Work permits climb towards 23,000
(CNS): The number of work-permits held by Cayman employers during the first three months of this year rose by 6.3% when compared to the same time period in 2015. According to the latest quarterly report from the Economics and Statistics Office, there were 22,295 at the end of March, as demand for foreign labour continued on an upward trend. The increase represented an additional 1,363 permits this year, over 2015. But the increase in foreign workers was part of a continuous trend that has seen the numbers rise for the ninth successive quarter.
During the first quarter of 2016 permits grew by 0.7% on the last quarter ended December 2015.
There are no breakdowns of nationalities available in the report and immigration has not updated its statistics centre since September of last year, but the ESO’s latest figures suggest that ex-pat workers in Cayman come from over 130 different countries, with Jamaicans still dominating the foreign workforce, followed by people from the Philippines.
The overall unemployment rate is currently running at 4.2%. During the budget presentation this year in May the government said local unemployment stood at 6.2% of the workforce, which rose overall by more than 3%, with well over 39,000 people in work.
Despite efforts to keep a lid on Cayman’s burgeoning public sector, government workers also increased during the first quarter of the year by 49 posts, compared to the same time last year, bringing the total number of civil servants to 3,616.
The number of expatriate government employees fell slightly while the number of Caymanians in the service grew by 59 people.
Category: Jobs, Local News
A union works well in other countries where they are less expat workers and Cayman is loads with too many different nationally and it is all for the sake of revenue not for the love of our country.
Every MLA’s with the exception of Mr. Anthony Eden have to go in 2017, the other’s are all balls with No interest in there country to bat. A real west Indian cricket team. that is why other nationalities are in control.
We, Caymanians are badly in needed of a Union Close the Labour Board Department waste of Government Funds we need a New GOVERNMENT in 2017 that will care about there native people. Caymanians get on your knees to GOD in prayer.
DEAD BEAT GOVERMENT TIME FOR A CHANGE.
A Union you say? So you can argue with bosses to get more pay for even less work and make everyone go bankrupt? Brilliant thought.
You are still too ignorant to realize that it is we, Caymanians business owners and bosses that do not want to hire their own people for good reason. Nothing will change until you give them good reason to hire local over expat. Nothing. And for all the right reasons. Caymanins need to do the work of changing their reputation. Or you can just keep doing your crying and begging thing and let all the expats do the real work.
Yeah, and the next highest in nationally will be the Indians.
God forbid, we have enough corruption here already.
(Just want to encourage readers to review comment thread below my original post. Interesting dichotomy regarding citizenship and identity that is very relevant today.)
Free our minds.
– Who
On reading many of the comments on immigration articles it seems to me that the sense of entitlement that many accuse Caymanians of having is now held by expatriates. They seem to feel they are owed for creating our industries although it existed for decades before the current expatriate workers first came to Cayman. I even see it in their attitudes whether in public or at work. They are often loud, rude and aggressive when they are out drinking and eating and truthfully I would much rather see a smiling Caymanian server then a moody expat who expects large tips for their surly and slow service. The financial services are even worse, where when questioned they will often indignantly spout of their qualifications and usually irrelevant experience. I sympathize with any young Caymanian who will be minimalized and openly insulted if they happen to get interviewed by an expatriate manager for a position in this industry. What happened to gratitude and accepting the rules and culture of the people who graciously allowed you to, at least for a limited time, live among them? The government is at least partly to blame as they have ignored your laws and regulations for the sake of work permit revenues and given these visitors security of tenure from the issuance of the first work permit. It seems that Cayman is now one of the few countries where its citizens have the least amount of opportunity or entitlement. Sorry but your employment does not equate to work permit revenue and therefore is very low on this government’s really primitive uninspired economic policy.
9.53, you Sir, are part of the problem, not the solution, with a miserable grasp of what is really going on here.
an empty statement without any kind of reference…not much value in that…you must hold a financial service management level work permit.
Maybe 1.33, maybe not. Show me the rule where it says I have to reference when it is referenced pretty much everywhere else. Your failure to see that is your problem, please pay more attention and don’t chew gum in class.
from vague and vacant to vague, vacant and illiterate…just stop
9:53am. You started off so well and ended flat! What we should be discussing is not number of work permits or unemployment declining from 10% to 4% but rather … Why is there even ONE qualified experienced UNemployed Caymanian who want to work and is capable? The Country clearly “suffers” from OVER employment with the need to import over 23000 workers! Surely we can sus out those qualified employable Caymanians and get them into jobs. Why is this not being done?
