------ The Department of Immigration has 35 staff. They deal with work permits, passports, applications for Bermudian status, land acquisitions and visas.

------ The Department of Immigration processes 10,000 passports and travel documents every year.

------ Every week the Department of Immigration handles between 400 and 500 work permits.

------ On any given day a third of the department's staff spend 60 percent of their time on work permits alone.

------ At least 30 percent of work permit applications are not completed correctly by those applying.

------ At any one time the department has 2,000 active work permit applications in process.

------ For every two work permit holders there are one and a half dependents.

------ The Department of Immigration has more complaints about work permits than any other part of the department.

BUSINESS BUC