Government plans to draft new work permit policies by the end of July.Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Patrice Minors said on Friday the document would be the culmination of a review process that started in February.Ms Minors told MPs in the House of Assembly that the deadline for submissions on the terms of reference was the end of Friday.“As soon as the terms of reference are finalised, work will begin immediately on drafting the 2012 Work Permit Policies,” Ms Minors said.“For those who may speculate, Mr Speaker, of course, this phase will include stakeholder consultation, but we will not delay, as I have instituted an aggressive timeline and expect to have a 2012 Work Permit Policies document in my hand by the end of July.”Ms Minors said permit processing had been sped up. Work permit applications submitted with all the proper documentation were now consistently being turned around within four weeks, compared to an average of ten weeks before February.The modernised work permit policies would seek to retain jobs in Bermuda, stimulate job creation, provide greater regulatory flexibility and provide opportunities for Bermudians to achieve their career aspirations, she added.Existing work permit policy “was designed to ensure that Bermudians who have the required skills are employed; and to ensure that the need for properly skilled employees to help run Bermuda’s sophisticated and multi-faceted economy are met”, Ms Minors said. She added: “The policy acknowledges that, at times, the two needs are seen as competing goals.”Ms Minors added that she had spoken with a group of unemployed Bermudian professionals about their experiences looking for work and competing with work permit holders.“In the eyes of such unemployed Bermudian business professionals and the HR specialists, it was important that the Work Permit Unit, and in essence the Government, be seen to be standing up for Bermudians and creating a fair playing field regarding employment opportunities,” the Minister said.Terms of reference had been sent for comment to business groups including the Association of Bermuda International Companies, the Association of Bermuda Insurers and Reinsurers, the Bermuda Employers Council, the Bermuda Hotel Association and the Bermuda Human Resource Association, as well as the Trade Union Congress.