We wish to express our shock, then anger and finally disappointment with your recent decision to increase work permit fees to their new level.

For those who do not know as yet, as of April 28, 2008, the new work permit fees are as such; the application fee went from J$1,000.00 to J$14,400.00 (this is a non-refundable application fee), and for the actual permit, a one-year permit went from J$40,000.00 to J$108,000.00 (this has to be paid yearly, as well as the application fee). So to work in Jamaica for one year costs J$122,000.00 plus roughly 20% of any earnings for combined taxes. We are both university- educated professionals in our fields, highly experienced, in our forties and we came to Jamaica out of love for the country and its beauty, and the people. We came with the intention of becoming citizens, citizens who pay their taxes, contribute to the economy, and who want to use our skills and training to the betterment of Jamaica.

We have been doing this now for a year, we paid our taxes, we have contributed to the economy through our purchases, charity, and voluntary time; and my expertise in the field of Social Work has benefited not only many university students (lecturer), but if I continue with my current plans, would benefit thousands of Jamaicans through social intervention and job creation through increased job opportunities for the increasing number of social work graduates that have few current job opportunities in the field. To this end I have opened a social service consulting company that is tax compliant and currently considering taking on two Jamaican partners (degreed professionals).

My wife who is a tenured chemical engineer specialising in environmental engineering, who has not been able to find work in her field, has filled a much-needed position as a pre-trained graduate teacher at a local secondary school teaching Math, Physics, and possibly Chemistry. She has really made a difference. At the core of our discontent is the short-sighted nature of such changes. There seems to be no consideration for those individuals who are not attempting to steal jobs from Jamaicans, who are not exploiting labour costs, and who are compliant with all applicable Jamaican laws. Where are the exemptions, the thoughtfulness? To us, this change is a punishment and to Jamaicans it is a deprivation of exposure to our knowledge and character and the possibility of future opportunity.

We are fully aware of the need for a protectionist stance in regards to the issuance of work permits, we read the papers, and talk with our neighbours and friends (some work in the Labour and Tax offices). We agree that in labour oriented positions or entry level positions yes there needs to be assurances that a Jamaican should have the first opportunity for that job; however, the nature of the current policies only serves to alienate those of us who are abiding by the law. We came from a country that has sold the worker down the river so to speak, with heavy exploitation of the foreign worker, moving jobs to cheaper labour markets, and legislating on the side of business. They also created a racial divide through the implementation of affirmative action and mandatory minority (race, gender, and size based) contracting, a great idea in fairness, but the implementation was faulty. For a concrete example let's look at my wife's salary and the costs to obtain such. For a pre-trained graduate teacher the monthly salary is roughly J$40,000.00 for a yearly salary of J$480,000.00. This number less the 20% in combined taxes (J$96,000.00) leaves a yearly salary of J$384,000.00 (in fairness there is some discount in taxes due for teachers, but at this writing I am not aware of what that is, I am trying to keep it simple).Now let's subtract the work permit fees from the salary, J$384,000.00 minus J$122,400.00 gives us an annual salary in the neighbourhood (see above) of J$262,000.00. Is this good for the economy, does this motivate or does this say if you don't like it you can go back where you came from? If we accept the inevitable arrival of the global economic model, shouldn't we be encouraging the movement of professionals to developing countries? I have followed the comments made by you honourable minister and I must admit that I detected a protectionist even isolationist tone in your remarks since taking office, and I was concerned. However I must give you credit for your plan to encourage apprenticeship where you did have expatriates working, which is positive, discouraging professionals from seeking employment in Jamaica is negative. Please, my wife and I want to fulfil our dream of becoming productive and contributory Jamaican citizens, but these changes take away our idealism and force us to make an economic decision, and at this writing we are forced to look at less costly opportunities outside of Jamaica. We want to continue to live here, won't you please help us?

David Steffan is a social worker.

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