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<h1 class="gmail-post-title gmail-single"><a href="http://bernews.com/2018/10/feedback-deadline-extended-english-policy/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Deadline Extended For English Policy Feedback">Deadline Extended For English Policy Feedback</a></h1><div class="gmail-meta gmail-single"><span class="gmail-meta-date"> October 16, 2018 </span><span class="gmail-meta-comments"> | <a href="http://bernews.com/2018/10/feedback-deadline-extended-english-policy/#comments" rel="bookmark" title="Comments for Deadline Extended For English Policy Feedback">13 Comments</a> </span></div><p><a rel="slb_group[805245] slb slb_internal" href="http://cloudfront.bernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Word-Art-english-policy-eer.jpeg"><img class="gmail-alignleft gmail-size-medium gmail-wp-image-805253" alt="Word Art english policy eer" src="http://cloudfront.bernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Word-Art-english-policy-eer-280x278.jpeg" width="250" height="249"></a>The deadline for feedback on the proposed English Speaking Work Permit Policy has been extended until October 19th.</p><p>Back <a href="http://bernews.com/2018/10/english-speaking-policy-under-consideration/">on October 3rd,</a>
Minister of Home Affairs Walton Brown said, “The English Speaking Work
Permit Policy is in circulation to key stakeholders for consultative
purposes; the deadline for feedback is October 12, 2018. Depending on
the extent of the feedback, I expect that this Policy will be
implemented by October 19, 2018.”</p><p>The Ministry has confirmed that
the Policy will not come into effect on October 19th, as the deadline
for feedback/comments was extended to October 19, and the Ministry will
have to consider the feedback first.</p><p>The Minister previously
explained that Policy “seeks to ensure that foreign nationals hired by
employers to work in serving positions – whether it’s in a restaurant, a
hotel or a rest home – can communicate effectively in English.”</p><p>Noting
that it is dangerous to have a non-English speaker employed in a job
where one has to read prescriptions or the labels of dangerous
chemicals, the Minister said “It is for those reasons that the
Department of Immigration is seeking to put into effect the English
Speaking Work Permit Policy.”</p><p>“The job categories that are being
targeted by the new policy are those in industries where the job holder
interacts with the public or in jobs where lives could be threatened if
the person cannot speak or read English, namely:</p><ul><li>[a]
Restaurant/Food Service and Hotel Workers: such as cleaner/houseman;
room attendant; pot washer; cook/chef; waiter; food and beverage server;
maitre’d; kitchen porter; counter person; counter chef;</li><li>[b]
Health Professionals, including but not exclusive of: physician;
pharmacist; nurse; nursing aide; physiotherapist; occupational
therapist; radiological technician; social worker; and</li><li>[c]
Caregivers in Nursing Jobs: nursemaid/nanny/child caregiver; caregivers
of geriatric employers and patients in nursing homes.</li></ul><p>“For
workers from countries where English is not the first language, a
condition would be placed on the work permit under this new Policy
stating: ‘Applicant must provide evidence he or she has successfully
passed an ‘English as a Second Language’ programme.’</p><p>“The employer
would be required to show evidence that the applicant has successfully
passed an ‘English as Second Language’ programme by submitting the
document with the work permit application.</p><p>“Under this Policy, the
Department of Immigration would investigate complaints from members of
the general public that work permit holders cannot speak or understand
English. In circumstances where the individual is already working in
Bermuda and where a complaint is lodged against him/her, he/she will be
brought into the Department of Immigration and given an English language
test.</p><p>“If the test results indicate that the person is deficient
in their understanding of and/or ability to speak English [i.e. they
fail the test], the employer and employee will be advised that the
Minister is considering revoking the work permit; both parties will be
given 14 days to provide a written response as to why the Minister
should not revoke the work permit.</p><p>“If the language test results
indicate that the person is proficient in their understanding of and/or
ability to speak English [i.e. they pass the test], they will be allowed
to continue to reside and work in Bermuda for the duration of their
work permit. In this case, the Department of Immigration reserves the
right to recall the work permit holder for re-testing at any time</p>
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone: (215) 898-7475<br>Fax: (215) 573-2138 <br><br>Email: <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a> <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div></div>