This is clearly how the present Government whom I do think is doing a great job on creating growth in the economy, has failed and failed miserably! Qualified Caymanians are applying for jobs occupied by expats on permit and the employers sometimes facilitated by the employment agencies are conspiring or blatantly refusing to give up their permit holder! They are allowed to circumvent the law by this government without fear of repercussions, simply because they can do so!
What will it take for us to stand up for each other?
sorry I agree with everything but don’t see the great economic growth on any projects they’ve actually started…Shetty = last administration, CEC=last administration, DART (and seriously thank god for him)= mix but mostly past.
Don’t forget Ryan last administration, Cohen last administration, $2.5million port settlement , last administration, etc.etc.
Wasn’t saying I liked the last administration…just I don’t see what this administration has done for economic growth. And don’t forget bills for mysterious security firm which ended up being just a lie to all of us to cover up his gambling…oh and the nation building fund, expat tax, jet set lifestyle on taxpayers tab…etc etc.
The recruitment agencies are definitely complicit as work permit applications and their renewals are a significant revenue…but why is the WP board allowing the common machinations to circumvent the purpose of the regulations? WP revenues and a premier who has stated he will freely give out management level permits as it creates lower level jobs for locals. Obviously he doesn’t want caymanians doing as well as him.
If you and your spiteful kind were not here, we would not be having this conversation.
If it wasn’t for us, you wouldn’t be here, you would still be enjoying west Africa.
Caymanians are sooooo much better off than anyone else in the Caribbean; it’s hard to understand the amount of whining
I am very happy that Caymanians / Status Caymanians are waking up and seeing what the Government is doing to the people and the Islands .
Don’t feed the trolls!
Don’t feed the trolls.
The pinnacle of eff’ry here in this thread.
The same clowns supporting the work permit increase in Cayman are the same two-faced pranksters that would argue the merits of the UK’s Brexit in terms of immigration, loss of opportunities for locals, strain on government resources, etc.
I wonder how they square that with the ratio difference in terms of local : immigrant between the respective populations of the jurisdictions.
Amazing how people sell their morals and intellectual honesty in order to safeguard their position.
(Yeah, we see you.)
Cayman, this callous spirit in our midst is why, more than ever, we must remain on guard. The simple fact is “we” are not all in this together at all. Many amongst us view and operate on a “us vs. them” mentality. The only way to stay alive in a game is to recognise the rules and act accordingly.
Once again, hypocrisy proves to be the great revealer.
– Whodatis
*Go on folks – double-down on your bullshit and prove me right.
😉
if there is discrimination….ask yourself why?…..or ask any major employer for their experiences in employing locals…..
be careful the truth might hurt……
We will probably get the usual self serving rant of lack of work ethic but the REALITY is they want to work with their buddies or they like the indentured nature of the work permit.
So says a person who can’t keep a job? Reality is if a company or business wants to be successful they need the right skills. Hence Expats in large numbers. If not for them Grand Cayman would revert to just another failed third world nation of starving people with fat rich leadership.
It’s amazing again that not only do you speak for all caymanians but now you apparently know how British expats voted in the Brexit referendum. I’m a British expat on a work visa , I think a place like this needs immigration to an extent . As does the UK. I also voted to stay in Europe. The one fact that you forget to explain in your diatribe against the mother country is that a lot of people who voted for brexit did not do so for anger at the legitimate migrant workers who do jobs that few British people want to do , and pay tax , national insurance etc and contribute to society through paying rent etc… ( ring any bells ? ) but more so at the immigrants and or asylum seekers that do not contribute to society and drain the resources. You know , kind of like the sister of one of the caymanians I work with who told me that she had set up home in the u.k on her British passport and now does not work but claims welfare for her and her children while all the time banking her considerable pension from the local bank where she held a high position . But yeah ..preach to us again about hypocrisy?
The areas of the UK regarded as most educated, diverse and progressive actually voted to remain.
As for the leanings of the older Brits – that came as surprise to no one, lol!
It is what it is buddy.
– Who
So, are you for us or against us?
Can’t argue with you on this one.
Witnessed it myself.
* Rolled over expat after 7 years, appreciative for the opportunity to live and work in Cayman
With that kind of honest mentality I sincerely wish you were one expat that decided or was able to remain with us.
Thank you for the feedback. Much appreciated.
