After one year in Bermuda I realized that I have two options to keep my sanity: leave the island or change job.

The cloudiness of the entire work permit system is keeping me from doing what any normal person in any normal country would do: look for another job and then resign. Money is not enough, the job is boring and respect has never happened.

There are plenty of jobs but I cannot interview because I am "owned" by the company I work for. Owned because if the company can control what I can do, then the company owns me.

But really, what can I do to change job? Is there anything I can do? Am I (and all those like me) so hopeless and do I have to accept all the non-sense and everyday bullying?

Either this way or leaving the island?

Is this paradise turning into prison?

Any suggestions or past experiences are highly appreciated!

If the objective is to keep your sanity, I'm thinking you have only one of those two options.

With that in mind, you don't really have a downside to trying to find a better job there.  If you don't find one, or if your current employer won't release you, you will be able to leave the Island.  If you keep the perspective that leaving is a good thing, it turns the experience from being so negative into something you once again feel a sense of control over.

Some, perhaps most, employers are going to be petty and put in that complaint to immigration which effectively seals your fate.  Thanks to the Internet and a little PR genius they don't get to do it with impunity now.  You get to have the last say right here.

Chin up, friend.  I know it can get very frustrating there, but don't let the 21 square miles of land make you think there aren't better places to be.  Let me assure you, the world is waiting and new opportunity unfolds for you when you say goodbye.   

Enjoyed our stay in Bermuda

Knowing what we know now, going back in time, we still would've gone

But now that we've left.......

There's NO PLACE like home, dorothy eat your heart out. 

CC