The Throne Speech offered what could be a major boost for the growing number of Bermudians looking for employment.To promote job creation in the continuing recession, the Government said it will introduce amendments to the Payroll Tax Acts whereby local employers will be provided with a two-year payroll-tax exemption for new Bermudian hiring, from the actual day of hiring up to two years from the date of that day.Doug Soares, partner in employment services firm Expertise said yesterday: “The two-year tax exemption for new Bermudian hiring is a very significant win-win initiative.“Unemployed Bermudians will obviously benefit from being employed and employers who are straining financially will get a break. The taxpayer should be pleased as well. Most government proposals for job creation come at a cost to the taxpayer, but this one is budget-neutral.”Chamber of Commerce president Ronnie Viera said the tax break incentive was “most certainly a major incentive to employers”.He added: “We know from our restaurant and retail members that the payroll tax relief they have been granted for the last few years has, on its own, kept some of them open. Given the current level of unemployment anything that can be done to provide job opportunities to Bermudians, is important.”Peter Everson, head of the Chamber’s economics panel, added: “The economy is weak and recovery for the local businesses is dependent on reviving the major foreign currency earning businesses, ie [international business] and tourism. The most significant item from an economic perspective is the two-year payroll-tax exemption for local businesses hiring Bermudians.“This two-year window will encourage more Bermudian employment whilst the major policy changes feed through into increased economic activity. This should certainly help increase hiring at this time because we have seen many new businesses started in the last couple of years and for those that have gained a foothold in their market it will bring forward the time that they can afford to hire more staff.”Kieth Jensen, president of the Bermuda Employers Council said: “Tax incentives for new Bermudians hired will help spur employment depending on the burden of the rules/ bureaucracy to obtain tax relief.”The measure is part of Premier Craig Cannonier’s Jobs and Economic Turnaround Plan, aimed at putting Bermuda on the road to recovery “by restoring much needed confidence, stimulating investment, retaining jobs and creating new jobs”.He said the Government will work with the private sector “to create a more welcoming environment for both local and international business”.