– Whodatis
It is worth adding, my roll over scenario was textbook as intended. I trained a younger Caymanian who then replaced me. To this day they hold and excel in the position- 5+ years onward. We remain in contact. The process turned out to be far more rewarding than I imagined.
Change begins with the individual. I challenge new expats preparing to work in Cayman, to ask yourself, what are my intentions and actions that will contribute to making the island better for all. Specifically in the context of employment and helping identify Caymanians who want to learn and improve themselves and follow through with the actions to assist them achieve that goal.
Mentorship is powerful and rewarding.
I knew you were a “baby”. Do you not understand that people who voted Brexit were the “old school”, people who had seen the UK pre-Common Market?
You are mid 30s, you have no frame of reference. How can you speak for us?
You don’t, you speak for who.
Your complex double-speak is quite off-putting which is quite unfortunate as more often than not, you make some very insightful comments.
Please don’t make the mid-thirties the new teens. Grow up a little.
The people who tipped Brexit over the edge were mediocre ill-educated racists blaming others for their own inadequacies.
Who, let me assure you that the standard of education was a lot higher than when you rode your horse into town.
Umm … wasn’t me.
Oopsie!
😉
– Who
*Poster was spot on nonetheless.
90% of your post consists of a myriad of personal insults.
– Whodatis
Who. I am not insulting you. I am merely saying that you are not equipped to comment on a matter that can not have personal experience of.
Really?
Neil Armstrong. Martin Luther King Jr. Malcolm X. JFK. Thomas Edison. The American Civil War. Black Wall Street.
According to your logic I am not allowed to hold opinions and perspectives thereon.
Got it.
smh
– Who
Ah the old ” big shiny thing” trick. Can’t respond on theme because you failed and so bring up something completely off theme. Not smart.
Yours never would insult? That’s your only goal in life
I am an expat business who only hires Caymanians so I don/t have to pay the ancillary fees I would have for foreign workers
I have had good employees who are diligent, show up on time and do what they are asked.
Treat people with respect, a bit of kindness, and encouragement and you may be surprised.
Sadly however for an economy to grow you must have immigration
Take a look at the world around you and recognise the changing face of various countries such as U.K. Canada, and U.S in particular.
Ultimately immigration is a necessity but you want to be judicious on the process so as people who become citizens contribute in a meaningful way and integrate into the society
Realise when you are a guest in the country it is a privilege and not a right and if you do become a citizen it is a gift to be treated as such.
Sir/Madam,
As a 6 generation Caymanian, I would just like to say THANK YOU.
In my 60 years I have seen many expats like you come to Cayman, integrate and become an asset to my homeland, many of whom became Caymanian citizens.
To you , and to them I again say thank you for your contributions to my Island.
When Cayman was sleepy, no one was interested.
Tax expats now!
Prima Nocta.
With real local unemployment at zero this is the only way the economy can expand for everyone’s benefit.
Aren’t the “gatekeepers” Caymanian?
Mostly Jamaican, actually.
Are there any controls in place as to how many TEMPORARY work permits all these temp agencies can hold??? How can people be brought on Island through temp agencies, and only after they get here, they are actually sending them out for interviews to find a job?
In general, do away with these “temporary” permits which are rushed through and rubber stamped and you will see the numbers drop. The temporary permits do nothing but circumvent the law by renewing them time and time again. Temporary permits should only be issued in the rarest of circumstance or not as the norm.
When I had to get a work permit in the USA, there was no such thing as a “temporary” permit that got rubber stamped. I had to wait my turn and go through all the loops and hoops and trust me, USA Government didn’t give a damn how inconvenient this was for me!
I would like to clarify this situation on the topic regarding permits taking away jobs from Caymanians. This is utterly wrong and misleading. The fact is that no legit business should have to suffer the permit process and be denied, especially a Caymanian business. However, when we talk about the process please bear in mind the facts.
