Feedback from the public favouring protection of Bermudian staff over easier residency for guest workers has been factored into a raft of workforce proposals still under review by the Ministry of Economy and Labour.

It came after Jason Hayward, the minister, brought a position paper on “retaining the local workforce” before MPs in March, which was aimed at bolstering the island’s pool of labour in the face of declining birthrates and an ageing population.

Proposals for Bermudian and guest workers included easing restrictions on the issuing of Permanent Resident’s Certificates.

Mr Hayward told Bermuda Broadcasting last week that feedback on the document showed a greater desire for workplace protections for Bermudian staff ahead of implementing PRC changes.

However, the ministry told The Royal Gazette that the position paper, as a consultation document only, “did not include a proposed timeline for implementation”.

A spokesman added: “Any potential changes are still under review, and at this stage, no specific time frame for their implementation has been announced."

Mr Hayward announced two years ago that the island needed to boost its working population by 25 per cent, or more than 8,000 workers, over the next five years, to avert Bermuda’s rising senior population tipping the scales on its workforce and hindering economic growth.

The position paper cited the need for keeping Bermudians working on the island, along with greater protection for domestic workers, drawing Bermudian workers home from overseas and encouraging “the retention of older Bermudians in the workplace”.

It came with a series of suggestions that would make it easier for people to obtain a PRC.

Introduced in 2002, PRC holders account for little of the population. The last census, in 2016, showed 1,879 PRCs — 189 Bermudian-born and 1,688 foreign-born — out of a total population of 63,779.

The position paper proposed cutting the residency time for PRC eligibility from 20 to ten years for workers from overseas with an annual income of at least $83,000.

Additionally, the non-Bermudian parent of a Bermudian child could qualify after ten or more years instead of 15 — while residency for a guest worker deemed a job maker could be cut from ten years to five.

Several job categories were proposed to be reduced to five years’ residency to qualify for a PRC: registered nurses, chartered financial analysts, certified actuaries, computer engineers, software developers and certified accountants.

Asked about Mr Hayward’s comments on the priorities raised from consultation, the ministry said it would be “inaccurate to suggest a delay in the process” since there had been no timeline in the position paper.

A spokesman added: "The ministry can also advise that the strategy the Government has identified to increase the workforce and address Bermuda's ageing population involves boosting employment through increased participation of locals, Bermudians overseas and guest workers.

“It is important to note that individuals holding PRCs are already part of the workforce and therefore PRC holders are not included in the projected increase of 8,000 workers.

“As such, any changes to the PRC process would not directly impact achieving that workforce goal, nor would it jeopardise the timeline, as the additional workers will primarily come from other sources."