PPM brings back caregivers’ right to stay
Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly
(CNS): The current government is re-introducing the caregivers’ special immigration certificate that will exempt those looking after the sick, elderly or disabled from rollover, regardless of any failure to achieve permanent residency (PR). The certificate was originally introduced by the UDP government in 2010 to allow some domestic workers to stay in Cayman past the work permit limit because of the significant dependence some families have on the people caring for their relatives.
When the PPM made its immigration amendments in October 2013, essentially removing the rollover barrier to PR and key employee status and allowing all work-permit holders to stay long enough to apply for PR, they also removed the certificates.
Despite complaints about it from the opposition leader and others, the government justified its removal at the time based on the fact that everyone would now be allowed to apply for PR in any event.
However, the government will be bringing a bill to the Legislative Assembly when it meets next month to reintroduce the certificates.
The PPM administration has not yet made any comment about the re-introduction but it is understood that the opposition leader had filed a private member’s motion asking for its reinstatement and that the government has come under pressure from voters and supporters to bring back the protection for important carergivers.
Although anyone who has been resident on the islands for nine years or more can now apply for PR, the application is more costly and more rigorous and very few caregivers would have any chance of achieving enough points to attain permanent residency, leaving them vulnerable to immediate deportation if the PR is turned down.
The amendment bill published on the government gazette last week re-introduces five-year certificates, which can be renewed for as long as the domestic caregiver is looking after the same named person who is elderly, infirm, sick or disabled. They must have cared for the named patient for a minimum of three years before an application can be made for the certificates.
Ezzard Miller, the independent member for North Side, who supports the return of the certificates, queried why government had removed them in the first place and pointed to the failure of the PPM government to bring any more of the anticipated changes to the immigration law a year and a half after the first phase of changes.
“It’s now almost 18 months since government brought its legislative amendments to remove rollover and the term limit exemption permit holders but we have seen none of the other significant immigration amendments and reforms promised,” he said. “The caregiver certificate should never have been removed but the legislation was rushed through and ill-thought out. We were promised that part two was coming in January 2014. That’s’ over a year ago and we are still not seeing anything from the review of the law,” he added.
Government is promising significant changes, not just to the law but to the immigration system. In the most recent announcement officials revealed that government is currently looking for a private sector partner to implement an online system that will enable all immigration business to be conducted electronically and give employers, employees and job seekers unprecedented access to work-permit information.
Caymanians can’t look after their own? I thought we had unemployed?
PPM really sucks! They need to get it together. How pathetic. The people have no faith in them and clearly they have no clear vision or a plan!
I am happy, over 50 and feel the need for a 20 year old blue eyed blond of voluptuous form to care for me in my old age. Damn life is so tough!
These are the very people that will drain the Cayman social welfare system (what little there is) as there is a very good reason they didn’t get PR…namely they can’t afford the cost of living in in Cayman. Wake up Cayman or you’l be supporting an army of destitude soon-to-be-new citizens instead of your own people. I am a PR holder and if I can’t afford to live here, I will leave because that is the agreement I made with the Cayman people when they granted me PR!!!
I am curious. What social welfare services are available to someone with PR?
I’m curious as well. What social welfare services are available to someone WITHOUT Permanent Residency?
this should be extended to all caregivers on the island – introduce a category for child carers/nannys – Caymanian children are just as important as our elderly and the emotional bond between children and care givers is significant and it is traumatic if broken because someone has to leave the Islands for a year. The fee/qualifications for “nanny” could be increased and the extension be for the specific care giver working for a specific family.
Children will grow up and won’t need nannies, whereas old people will grow more older and will need more help!!
You do realise the whole point of rollover/PR is to prevent people qualifying for residence here because they have been here so long – generally viewed as 10 years – that irrespective of what PR rules we have they will have a human right case for permanent residence, right (along with their families)? And that’s why the PR system is meant to be weighted so that anyone that does qualify can afford to live here without being a burden on the government? So you are going to throw out the whole purpose of these restrictions because it might distress your child to have a change in caregiver every 9 years! Can you not form an emotional bond with your child instead of relying on a care giver to do it for you.
I love your concern about Caymanian children suffering distress when their nanny has to leave.
But if an expat has to move his children off island to a new home, new country, new schools, lost friends when he is rolled or WP removed that is ok.
Flip Flop politics..
I know of two Jamaican ladies whose old persons they were caring died last year but they are lying low out of Immigration’s radar just waiting for this provision to come into force so they can claim more time. The fault-as so often – is in the hands of Caymanians. As soon as their elderly relative passes away, they should inform Immigration. This is NOT happening.
That’s right – heave ’em off the island the day after the ol’ girl / ol’ fella croaks. They have served their purpose. The fact they worked for $1.peanut per hour whilst showing great love and devotion to your relative all those years should not count for anything in your treatment of them.
Your defensive argument is just the reason we should not be extending this certificate. Most workers will not leave, especially Jamaicans, who know Cayman is still 100 times better even if for ‘peanuts’ but since you feel that way, please do object to having them stay here in the first place because I totally agree.
Your attitude is disgusting. Keep people and use them only to throw them out the moment you are done. Nice. Is that attitude reflective of Christian values or Caymanian hospitality? If you don’t want these people here then why aren’t Caymanians looking after their own elderly?
“Keep people and use them only to throw them out the moment you are done.” – uhhh – that is exactly the basis of Cayman Immigration policy! Their work is welcome, but they are not. Don’t come the “Caymanian hospitality” or “Christian values” line when Caymanian’s routinely elect governments that employ an immigration policy designed to exclude everyone who is not either very well off or has shacked up with a Caymanian.
No one is KEPT here. They have the option to leave but it’s better than home so they have a reason to remain, obviously.
I have never understood exactly what rollover is meant to achieve. After 10 years unemployment is what it is still and many people who otherwise would be productive and long term contributors to the economy and society are sent packing. What exactly is the point? What goal is being achieved here?
Trying to prevent overpopulation, especially with poverty stricken people, like other countries.
Cayman was quick to follow the footsteps of Bermuda to introduce term limit. Why now also follow Bermuda when it got rid of the term limit a couple years ago? And Bermuda is much smaller than Cayman, yet the population is much more than Cayman, thereby fueling the economy.
You’re not Caymanian
Who said the new system is more rigorous or that an unsuccessful applicant has to leave immediately? This new PR system is actually easier for most, and even if denied, there is a guarantee of a 3 month work permit and much longer if you appeal.
exactly! It is easier and you find me one Jamaican who didn’t appeal or left after 7 years but came back after one year was up.
Another UDP initiative which PPM is now trying to claim. Then why oppose it in the first place?? Just to oppose! That is why we cannot move ahead as a society. Damn politicians! PPM has no foresight! Useless bunch!
Because both parties are puppets for same puppet masters…. simple
There goes the Flip Flop Administration again..
Just get rid of the rollover altogether – it destroyed the real estate market along with the general harmony on the island.
Said by someone who seems to have little regard for the traditional Cayman people or the long term sustainability of these Islands.
How is “little regard for the traditional Cayman people” to observe that rollover has had a negative effect on the real estate market or the general harmony on island?! I would agree. Rollover doesn’t serve any purpose. After ten years what has it accomplished?