Caymanian Business owners have a legit claim to permits. The abuse of the permit system is the problem. Very simple and to the point. To this day we will and continue to feel the results of the “Status Giveaway” that took place. Every Jamaican and Filipinos that has a piece of paper that show something Caymanian is abusing this process with the help of course of an insider. How can it not be possible to monitor One Filipino or Jamaican submitting work permits with a simple Trade and Business License? The permit system should allow only up to 3 or 4 permits on a Trade and Business License and should have a process of inspection. At any given day if X employer say they have permit for B employee, the employer should be able to prove that little Johnny is not out there trying to find work to support the employer. I mentioned Jamaicans and Filipinos, because they are the prime source of the abuse especially towards their own people. This in turn creates an illusion that there are more permits and Caymanians are being deprive. Please bear in mind that a Caymanian man can go to places such as Honduras, Cuba, Jamaica, or even order a Filipino online, claim to be in love and get married, she in turn could be an uneducated individual, can in turn pump up the resume, apply for a job and when not hired can scream foul, that Caymanian Business do not want to hire Caymanians. This Bull crap has got to stop. From a legal perspective it can be called discrimination, but a marriage document is not a Diploma as much of the “married to Caymanian” men and woman think. Crossing borders does not change the education level. We have a serious high rate of imported uneducated persons claiming to be Caymanians.
Saying all of that to say. It’s not the permits that are causing Caymanian un-employment, it is the abuse of the system. As well as the easy job hunting that is being allowed by the employees on permit. The system that allows a person to come into the Island on a permit of conveniences where the understanding is payback by favors or other means needs to be monitored. As I have repeated, any legit business that an officer from immigration can walk into the store front and find the said permit holder or walk onto a construction site and find the employee should not have any issues when seeking for persons to be employed.
Cut the abuse of the permit system by the individuals and insiders as well as stop Job Jumping while on a valid permit would start to see a decrease in the un-employment rate within 6 months. Since the persons that are coming here on a convenience permit would not be allowed to jump to a new Job opening, hence starting an employment market for the individuals that actually want to work.
And for goodness sake, if we keep raising the retirement age to accommodate Government payout of the millions that will be needed, how do we expect to give the school leavers and others a chance. Physics tells us the simple fact that matter is not destroyed but displaced. In order to create a vacuum position something has got to be removed for something to take the space.
The “Mac Tax” is long overdue. And Another thing for another day.
Understandably, the education of our youth is foremost but 50 plus new posts is ridiculous. If we return to teaching the way children learn instead of this vague crap understood by no one, our system will return to its past glory.
There never was a past glory. Bright children went to public schools until someone in government had the bright idea of insisting that expat children could not attend public schools. The private sector grew experientially and unfortunately the professional Caymanian classes withdrew their children from public schools and now almost exclusively use the private schools.
Many professionals with class still send their children to public schools and most of these children excel and are very intelligent.
If you make the decision to send your kid to public school don’t even look at private schools. Just shut the door. Just turn off the TV, and then you don’t even have to worry about all of the conspiracy. You have to worry about what’s good for your kid, but you don’t have to worry about how to position yourself!
Hear, hear!! The 1972 Development Plan was the result of Sir John Cumber’s and morally upright politicians and senior civil servants of the day (mid – late 1960’s) vision for the Cayman Islands. It was hijacked and discarded by Jim Bodden and his band of pirates of the 1976-84 Governments. We have been headed down-hill ever since!!
Worse than pirates and look at all the slime that has emulated him since.
Larger economy and more Cayman jobs do not mean more jobs for Caymanians!! That is what matters to Caymanians!! When will YOU learn??
Why, Why!!! are we escalating the work permits?, When we have Caymanians that are not being accepted for these jobs, there is something wrong with our system, or someone is not doing the proper researches on what the loop holes are- Let’s get real before 2017.
Caymanomics. Just because someone applies, does not mean they are fit for that job. I suspect that most, but not all, those Caymanians still unemployed are so because they want to be or because they have an attitude problem that no-one wants to work with or to take in to their work place. Turning up as an office junior and then demanding to be treated like an MD never works. We had a case here, lovely person, but with no experience, unwilling to learn and wanted the salary and perks of someone with much greater value to the company. The world just does not work like that, here or anywhere else. That person was let go. We are trying to find a Caymanian replacement, and those that actually turn up for interview, from what I have seen, its more of the same. Cayman has got to stop giving youngsters the idea that they are entitled to a job on their own terms. It is ruining their chances of ever finding proper work. It is the employer who tells you what to do and how to do it, not the other way around.
They have internet in caves now. Progress. The neanderthal economics of the zero sum game crowd is breathtaking in its stupidity and ignorance.
Maybe you just need to have a look at how you view jobs and what is expected and comply with what is needed rather than doing what you think?
Work permits for everyone is the pathetic extent of our Premier’s ability to manage the finances of this country
Those numbers suggest about 16,000 Caymanians working compared to about 23,000 foreigners. Caymanian unemployment is less than 2000 people. Looks like the island economy would would collapse without the foreigners.
