A senior figure in the Isle of Man's trade union movement is warning changes to the work permit rules could undermine efforts to ensure the Manx economy grows in 2010.
New regulations which will relax the requirement for off-Island workers to obtain a work permit, come into force on New Year's Day.
They include extending the period for which a permit is not required from three working days a year to ten.
The DTI says the changes will make the Isle of Man more attractive to employers.
But former president of the Trades Council Bernard Moffatt fears they will have a negative impact on local employment opportunities, and the morale of workers:
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