Record unemployment has prompted a surge in the number of complaints filed on the confidential Immigration Hotline where alleged work permit violations top the list.The vast majority of the complaints centres around guest workers working without a work permit or working outside the confines of their permit.The Immigration Department employs three inspectors on a compliance team with of 11-members. Home Affairs Minister Michael Fahy believes the planned clampdown will ultimately be self-policed.“When you have a few fines at $5,000 a pop I think people will be less inclined to cheat the system; especially when you’re going to have to sign a declaration,” said Sen Fahy.“Offenders will be filling in documentation that says ‘I declare this to be true’, and it will have to be signed by an officer of the company.“Can you imagine a CEO being hauled in to answer for this in court? they’re not going to want to do that.“They’re going to pay more attention to the recruitment process because there is a penalty attached to it. I’m not going to need as many investigations because it should be self-policing to that extent.”Legislation making work permit violations a ticketable offence will be introduced during this session.“It should be passed this session before November and it looks like we’re going to be having some sessions in September,” said Sen Fahy.Meanwhile, the Immigration Board meets once a week to hear appeals that range from permanent residency issues to sham marriages.“We get couples who have filed complaints against each other but I don’t see sham marriages as the big issue that it was made out to be a number of years ago,” said Sen Fahy.“Work permit violations are the biggest complaint by Bermudians who believe they have lost an opportunity claiming that they worked hard for the position.“A lot of times Bermudians won’t complain because they feel like they will be blacklisted. They believe that their name will get out there and that they complained that this company hired this guest worker.”He stressed that complaints are anonymous. “If you don’t want your name attached to it then don’t attach your name, it will still be investigated.“We will initiate an investigation based on a complaint, certainly if it appears to be legitimate. Sometimes we get reams of information.”There’s also the perception held by employers that the Minister is the “big, bad Immigration guy”.But Sen Fahy stressed that the main objective is to tighten up to enforce the rules, but more importantly, to make sure the rules are actually followed.“For too long they’ve been ignored, people have been allowed to get away with a lot of things because the economy was doing so well. But at the same time Immigration is not going to fix everything either.”The new Government promised 2,000 jobs in their first five years. The Opposition has driven home the point that for those struggling with unemployment today five years is a long time away.“It’s is silly to say that we can do everything in six months. But 2,000 jobs don’t fall off a tree in six months especially when we have to rebuild industry and encourage businesses to stay,” said the Minister.“Frankly with the hundreds of business people and others who have come in and out of this board room over the last six months, and the stories that I hear; I’m amazed that there’s any business left because of the way in which the previous administration treated them and ignored their concerns.”He cited the case of one businessman of a company which makes a large contribution to Bermuda through charitable donations.Sen Fahy explained the businessman was told “absolutely no” for a permit for guest worker to fill a high level position and was also told: “By the way, you’re not getting your nanny’s permit either. Most people would’ve picked up their toys and said we’re leaving. That’s three or four more unemployed Bermudians.“It’s all the knock on effects of these decisions, you cannot treat job makers that way. These people are here creating jobs, they create wealth in Bermuda.“I’m not going to say they’re all the nicest people in the world, they may not be. But they’re still here in our country providing us with employment.”On his watch he said the tone has changed under the new administration.“When I hear that we’re being accused of intolerance by the Opposition it’s absurd, I find it annoying because it makes no sense. We’re in this mess because of where we are because of them,” he said.Streamlining the work permit policy will make it less cumbersome in his view. But he stressed that “the training element in that policy so that Bermudians are given opportunities”.“If you mess around and cheat, guess what, there’s going to be a big penalty. This is no different from what goes on anywhere else. Cayman Islands will imprison people for work permit violations, and the UK allows for it; we’re not proposing that.“We’re in a very precarious position here. You can’t catch them all, but we catch some,” said Sen Fahy.“We get hundreds of calls on the hotline now, I would say the economic downturn has something to do with that.”The hotline number is 296-5202 which is backed up by Online Hotline Tips at www.gov.bm.