You have left out about 4 or 5 thousand foreigners and over-estimated the number of Caymanians. I do not blame you. The quality and timeliness of reports from government make it more like misinformation, than information.
More expat workers mean more crime, bad driving, environmental damage, more people driving without drivers license or insurance, more demand for drugs, more prostitution I say lets go back to the seventies when CAYMANIANS were living much better and we didn’t have the stress of dealing with all these aggressive cultures. I think every CAYMANIAN whould be willing to sacrifice to have our country back. To accomplish this Cayman lets elect a government that has some cojones to lead us out of this unsteinable mess.
Agreed, but let me sell my house first before you return back to the basket weaving age.
“Take out country back” the inane rallying call of the mediocre seeking to blame others for their own inadequacies and anger. See Trump supports and Brexit voters for details…
so, no airconditioning. Get out the smoke pots
Bank machines are gone, lets all pay bills in person.
Reduction in jobs, so higher unemployement. Im sure someone will buy the thatch rope still.
Give your head a shake
‘Unsustainable’ mess….
Its not the expats running around the Island screwing their mistresses, they are all at work otherwise they would be fired!
This is what Cayman gets from expat workers: bad driving, stealing, murder, voilance, illegal employment, prostitutionn, robberies, demand for hard drugs, environmental damage, stress, I say it’s time to send at least half of them packing. Don’t be scared to see them leave Caymanian’s our country will defiantly be a better place if we do.
So who makes up the vast majority of inmates in the prisons? Caymanians……how would this change?
Yes CAYMANIANS make up the majority of inmates, what you forgot to mention is that three quarters of those CAYMANIANS are driftwood like yourself.
When Caymanians are prejudiced against Caymanians, all of whom at some point were imports, you know this place is screwed
don’t want to bother the hysterical locals with awkward questions…..but how many times has it been proven that the work permit board have granted a work permit when there was a willing and able caymanian available….????????
still waiting for an answer…….
oops – awkward question..
Approximately 2,000
that’s 23,000 times that caymanian companies have gone to the trouble of going through the caymanian work permit system……and 23,000 times the caymanian work permit authorities have approved the work permits. How are caymanians complaining about this??????
just another day in wonderland……..if any caymanian feels they have been discriminated against, there are a myriad of legal/statutory remedies…..
Look at the permit holder job types Cayman public before opening your mouths. The majority will be bar staff, helpers, nannies…..cancel them and see how you like having to do those jobs….no I don’t think so!!!!
2:04pm Get that chip off your shoulders. Our people worked in all of those positions and were squeezed out to bring low paid employees to fill the positions, who were trained by Caymanians. How many of those permit holders were job ready when they arrived on theses shores? Stop putting Caymanians down, it’s people like you who have come and reaped the crop after we sowed the seeds.
What BS! Asking for Canadian applicants with degrees for a bartending position is rediculous and clearly to the exclusion of hard-working, willing, able and very capable Caymanians. Stop hating the Caymanian people. Please.
Who cares, just dont get me late for work.
Welllll, the number of work permits rose by 6.3% in the last year and approx 8% in the previous year (previous publications). Yet Alden claims that is a plus for Caymanian employment??!! Wow! How can it be that Caymanians are favoured while work permits are rising??!!
Hope whomever runs against PPM in next year’s election use these figures, in addition to all their other policies and practices which have been counter to the advancement of Caymanians.
Short sighted scaremongering. More expats means larger economy and more cayman jobs. Less expats means less jobs for Caymanians. History shows that time and time again and you still don’t learn.
Total unmitigated bullshit. Just look at the tourist industry. There are likely fewer born Caymanians employed in tourism today than there were 20 years ago, and the size of the industry has tripled!
Canadians hire Canadians, Brits Brits, Americans Americans and Jamaicans Jamaicans. That is the reality.
1:26 pm and don’t forget, they will do everything and find fault with the Caymanian, until he/she leaves or is made redundant and the next week the job title changed and one of their own hired to do the same job. Time for us to steer the wheel again.
Priced and attitude yourselves out the market bobo
That may be true, but it is a clear acknowledgement that more permits is not necessarily better for Cayman or Caymanians.
So back in the time machine 40 years, mosquitoes, no money at all and life will be grand. Good luck with that.
It was blissful, but cannot work today because someone has to support all your helpers after you leave abandoning them.
don’t bother…you can’t argue with ignorance……
The uncomfortable truth is that access to cheap foreign labor and people willing to live beneath the standard of living we have built in this country will continue to depress wages for Caymanians.
