Over 700 PRs granted over last year as backlog clears
(CNS): Almost one year after the Caymanian Status and Permanent Residency (CSPR) Board and administrators at the Department if Immigration began work on the backlog of residency applications, 1,656 applications have been tackled and 43%, or 708 applicants, have been granted permanent residency, while 528 or 32% have been declined. Another 355, or 20%, have been deferred to enable applicants to submit more information. The board and DOI staff have been working hard to clear the outstanding applications and there are just 80 applications that have yet to be reviewed.
The backlog developed throughout the course of the last PPM-led administration when early changes to the immigration law provided some stumbling blocks for the board regarding the point system. A number of successful legal challenges by applicants who had been turned down then led to a freeze for more than two years and saw a backlog of applications build to more than 1,000 before a minor change to the point system paved the way for the process to start again.
Over the last 11 months, the backlog has been largely addressed and the remaining 80 applications that have not yet been reviewed are all more recent applications.
Category: Local News
We CAYMANIANS)built up these islands with common sense, honesty and integrity…..!!!!
Then THEY came and are still steaming in…..!!!! END of SUBJECT…..
What taxes or permits fees do Caymanians pay to build Cayman?
Cayman sold its’ Island a long time ago and the balance between being a slave for the dollar and maintaining it’s roots is long gone. Prior generations must be rolling in their graves.
How will our children get jobs with all these new PR and their children now have right to work.
Don’t blame the successful applicants. The law is the law set by Caymanians.
Caymanian live off the expats so it’s a give and take.
The goverment makes money from expats cause there are no income taxes. This money runs Cayman.
Introduce income taxes and expats will think twice about taking up a job here. Then again Caymanians will complain.
Small island small minds.
You seem to be an American. Big country, so you must have a big mind like all other Americans. Try exercising that big brain on solving you’re own country’s problems then.
Actually I don’t live in Cayman and would not want to. I am west Indian I came across this site reading an article. I found Caymanians to be a funny lot as they always complain about expats. Yet still you all set laws that have expats jumping through hoops to become citizens. When they successfully get PR You all grump. You all pay no taxes but dish out work permits and living off from expats.
Caymanians can’t have it both ways. It’s the expats that really build Cayman.
If you all don’t want expats getting PR then change your immigration laws. Be wise went voting next time .
Oh I see, you don’t live here. So now it makes sense that you don’t know what you’re talking about. Caymanians pay indirect taxes genius. Just about every consumer good is imported and taxed at the border. That tariff is then reflected in the retail price. If you don’t know what you’re talking about you should not speak.
You’re the equivalent of a Russian troll. Nothing more.
Did you not read where I said if you Introduce taxes expats will twice about coming to your lovely island.
As it stands you all live off work permits and complain about expats in your island.
I certainly hope this are not bartenders, laborers and hotel staff. I for one enjoy new faces working in the bars and restaurants. Some other ones who stay to long become entitled and rude.
Get drunker.
Obviously not. Read the criteria for PR
You enjoy new faces on your islands by living off of them. Maybe you are the one that are rude.
for once I agree with Arden Mclean, Status should only be given based on marriage and descent!
Yeah, to guys like Kashwayne Hewitt and girls like Kenia Solis. Let’s not bother with all that stuff about whether they are gainfully employed, engaged in community activities, law abiding or have sufficient resources not to be a burden on the community. Let’s just let
our youngsters decide who becomes Caymanian based on who they fancy. Sounds like a real good plan.
They gave status to Rob Aspinal too. And look how wonderfully that turned out.
Then you should have voted for him along with your other countrymem that are anti immigration
One cocoa fill the whole basket again.
great news…. the amount of different expats here is my favourite thing about cayman.
Cannot understand why anyone would want PR in such a racist , backward country. So glad I have left and do not have to put up with the small minded, backstabbing nonsense.
woohoo god riddance
Yes! You are so pi$$ed with it and so glad you left that you still read CNS to find stories to justify the decision to yourself…if you hated it that much you wouldn’t be on here. Suspect your application was refused, right? Paybacks a bitch…
Maybe they find CNS entertaining? Reading comments from classic clowns getting all worked up like your self? Just a thought.
I’m glad you’re now in a country where everyone gets on so well. Can you please tell us where you are?
Classic SP response.
I sincerly hope you remembered to take all of your acquaintances, pets, family and anything else which may have been associated with you. After all we can’t have sewage like yourself cluttering up our beautiful Cayman Islands.
Haha! Your own sewage does enough damage. Enjoy!
