All work permit holders have now signed a declaration acknowledging that they are not entitled to permanent residency on the Island.

The document was introduced by Government last year after it controversially axed maximum term limit policies brought in by the previous administration.

Under the Progressive Labour Party’s term limit policy, guest workers could only be employed on the Island for a maximum of six years — reducing the likelihood of guest workers staying for lengthy periods and eventually being granted permanent residency status. The declaration policy was introduced by the One Bermuda Alliance to allay fears of a potential surge in permanent residency applications from guest workers who can now remain employed in Bermuda indefinitely.

The declaration forms were sent out to employers early last year and all 6,782 work permit holders were required to sign the declaration by the end of April 2013.

However, by the end of last May, less than two thirds of guest workers — just 4,186 — had signed up, prompting claims by the Opposition that the document was being disregarded and therefore served no purpose.

But, Government has now confirmed that all work permit holders on the Island have submitted a signed declaration — and that any new guest workers will not be granted a work permit unless their application is supported by a declaration.

“The number of submitted and outstanding declarations has equalised since May 2013,” a Ministry of Immigration spokesman said.

“In other words, the 2,596 declarations that were outstanding 15 months ago, have all been submitted. The requirement to sign the declaration is enforced in that all work permit applications to the Department of Immigration must include a signed declaration for the employee in question.”