My skills are better than they were 2 years ago but employers are only willing to pay 75% of my previous earning level because there are Filipinos willing to work for half.
Those are the uncomfortable truths that the Government doesn’t talk about. They tell you that more foreign labor is a good thing because the economy is growing, the question is, who are we growing it for?
12:28 what are you smoking? More expats more jobs for Caymanians!!!! I see you are a newbie, as recent as 1992 – 1999 we had few expats and no unemployment. But let the Unprecedented development continue and all of us will be singing a different song soon. Start to factor in the many young people without jobs and you will begin to get an understanding of what is about to happen.
It is a plus because an economy is not a zero sum game. But you are too stupid to understand.
1:52 pm The stupidity in us is that we won’t do what people in other countries do when the masses are working against them. DO I HAVE TO SPELL IT OUT? They take the bull by the horn and lead.
Yes, spell it out but STOP SHOUTING!
And from Spring 2015 to Spring 2016, Caymanian unemployment fell from 5.6 to 4.2 percent. The number of jobs is not fixed. The larger the economy, the more jobs there are.
For who?
For the 1.4% of Caymanians that got employed?
shhhhh, your talking common sense. There is no place for that here.
Because the work permits have been granted for jobs that caymanians will not do.
meanwhile our children cant find jobs.. And if they do its minimum wage!
If your child is well educated he/she can easily get a good job. If not, they have to start with what they can get and work hard to advance.
If you have an MBA but no experience in a business, you don’t get that job at the top. Generally people start at lower paying positions and move up as they demonstrate their ability. You have to start somewhere. Oh, and most people in senior positions will tell you they still learn something every day even after 30 years working their way up.
“meanwhile our children cant find jobs.. And if they do its minimum wage!”..uhhhh. You mean like everywhere else in the world?
I can sorta tell you didn’t really work very long in the work force did you, if at all!
Or is it “everyone when they start to work, starts at the bottom” doesn’t apply in Cayman?
I am really flabbergasted at your statement. Mouth dropped open, flabbergasted.
I honestly don’t know if your serious or being sarcastic. You seriously cannot think someone starting out of high school, should get that instant bank teller job. Or that job over there, because an expat with 10 years experience, is in that job my son or daughter should have, even if my son or daughter has no experience. Because it’s their country, that job should belong to my son or daughter.
I am going to shock you here…….
NO work force works this way. In any country. None, nilcho, nada, no way, no how, never ever going to happen unless you are in a dictatorship.
The reality is, business’s are in business to make money.
To get jobs that pay well, you will need experience. And most sound business’s do not really care about your nationality. If you have the experience. They are going to hire you. Hiring a Caymanian is a bonus. Because you don’t pay a work permit fees.
But no business is going to hire a Caymanian for a high paying position, to “train” them to do the job. Especially not anyone that has no experience. Basic training, yes. Complete overhaul training. Absolutely not. Lets waste a year or 3. Training this person, who may or may not quit, at the drop of a hat. Because they one day realize they really don’t like this job. Meanwhile, in all that time training. Your business suffers reputation, productivity, lost profit (because someone has to complete the work the trainee can not, and that usually means hiring another person with experience until the trainee can get up to speed. Or you expect your employees to work harder than they already do, without incentive or a pay raise, and hope they don’t quit, due to that hardship) Further straining your business. And increasing worker turnover (quitting due to unfair work responsibilities)
So, you expect all that from a business?
You want your kids to succeed in life. Blame government. Government should be giving a loan to EVERY Caymanian kid that can get into a college or university. No matter what their marks are. If the marks were good enough to get into that college or university. It should be good enough to get a loan from the government.
Create a national loan with 1% interest after graduation. Tie loan forgiveness (if you borrow 10K from the gov, and you pass with 80%. the government should forgive 4k out of that 10K loan a year. So you actually only owe 6K from the 10K) grad with 70% 3k loan forgiveness ect, Incentive to stick with your course and graduate.
The Cayman government should invest in it’s people, so it’s people can invest in the country.
Compass recently reported 24,077 work permit holders as at 6 July. Section 79 of the Immigration Law requires CIO to maintain a list of all non Caymanians. I wonder if it exists. The law mandates it and it would certainly obviate a lot of guesswork.