Wow what a disgusting sentiment to air.
5;06 pm, please don’t come back, we happy you are gone.
Case in point.
We miss you……….NOT!!!!!!!!!!!
One only wants PR to get status. Status lets you pick up the easy money of a local by getting ex pats to work for your business but with the huge bonus that you can leave and spend your time in the first world.
Troll
The career horizon for many is longer than 8 years, after which, households must apply for PR.
That is not true . If you read the immigration law you status can be revoked if you are not resident in the island for 5 years or more. Plus immigration can revoke your status for minor miss deeds.
@5:06 pm, I find it very interesting when people like yourself come to Cayman and feel that they are discriminated against. I believe that what you are referring to is the fact that, while you were here, you felt that you weren’t receiving the same privileges that you received in your home country. No doubt you are from North America or Europe or some other part of Western society where people of European decent (i.e., “white” people) have been the dominant culture for centuries. In your home country, racism and discrimination exist, but it is perpetuated (for the most part, but not entirely) by people of European decent, therefore you were largely unaffected by it. When you were in Cayman however, where there are laws in place to protect Cayman citizens, you may have felt that you were no longer the privileged class because you had to apply for work permits, PR and whatever else you had to do to live and work here. You’d never experienced having to jump through so many hoops, just to live. The lack of privilege that you experienced here felt like oppression. So maybe that’s why you feel that Cayman is “racist” and “backward”. Because you weren’t privileged here.
And I’m taking it that, because you are glad to be where you are now, there is no racism and backward backstabbing nonsense where you now live? Must be nice there.
I doubt that’s it. But well written anyway. Good cover up.
Have anyone noticed how few jobs are these days in the Cayman compass…I suspect that this is partly the result.
LOL. Have anyone noticed how basic communication skills are a requirement these days……
LOL. Have anyone noticed how smug racists post everyday bigotry like this and think they are hilarious?
To qualify for PR, they will have already been here contributing in some position for 10yrs. They aren’t “taking” a Caymanian job.
Your comment shows part of the problem…all jobs are Caymanian jobs if there is a suitable Caymanian…it is our country.
A. Not a country B. the permit positions are posted by Caymanian business owners who tried to fill them for 8 years with qualified Caymanians with no luck.
If that’s the only place you’re looking for a job then you’re not really trying.
These people have gone through a thorough vetting process to ensure they are well educated/qualified,have their own home and will be an asset to the Cayman community to which they have all contributed, and what’s more you can be pretty sure that not one of them is on drugs, or owns a gun.
Go back a few years when 1300 people were granted full Cayman Status (not PR), without a single question being asked about their background. Now the person responsible for this disaster has been rewarded with the post of Speaker of the House.
Go back even further when all we had were mosquitoes and swamp and the only jobs to be had were at sea, thousands of miles from home.These islands have since been transformed by the efforts of highly qualified expatriates in the legal, accounting and banking fields who came here and built up our financial industry into what it is today, the same type of expatriates who have applied for Permanent residence
The expats that came here in the 1970’s and helped build Cayman WITH Caymanians are a very different group from many of the more recent arrivals. The arrogance of ignoring the work of Caymanians building the financial services sector is astounding.
5.54pn They came before the 70’s like Douglas Calder, John Maples, Chris Johnson, to name a few. At that time can you name Caymanians with first class honours degrees from Oxford/Cambridge who were fully qualified lawyers/accountants with the requisite extensive experience in international law/finance needed to develop this island as an offshore financial centre of outstanding reputation?.
Bill Walker, Arthur Hunter, Vassell Johnson, Bruce Campbell, Truman Bodden, Leonard Ebanks, Charles KirkConnell, Benson Ebanks, Eric Bergstrom, Tom Russell (and others) all played a great role, and none of them needed first class honours degrees from anywhere. They toiled together and succeeded. Those that were not originally from here would never be called driftwood. You, Sir or Madam, are.
Most of those you refer to were expatriates, the others benefited from the expertise that was brought in. I am not driftwood as I have resided here almost 50 years, neither am I ignorant enough ever to use this term on others.
@fairplay. I’ve seen some really negative, misleading and disgusting posts on CNS over the years. But this one really takes the cake. Well done.
There are a great many expats/foreigners that really do good things for this country. I’m happy to call them my neighbors. But I really wish people like you would just go. You serve absolutely no purpose whatsoever.
