The Bermuda Government may bring in different categories for different professions when it comes to setting time limits on the lengths of work permits, according to Premier Jennifer Smith.

And she insisted that the Progressive Labour Party is still listening to employers when it comes to time limits on work permits.

Ms Smith, speaking at a Press conference while attending the Risk & Insurance Management Society annual conference in San Francisco where she was asked by foreign business journalists about the PLP Government proposals regarding work permit issues on the Island, said that no decisions had yet been made on the issue.

The Premier said that it was important for the Island to have a clear policy to avoid non-Bermudian residents expecting long term residency and to stop the Island from becoming too overcrowded.

Currently there is a proposal to limit work permits issued on the Island to nine years, with exceptions proposed for high-fliers and positions, which are difficult to fill.

Ms Smith said: "The first thing is what we have done, and I have to tell you we have been in Government 17 months, and what we have done is initiating new ways of Government coming up with policy.

"We, before taking a decision, before coming to a conclusion, have circulated among our partners in the private sector draft proposals and draft proposals are just that, it is `what do you think?', and after we discuss it and hear from all sides, then we make a decision.'' She added that she wanted to make it clear that the Government had not made a decision yet about what it was going to do, but that Labour and Immigration Minister Paula Cox was working on the policy at the moment.

Premier faces the Press at RIMS She said: "Secondly what we have heard, in terms of international business is what one would consider exceptions to the rule and what I have had to point out to people is that as a Government, when we talk about work permits we are not just talking about international business, maybe people who are not in that industry and are not aware -- we have dish washers on work permits, we have gardeners on work permits, we have carpenters on work permits, waiters, waitresses, bar tenders all kinds of people on work permits.

"And quite frankly some of the people in the construction industry and in the hotel industry have said in our case we only need a year, a year renewable. In other cases people say to us, well it makes no sense to us if they don't come out on say a five-year (contract), from the very first.

"So those are categories, and you may look at how the Minister will come up with incorporating the kinds of things that she is hearing back. She may decide to do categories, you never know.