24,000 Work Permit Holders
1,500 PR holders with the Right to Work
1,000 Expat Government Employees (including Statutory Authorities)
700 Expats with PCW’s
300 Expats in Cayman Enterprise City
I make that 27,500 Expats working in the Cayman Islands.
If there are 39,000 people in work, then Cayman’s workforce is now 70% Expatriate. While I do not have a problem with that, it seems very different from “official” percentages. Care to comment Mr. Premier?
silly… rabbit these people think they are Caymanian.
1,500 PR holders with the Right to Work
1,000 Expat Government Employees (including Statutory Authorities)
700 Expats with PCW’s
300 Expats in Cayman Enterprise City
What is really silly is that parts of Government think they are too!
Good point 7.14pm
Some info on those on the CEC arrangement would also be insightful and should be included in the workforce info.
CEC is such a farce. Cayman already had proper methods.
Ok ok save for the fact that things move slower. If that was the only hindrance and of course lower fees. govt should look at that and fix it!
CEC essentially takes government revenue and hands it to a private company which has seems to really just be interested in leasing real estate. It is essentially a developer with special government protections.
I wonder if Government is looking at the size of the Islands and the economic diversity of the Islands , ” Tourism and Banking ” Is the Government thinking about all the people on the Island employment , or just thinking about the new work permit fee ? Do the Government know that when people become unemployed they devert to other ways of survival . Meaning that ocean resources would be depleted , and those with money would be robbed. Is this started to happen ? Those are big problems for little Islands like Cayman Islands.
The 1972 development plan for the Islands has warned against this kind of population development that is happening today.
A fair portion of these 23,000 work permit holders represent lost opportunities for first jobs and school break or weekend work experience for our young people.
Speaking as an 80’s baby we all got our first taste of the working environment by “helping out” at the businesses of our parents, relatives and community members. However, the situation has changed today where we see 30+ year old work permit holders filling those positions in the workforce. There is little wonder why so many of our school-leavers are so ill-prepared for the job market.
We are subjecting our society to a slow but certain breakdown.
Yes, those lucky enough to come from the middle to upper class levels will likely be okay as they have the safety net of relatively well-off and or “connected” parents, but the majority of our fellow Caymanians are being disenfranchised by the current state of affairs.
In the end we will all end up carrying the burden for the short-sighted policies of our successive governments.
Personally, I trust we experience a complete democratic revolution in 2017 with genuinely fresh leadership as virtually all of our long-standing politicians are responsible for these destructive failures regarding the socioeconomic policies of the Cayman Islands.
Please bear these statistics and issues in mind the next time you cast your ballot. There is a saying that goes; “When someone shows you who they are – believe them!”.
Do not be swayed or tricked (yet again) by fluffy promises for the future by your local candidate. Instead, reflect on what Cayman once was, compare to the current reality and finally, cross-reference with the period of time your preferred political party or representative has been a law maker.
It really is that simple.
– Who
Rarely has so little been said in so many words.
If true, that would make you the fool for taking the time to think, compose, and post a reply.
I for one tend to ignore the foolish posts on CNS – and there are many.
However, I do make the odd exception … case in point.
– Whodatis
Progress is constant, it has to be otherwise we stay in the dark ages. It is no surprise to me that you would prefer that.
Did you say the same to the majority Brexit crowd of the UK?
– Who
As usual WHO, no relevance to topic, but don’t let that get in the way of a good rant against the UK. I am sure in your foil covered brain there is logic there somewhere. These days you are increasingly sounding like a Trump type supporter.
No fault but your own in failing to see the clear relevance to the iasue at hand, my friend.
I’ll bring the ignorant to the water but I won’t dunk dey’ head.
Good luck tho.
– Whodatis
This is probably how the Conquistadors justified their conquest to the Mayans.
Again, Who with the I’m Caymanian give me what I haven’t worked for rant. So rich coming from – is it one or both expat parents?
Actually, my post reads “Please allow me the opportunity as a local to gain experience in the working world as opposed to handing my opening to an exploited, 35 year old Fillipino, Brit, American, Jamaican, Indian, Australian, Canadian etc.)”
Although your interpretation comes as no surprise. This is CNS aka “New Nation” tabloid crowd equivalent after all.
Lastly, yes I am the child of an expat. However, I am also as Caymanian as they come. Sort of like what anyone would expect an American or British child to respectively regard themselves despite being of emigrated parentage.
Question(s); Do you have children born here? How do you envision them regarding themselves – as Caymanian or from wherever you hail?
(Points you and your like-minded friends can busy yourselves with.)