AT Fairplay, explain what is misleading. Unfortunately a lot of Caymanians like you,but not all, do not like hearing the truth.Why don’t you express your views on the mass grant of Caymanian status by one of your own, which would be a lot more enlightening than expat bashing.You cannot expunge fact by removing the source.
@Anonymous at 5:12 pm, the misleading part of fairplay’s statement is that he/she is making it appear as if those foreigners named built the financial industry on their own, or that they did it for the good of the island and it’s people. Firstly, those foreigners that were the early architects of the financial industry had to do so in collaboration with the elected officials of that time. Secondly, I’m pretty certain that their interests were personal, i.e., they were trying to make money for themselves. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but let’s not hand them the Medal of Honor for their contributions to society.
I’d also add that YOUR comment is misleading as well. Re-read my comment of 9:10 am and you’ll see no evidence of expat bashing at all.
Instead of making negative comments on CNS, why not spend that time and energy making real contributions to society? Every society has problems, this one included. So rather than pointing at our flaws and making negative comments about those flaws, why not do something to help? Take up mentoring or volunteerism (and I don’t mean walking dogs). If you’ve been granted status or residency, then this is now your society too. Take responsibility for your adopted society and help us try to make it better.
You are right. We had no experience in hiding the assets of First World Politicians and funding their right wing parties from afar.
Your sentiments and name do not match.
– Who
But they do, sweetie. Working hard and getting rewards for that is fair play. Trying to promotions and jobs over better candidates simply because of a passport is the very opposite of fair play.
@12:28 am, Right. So there are no laws protecting the citizens of your home country, am I correct? Anyone can go to your home country and get a job with whatever passport they have. Go it. Please enlighten us all as to where this fair play country is. Thanks!
Every country in the European Union
@1:08 am That is absolute garbage. Only EU member citizens can live and work in every country in the EU (with some exceptions). The EU has protectionist laws just like the Cayman Islands.
If you’re comment had any truth to it at all, then all of those migrants washing ashore in Greece and Italy would be working right now instead of languishing in migrant camps or roaming the European countryside. Go peddle your nonsense to someone uneducated enough to believe it.
Maybe once Dart gets his last protected employee through, Premier Aldart will bring back roll-over.
I just got my PR. I plan on making Cayman twice as wealthy as it already is, the potential is there, we just need to tap the right resources with the skills.
Great. If you could please make sure Caymanians also get some benefit, all will be wonderful.
Just love that silver spoon, eh? Can’t earn it, just want to be given it. That, ladies and gentlemen, is for the problem for a vocal minority. Hate expats, unless they feed you, and then hate them for feeding you.
Cayman and the rest of the world existed before you very entitled expiates. Expect that you can go to whoever countries you please and do whatever you want. Romans will be romans I guess. Shake the natives hand then steal their land. SMH you all are a laughable bunch.
You mean like do most the community service, pick up the trash you littered, and pay your government fees they then use to give you handouts before elections? Hmmm.
Unfortunately we are not stealing your land but buying it.
So true!
@7:21 pm, Exactly what “feeding” are you referring too? By feeding do you mean where you where granted a work permit 9 years ago and your employer was given the legal mandate at that time to train a Caymanian during the course of your work permit, yet you and your employer conspired for 9 years to make certain that no Caymanian would ever be hired or trained up to replace you? Or was it the time you got promoted to a senior position at the big firm, then only hired either unqualified Caymanians under you or your foreign friends on work permits, just to ensure that no one would ever threaten your position? Or do you mean when you were granted Caymanian status, then left the big firm and started your own fund shop, then proceeded to only hire your foreign friends to come work for you, thereby ensuring that the opportunity that YOU were given would never be passed on to ANY of the natives of the country that you’ve worked so hard to call home?
Well, if that is what you mean then, YUM! Silver spoon GOOD!
You’ll be needing lots of work permits then.
So you plan on making Cayman twice as wealthy as it is already. Maybe while you are at it you could learn how to distribute that wealth more fairly so that we do not have such a divided society. There is real poverty that needs addressing and my experience so far has been of a nation oblivious to it.
A divided society was created by Caymanians. Work permits was created by Caymanians.
@ Rick – so rather than making disparaging remarks on CNS, why don’t you take up a volunteer or mentorship role and help fix the society that you say is so broken? And I don’t mean picking up garbage or walking the homeless dogs. While those are obvious needs, there are other things that you can do to help the society that YOU have adopted as your own. There are programs that allow you to be teacher’s aids at the primary schools. There are programs that allow you to mentor young Caymanian’s leaving high school and wondering what to do next. Do something to fix it, why don’t you?
