Global Entrepreneur Work Permit

A Global Entrepreneur Work Permit is used by business service companies who have a business relationship with global investors who wish to domicile a company in Bermuda.

To qualify for a Global Entrepreneur Work Permit, the work activities should include business planning, seeking appropriate Government or regulatory approval(s). The global investor must meet compliance or financial requirements or demonstrate proof of the ability to raise capital.

Global Entrepreneurs must provide a letter of application to the Department justifying the request together with a letter from a Bermudian or Bermuda business services company verifying the intent of the applicant and a completed Global Entrepreneur Work Permit Application Form. The Minister will grant a permit provided he is satisfied that the applicant is a bona fide investor or businessperson that is likely to domicile a company in Bermuda. Advertising is not required for such permits.

3.2 Global Entrepreneur Work Permit Purpose and Specifications A Global Entrepreneur Work Permit is used by business service companies who have a business relationship with global investors who wish to domicile a company in Bermuda. <<< BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS 22 Eligibility To qualify for a Global Entrepreneur Work Permit, the work activities should include business planning, seeking appropriate Government or regulatory approval(s). The global investor must meet compliance or financial requirements or demonstrate proof of the ability to raise capital. Application Process Global Entrepreneurs must provide a letter of application to the Department justifying the request together with a letter from a Bermudian or Bermuda business services company verifying the intent of the applicant and a completed Global Entrepreneur Work Permit Application Form. The Minister will grant a permit provided he is satisfied that the applicant is a bona fide investor or businessperson that is likely to domicile a company in Bermuda. Advertising is not required for such permits. 3.3 Standard Work Permit

Section 71A of the Act empowers the Chief Immigration Officer to impose civil penalties of up to $10,000 on employers who abuse immigration policy. For example, violation of any part of section 4.1 of this Policy may result in civil penalties being imposed and/or a restriction on future employment. Civil penalties can be incurred if a person continues to work after their work permit has expired, and without specific permission from the Minister of Economy and Labour to do so. Civil penalties can also be incurred if a person works outside of the scope allowed in their work permit. The most common complaints

5.0 SPONSORED DEPENDENTS Many employees who are granted permission to reside and work in Bermuda wish for their spouse (married in accordance with Bermuda law), partner, fiancé and/or child(ren) to accompany them. The purpose of this section of the Policy is to specify the qualifications and conditions surrounding sponsored dependents. A sponsored dependent is limited to the following: ▶ spouse of a PRC holder or work permit holder (married or in a Domestic Partnership in accordance with Bermuda law); ▶ partner of a Bermudian, PRC holder or work permit holder (see the detailed guidelines on the Department of Immigration website: https://www.gov.bm/partner-genuine-and-subsisting-relationships); or ▶ child(ren) and legally adopted children, stepchildren, or other dependents for which a belonger, PRC holder or work permit holder is a legal guardian. For this section, the term ‘work permit’ means a New Business Permit or Standard Work Permit. For this section, children under eighteen (18) years of age are generally classified as dependents of their parents. In cases where the children are attending a college or university full-time, the children continue to be classified as dependents, on an annual basis, up to the age of twenty-five (25) years. Proof of full-time education must be provided. Dependent children, on attaining eighteen (18) years of age, who are not attending a college or university and who wish to reside in Bermuda, require permission in their own right to do so. Also, dependent children whose courses are online are not permitted to seek employment or work in Bermuda without the Minister’s permission. There may also be special circumstances in addition to the above where children are permitted to be treated as dependents for a longer duration or on an ongoing basis (such as a child is unable, for medical or other exceptional reasons, to live independently) subject to the express permission of the Minister. Proof (i.e. an official letter from the medical practitioner) must be submitted to support the exceptional circumstances. For the avoidance of doubt, parents and other relatives are not sponsored dependents nor are they taken into consideration when assessing ‘household base income’ (see Table 5.1). They must apply for a separate permission to reside and have an independent means of income. 5.1 Sponsored Dependents Residing and Working in Bermuda Spouses and Children Upon application, a spouse who is a sponsored dependent of the work permit holder may be given permission to reside with the work permit holder and seek employment. Proof of medical coverage is required. An application for permission for a spouse to reside and seek employment must include evidence that the work permit holder has a base salary of $60,000 per annum. <<< BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS 32 Spouse refers to marriages and domestic partnerships recognized by Bermuda law. The work permit holder and spouse of the work permit holder with one child constitutes a 1 dependent household, with two children it is a 2 dependent household, etc. Partners and Children Upon application, an unmarried partner who is a sponsored dependent of the work permit holder may be given permission to reside with the work permit holder and seek employment in Bermuda provided that the sponsor submits proof of financial support in the form of a base income of $60,000 to support him/herself and the partner. Proof is a bank reference and evidence of medical coverage. The Department reserves the right to require further proof if required to assess the ability of the sponsor to support the sponsored dependent(s). The work permit holder with a partner constitutes a household of 1 dependent; with one dependent child included, that is a household of 2 dependents. For section 5 and for the avoidance of doubt, please note that sponsored dependent children are only given permission to reside, not to seek employment. Applications for permission to reside and seek employment in Bermuda with an unmarried partner and children who are sponsored dependent(s) of a work permit holder must include evidence that the following total base remuneration thresholds will be met. Table 5.1 Household Base Salary Demographic Profile Remuneration 1 dependent household $60,000 per annum 2 dependent household $100,000 per annum 3 dependent household $125,000 per annum 4+ dependent household $150,000 per annum Note: Base salary does not include housing allowance, bonuses, gratuities, utilities, phone allowance, school fees, transportation, overtime, part-time employment, etc. Upon making application, however, the Minister may waive the minimum remuneration requirement for dependent partners and children. Should the sponsored dependents’ status change in any way the work permit holder must advise the Department of the change. Failure to do so could result in the primary work permit holder’s permit being revoked. <<< BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS 33 5.2 Entry / Re-entry Permit