenges.

"As Minister I stand ready to meet with any individual employer who remains convinced that the implication of the term limits policy will have a disastrous effect upon his or her business."