First of all I don’t live in Cayman and would want to where I am not invited and looked down upon. I only came across Cayman a few months ago and started reading about Caymans Immigration policy and laws. From what I make of it as an outsider reading Cayman online news feeds is that this country has alot of small minds and vindictive natives. You all set immigration laws that have expats jumping through hoops to prove themselfs and when they do it’s endless grump. Having folk taking immgration to court and wining their cases shows how a vindictive country you live in.In my views Cayman has two societies an expat group that wants nothing to do with natives and natives that expect to live off the expats via work permits. You all have created a big problem for yourselfs. Expecting the best to live on your island is never a good move.
If you all don’t want outsiders living there then set laws to accomdate this. Don’t set laws where folk apply and are successful and then you grump. Which expat would want to donate his free time to mentor a society that don’t want expats.
@Rick – dude, so you’re spending your free time weighing in on matters that shouldn’t matter to you? You’re spending your free time sowing discord between citizens of a country you don’t live in and have no allegiance to?
Russian troll much Rick?
My free time is spent by reading. I came across Cayman and being an outsider I find Caymanians a very amusing bunch as they always complain about expats. I am sure I am not the only one here.
I sum up Cayman as small island wanting to be big with small minds
Anyone care to do a population percentage compared to Brexit-UK, AFD-Germany, or Far-Right Hungary?
My fellow Caymanians, we are acting contrary to the modern trends being set by leading and “respectable” western democracies.
Is this wise?
We are constantly being told to “get with the times and stop being so backward”, are we not?
Our immigration policy is very much backward when compared to others.
E.g. How many of these new Caymanians are arriving with the mindset of the “white nationalist” majority of their homeland – and how will that impact our society in years to come?
(Don’t worry typical CNS poster – I am well aware these issues are irrelevant to you.)
– Whodatis
*Please note, in our instance we are discussing actual citizenship – not outrage and xenophobia due to Black and Brown desperate refugees (i.e. not new citizens) arriving via dinghy.
On the contrary Mr Reformed Tory your views are very much in line with such divisive and hate filled groups.
The hypocrisy and lack of self awareness in your post is sadly not surprising.
Whodatis is indicative of the troll generation – using the internet to anonymously spread spite, hatred and division. Just ignore.
Except when he’s posting under a different pseudonym congratulating his own posts. Then he’s just pure comedy gold.
Haha what a chump
Whodatis is NOT a national referendum.
Whodatis is NOT a British, American, or European political party.
Whodatis is NOT a race-peddling “leader of the free world”.
Whodatis is NOT the return of the far-right to the front line of western democracy.
Whodatis is NOT a mass shooter in the name of racial purity.
Whodatis is NOT the government of Hungary.
Whodatis is NOT a sympathiser of the “fine people” of the Neo-Nazis.
Whodatis is NOT Generation Identity.
On the contrary, Whodatis merely observes and presents the current reality of the wider western world against the backdrop of the happenings of the Cayman Islands.
(Honestly, I could not give less of a damn over what is happening beyond these shores – because none of it comes as a surprise (to me).
However, I am concerned when people from the aforementioned parts of the world are emigrating to my country of racial and general harmony – (once) free from the most pathetic of divisions and segregation.)
– Whodatis
*The more I live in this 21st Century, the more I see how certain groups sleep-walked themselves into WWII.
Deny. Deflect. Dismiss.
smh
“Deny. Deflect. Dismiss”. That covers 95% of Who’s responsive posts. We’ll need to keep that one.
Oh, I am sure you will.
To do otherwise is to acknowledge the glaring disparity and hypocrisy on display.
– Who
Stop referring to yourself in the third person FFS it is an extremely arrogant habit.
Whodatis cannot promise he will not do so again in the future.
However, Whodatis reminds you of the standing options to ignore and not reply to his post going forward.
– Who
*Interesting how you and your friends considered the cutlery of my posts worthy of address but not the actual meat.
Very odd.
For the record, I much prefer meaningful exchange and feedback on the undeniably valid observations within my post(s) over the same, tired ad hominem attacks.
Anyway, this is now a lost opportunity in our regard.
Maybe next time.
– Who
…and again, I am not “Mr Reformed Tory”.
I know the chances of a Brit publicly expressing raw truth regarding the history of Britain and its caliphate aka “empire” is a million-to-one – but the post from the other day under another news story appears to be genuine.
– Who
*In any event, I doubt I would be a Tory in the first place – much less a reformed one.
Jus sayin’ …
Now you’re just sounding desperate.
