Caregivers regain ten-year pass

(CNS): Specialist caregivers hired by families to look after sick, disabled or elderly patients are, once again, able to stay in Cayman for up to ten years beyond the normal permit holder period. Following Cabinet’s approval of the regulations this week for the reinstatement of the special certificate, these workers will be able to remain on island and apply for permanent residency (PR), provided they are taking care of the same person, even if their PR application is refused.

The certificate was introduced by the UDP government in 2010 to help caregivers with dependent patients avoid rollover because at the time few were able to gain enough points to secure key employee status and go on to apply for PR.

When the PPM government removed the seven-year term limit and the key employee status, paving the way for all work permit holders to apply for permanent residency before their maximum ten-year stay is over, the certificate was removed. However, the problem of families losing long-term caregivers remained as most are not able to get through what is now an even more rigorous PR process.

As a result of this and pressure from constituents, the government re-introduced the certificate into the immigration law in April and it has now completed the accompanying regulations to clear the way to re-issue the certificates.

The re-establishment of the certificate allows workers to stay up to 10 years beyond the end of the normal permit period if they are still caring for the same individual. The extension lasts only as long as the caregiver works for the same family and cannot be transferred to another patient.

If the elderly, sick or disabled person dies, however, or if the condition of an ill or disabled individual improves, the caregiver’s permit ends.

“The re-establishment of the Certificate and the amendments are about compassion for our elderly, infirmed and disabled, giving them and their families peace of mind that their care will be continued by someone who is known to them and who helps maintain their quality of life,” said Premier Alden McLaughlin, who, as minister of home affairs, is also responsible for immigration.

“It is one way this government is showing sympathy and compassion to those weakest in society who need the special care, as well as their families, and also to those who provide the much-needed assistance,” he added.