Less than two thirds of guest workers have signed a declaration acknowledging that they are not entitled to permanent residency on the Island — more than two months after the deadline to submit the document passed.According to Minister Michael Dunkley, Government’s spokesman for Home Affairs in the House of Assembly, 4,186 declarations have been received from 6,782 non-Bermudian work-permit holders currently resident in Bermuda.Mr Dunkley was responding to questions submitted by Shadow Home Affairs Minister Walter Roban. In his response yesterday, Mr Dunkley said: “At April 1, 2013, there were 6,782 persons on active standard work permits. All of those work permit holders were required to sign the declaration by April 30, 2013.“As at May 31, 2013, a total of 4,186 declarations have been received by the Department of Immigration. Please note however that the June numbers have not been finalised and therefore this number is now higher.“As at May 31, 2013, a total of 2,596 declarations remained outstanding. This number has now decreased in accordance with June submissions.”A declaration to be signed by work permit holders was introduced by Government after it controversially axed term limit policies brought in by the last administration, claiming that they deterred businesses from setting up on the Island.Under the term limit policy, guest workers could only be employed on the Island for a maximum of six years — reducing the likelihood of foreigners staying for a lengthy period and eventually being granted permanent residency status. The declaration policy was introduced to allay fears of a potential surge in permanent residency applications from guest workers who can now remain employed in Bermuda indefinitely.Last night Mr Roban said the figures were disappointing and demonstrated that Home Affairs Minister had misjudged the policy’s effectiveness.“I wouldn’t go as far as to call it a total failure, but it certainly hasn’t worked out as well as the Minister was boisterously claiming it would be a few months ago,” Mr Roban told The Royal Gazette.“This was one of the major planks in the OBA’s immigration policy. It was also meant to be a safety net, closing the door on the possible rights of guest workers to stay here beyond the terms of their work permits. This was meant to solve that question but obviously the outcome hasn’t been as smooth as one would have hoped. The jury might still be out, but I certainly wouldn’t call it a success.”Mr Roban said that the declaration policy was pointless if so many guest workers chose to ignore it, and he questioned how it could be enforced. Earlier this week The Royal Gazette reported on a surge in the number of complaints filed on the confidential Immigration Hotline, with alleged work permit violations at the top the list.“The Minister appears to be relying a lot on fines and penalties, but some companies might regard these as just another billing expense,” he said.“Furthermore, the Minister has failed to provide any legal assurances that the declaration is legally tight. The question that needs to be asked is, what is the Minister prepared to do next to make sure that these declarations are signed?”Mr Roban also questioned Government’s justification for scrapping the term limit rule, saying there was no evidence to suggest that jobs were now being created.“We were told that term limits had to go because businesses were leaving, but what we’re seeing now is more and more Bermudians still losing their jobs,” he said.“There are so many dark areas and, so far, it doesn’t appear to have played out as successfully as Government was originally trumpeting. That’s why the Progressive Labour Party doesn’t have much confidence in Government decisions.”