Thank you, Minister Furbert and good day to members of the media and the general public.
It is no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on economies worldwide, and Bermuda is no exception. The 32,427 total filled jobs are at the lowest levels recorded since 1985. Our current economic downturn has disproportionately impacted young workers and service workers.
Despite these challenges, the Bermuda Government has remained steadfast in its commitment to supporting Bermuda’s workers. We will continue to implement strategic and effective policy solutions that will address the challenges many Bermudians face as a result of the pandemic.
Social Protections
The Ministry of Labour continues to provide social protections through the Financial Assistance program and the Supplementary Unemployment Benefit program, designed for persons who have been displaced from the workforce due to the pandemic.
The Financial Assistance program provides funding for basic necessities such as housing, food, and healthcare. In comparison, the Supplemental Unemployment Benefit is an income replacement of $1520 plus health insurance for persons who do not qualify for Financial Assistance but require financial support.
Individuals can access the Supplementary Unemployment Benefit applications on the Government portal or collected from the Department of Financial Assistance, located on the first floor of Global House, 43 Church Street, Hamilton.
National Reemployment Strategy
In response to the economic crisis, the Ministry of Labour unveiled the National Reemployment Strategy in September 2020, designed to get Bermudians across multiple job sectors back to work. The overarching objectives of this strategy are threefold: to reduce current unemployment, prevent future unemployment, and facilitate the ease of finding employment.
In order to meet these objectives, the strategy focuses on:
- Enhancing the supply of labour; and
- Building a more robust workforce through information, training and education
Today, I am pleased to provide an update on the work executed thus far by the Department of Workforce Development in supporting Bermudians in their endeavours to secure employment.
As of the 30th of September, exactly 12 months since the launch of Phase 1:
- Over seven hundred and fifty (750) persons have participated in various face-to-face, online, on-the-job, virtual learning, webinars, internships, apprenticeships and trainee programmes.
- Approximately eighty (80) individuals have received part-time or full-time employment due to these training initiatives.
- The number of unemployed Bermudians receiving employment opportunities through the Department of Workforce Development's Bermuda Job Board referral process continues to grow and now numbers seven hundred and fifty-seven (757).
Since the implementation of Phase 2, we have been working towards maintaining the initiatives launched in Phase 1 while also increasing the number of employed Bermudians. The strategy of training, reskilling, and utilizing the transferable skills of unemployed Bermudians has remained our core focus. It will better equip the pool of unemployed persons to take advantage of opportunities in specific restricted and closed categories in the job market. These industry-driven initiatives will continue to focus on connecting training with employment opportunities in high demand occupations required now and into the future.
We all owe our thanks to the team at the Department of Workforce Development who continue to implement the following initiatives:
- Economic Stimulus Programme Jobs Initiative;
- Industry-Driven Network Partnerships;
- Training and Development Programmes;
- Employer and Industry Engagement; and
- Youth Development and Employment Initiatives.
I can report that through our ongoing appeals to those who are unemployed, the number of Bermudians registered on the Bermuda Job Board has increased. As of September 30, the number stood at four hundred and forty-four, an increase of over 174 since the last update in June 2021.
The Department will continue to follow a three-step process with all persons registered, which includes:
- Complete assessments;
- Referring suitable candidates to employers for potential employment opportunities; and
- Providing the support needed, such as résumé development, interview skills, and coaching, to assist candidates in achieving their employment goals.
Immigration Policy
Please note that the Ministry’s Department of Immigration will be extending the occupational categories that are included under the current list of Closed Category jobs per Section 3.6 of the currently published Work Permit Policy for an additional three (3) months through to January 31st, 2022 with the exception of residential and commercial cleaners which will be moved from the Closed list and placed on the Restricted list.
The partner of a Bermudian, Permanent Resident Certificate holder, Non-Bermudian on a work permit, or other legal residents of Bermuda will generally be allowed to reside in Bermuda but not to seek employment until further advised by the Ministry of Labour.
Through our National Economic Recovery Plan, the Government will take decisive action to restore consumer and business confidence and stimulate our economy, creating a clear path to growth and employment. A robust economy with an increase in jobs is a vital component to getting Bermudians back to work. To that end, the Ministry will continue working toward implementing its policy objectives in alignment with the National Economic Recovery Plan.
Thank you.
At this time, we welcome questions from the media.