– Whodatis
My child holds the same passport as one parent and not that of the other. My child will always be born in Cayman and when they are older they can decide what they want to identify as. I can assure you they will not hold the same narrow views you have acquired though.
Re: “My child will always be born in Cayman and when they are older they can decide what they want to identify as.”
Interesting.
America, the UK, Canada, France, Belgium and a host of other countries are dealing with a spate of the very philosophy you seem to be endorsing or welcoming.
I.e. Ever heard of homegrown Muslim extremist terrorists?
Simply a different side of the same coin. Congrats to you.
Yes…welcome to class. Realise your mind resides in a dangerous bubble.
– Whodatis
You’re the epitome of “give me give me” dude. Give us a break. There are so many internships that young Caymanians can get involved in. If they want to work somewhere they should take initiative and pop into the office and ask what they can do to get a job there. Kids these days aren’t proactive. I didn’t get the job I hold sitting on my ass and complaining about how I deserve it.
I’m not the above poster by the way, but I’d like to answer your question as an expat with 2 kids.
I would dearly love to call them Caymanian, both were born here and know no different. They even have the cutest little Caymanian accents.
The problem I have is the fear that they’ll never truly be accepted or seen as a Caymanian – always a paper caymanian which really makes me sad…
Hello,
Thanks for the feedback.
Speaking as a born-Caymanian of an expatriate parent into an extended family (cousins) of which the majority is made up of “half Caymanian” parentage – I can assure you the only thing necessary for you to do is fully integrate your family into this community.
For example, I am quite certain there were emigrated families in your neighbourhood and country – wherever you hail from. Surely the children were considered as “full citizens”, correct?
– Who
Absolutely on your last point, and we do integrate where we can, as well as volunteer in the community.
The sad fact is, my kids aren’t welcome at Government Schools (notwithstanding that I do have concerns about the quality of education there). This kind of segregation is so unhealthy, and I’m sure it only reinforces the (perceived) divide at a very young age.
Far too many work permits, government need to stop the reliance on work permits. This source of income has become our Achilles heel.
Work Permits are far to easy and cheap to obtain resulting in the increase in crime by locals and expats and the lowering of the standard of living in Cayman. It seem as if sections of Cayman are becoming pockets of third world ghettos, middle class communities have now become ghettos littered with junk cars, garbage piled high while unapproved shanty buildings are popping up catering to low income tenancies and just as bad or worst are the two or three bedroom house that accommodate 30 to 40 people overcrowding once residential and quiet neighborhoods while those that can afford it build gated communities to escape our new reality. Leaders please unite and find ways to stop this practice if not we are well on our way to becoming the new Babylon.
great news. more expats means more jobs/money for everybody……
And people say that the economy is not vibrant.
Compare 23,000 permit holders with how many born Caymanians are without work … and it will be hard to not see something is terribly wrong with our system!
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: We are the only place in the Caribbean that has its native population outnumbered by foreignors.
You are not going to get updated statistics from the Immigration Dept, most of them are suspended (but of course still receiving their salaries and full benefits).
Government just allowed the creation of 50 new posts in Education-all pensionable and free health care. The majority will be filled by foreigners. Over to you Ezzard for your comments.
And free education and health insurance for an unlimited number of their dependants. Where do Government think all this money is coming from?
Not from your income tax that is for sure. Its simple, In the Cayman Islands off shore companies pay, through various means, a levy to government so that they can operate here. Government in turn uses that money to administer its welfare state to the middle class Caymanians and provide government jobs.
7:30 pm Your comment stints. How many young caymanians have been there done that and had to leave the profession? Find them, and have a chat with them and you will get a better understanding.
Without accurate statistics as to the number of expats of various nationalities it is not possible for the PR points system to fully function.
Are persons working by operation of law, PR applicants with permission to continue working, persons with RERC’s as the spouse of a Caymanian, Permanent Residents with the right to work, Government contracted employees, and temporary work permit holders being counted amongs these numbers? They should be. They are all foreign nationals working in Cayman. The public deserves accurate information. Can we please have some?
Err, ahh, hmmm….. No. You cannot get timely, accurate information. Not from CIG.
Then the entire Permanent Residence system is simply going to collapse and the government will face lawsuits that it cannot win extending into the tens of millions with even greater damage to the economy. It is all a farce. The government has no idea how many expats are here. It cannot even be sure who is a Caymanian in many instances. The levels of mismanagement and incompetence are astounding.