The Minister of National Security, the Hon. Wayne M. Caines, JP, MP, is once again sharing the ways that people can inform the Department of Immigration about foreign nationals who are working in Bermuda illegally.
The public will recall that earlier this year Minister Caines outlined the process in reporting immigration breaches. The Minister explained that there is a Compliance Section of the Department of Immigration which is responsible for the following:
- Inspecting and investigating potential breaches against Immigration law, regulations and policy; this includes general, civil penalty investigations, and overstays;
- Enforcing work permit conditions/restrictions;
- Maintaining control/monitoring Bermuda’s borders or points of entry; this includes processing passengers for landing;
- Managing the Bermuda stop list;
- Monitoring visitor extensions;
- Managing deportations and friendly escorts; and
- Addressing ‘Wanted Persons’
Since 2017, complaints received are as follows:
- 2017 – 150 complaints received
- 2018 – 126 complaints received
- 2019 – To-date the department has received 128 complaints (of this number there are 81 general investigations in train and 47 civil penalties in train)
Minister Caines notes that there are five ways to report an immigration complaint.
- By making an anonymous phone call to the Department of Immigration Tip Line at 296-5202
- Accessing the Department of Immigration Investigation Request Portal at https://www.doiapps.gov.bm/immigrationtips/.
- Sending an email outlining details of the breach to Immigrationcomplaints@gov.bm;
- Visiting the Department of Immigration to speak in person with a Compliance Inspector; or
- Sending a letter addressed to the Department of Immigration, First Floor Government Administration Building, 30 Parliament Street, Hamilton Bermuda outlining in detail the breach.
Minister Caines said today, “We appreciate the sensitivity surrounding the reporting of individuals who are in breach of our immigration laws. We also appreciate that many residents may be uncomfortable with the reporting process. I can assure the community that calling into our immigration hotline is a completely anonymous process. The Department of Immigration relies solely on information provided from the public to enable them to investigate potential breaches and there are several ways to do so. Every effort has been made to make this process as convenient, and unobtrusive as possible.
“We cannot stress enough the need for the public’s involvement in this process. We are asking all residents, if you know of an individual or company in violation of an immigration law, please report it. We also want to take this opportunity to remind both Bermudians and foreign nationals here illegally that there is zero tolerance for this type of behaviour. Persons found engaging in such activity will be prosecuted as these are serious offences which we will not ignore.”