The only good Tory is a lavatory.
New day, same garbage
The CIG really is behind on collections
I have a dream, said the non generational half Caymanian.
It is all about those daddy issues.
Multiply the granted number by, take your pick, 4, 5, 6, 7, = thousands, what a mess we are getting into. Only those that cannot afford to live here ( the majority ) will remain after their working days are over. Then what, you know the answer. Do not believe me, don’t, now look at those granted the privilege before and see who are still here, many of whom by the way continue to bring in more low income earners as we all get poorer and poorer. Who cares NO ONE. It’s a numbers game for the developers, and then what.
It is not only the successful applicants but also their spouses and children who get PR. Could we have the true number please?
Dependents are all included on the application. Give it a rest.
Yes, but that means that more than 700 have in fact been granted PR, What is the number?
Who cares!!! Is it jobs or people you care about? More people=more spending =better economy.
bit of trickle down theory there huh ..so 2000! I think its called getting pissed on
Real people that understand that when people are living from pay check to pay check and cannot save for the turbulent times because no matter how hard they work the wages will not cover their basic bills. The middle class will and is gradually getting less and less society will crumble as it is now beginning to happen. Who will look after those people in their supposedly Golden Years? Not too long ago the husband could go to work get paid enough to take care of his family, build a home, take a vacation. Now with husband and wife working they can just barely pay their bills. That’s progress eh. A well guess we have to join the rest of the developed forward thinking world where the CEO get bonuses in Mil $’s and we continue to struggle day after day. Nothing wrong with struggling, but allow us to be reasonably comfortable in our retirement. Because in the long hall rich or poor we will all be in the same boat, looking over our shoulder.
THIS!!!
They are not included in the number so maybe give us a rest and go back to your own country…it’s their turn for your unwarranted arrogance
I am a Caymanian. I simply ask how many persons have been given PR. The statistics say 700, but the statistics are not accurate. 700 applicants AND their dependents have been granted PR.
No, just the applicant and Head of Household gets PR. His 4 year old daughter does not get a right to work. His wife does not necessarily get to work, and anyone working is still paying a substantial annual fee.
They all get PR. The right to work is a separate issue.
The PR stamp in head of household’s passport just means they can forego the work permit formalities and remain resident…paying their last fee, maintaining their investments, real estate portfolio, local training, and community involvement… not going to jail…until they can qualify to apply for Naturalisation at 10 years…and long afterwards, with 15 years continuous and loyal residence under their belt (if they stick around), maybe apply for Caymanian Status. Nobody’s in this for the pension perks or free healthcare. Two more check points before private-schooled dependent children (likely born in the Cayman Islands) head overseas to a top-tier university, apply for continuation of that Status at age 18 AND maybe return home afterwards to work or start a business. That’s a lot of inconclusive “ifs” to include in your headcount for the constricting labour market thesis.
What about the status applications?? I keep reading about all the P.R.’s but what about Status???? i know im still waiting on mine….
The reporting is incorrect. The legal challenges initially had nothing to do with the backlog. The system froze in 2013 after the board recognized changes to the points system were incapable of being applied without being arbitrary. The court challenges were not successful until 2015.
You are mixing up your court cases. The 2015 cases were when applicants whose PR application s had not been process d went for judicial review. But the process became unstuck years before when someone successfully applied for judicial review of a decision on their PR application which predates the new rules and the Chief Justice pointed out that the new system was unfair and arbitrary. Alden asked David Ritch to review the system, buried the report and the process of then reviewing all the Polisario s in an expedited basis began. The board “recognized” the system was arbitrary when they were handed a decision by the Grand Court saying it was.
there are not enough jobs as is why why why why why please stop
Caymanomics
There aren’t a fixed number of jobs! A lot of expats create jobs for themselves and for multiple others when they bring their international business here.
Now the applications for Caymanian Status begin.
Eventually…Naturalisation first…then CI Status application can be submitted AFTER successful Naturalisation, and 15+yrs. All the Xenophobes should really take the time to understand the full process.
Does one have to have one’s gene pool reduced and is it painful?
Slap a few million on the table and everything in Cayman can be bypassed
Woo! Can’t wait to vote.
Great news finally for those worthy and patient applicants! Glad to hear they hung in there while gov’t got scared straight! I’d say, welcome, but they’ve already made Cayman their home and have demonstrated contributions for 10 years! Hopefully many will become Naturalised and then eligible for Status before next election in 2021. We need more good people in the the voter pool.
They should be sure to remember Alden and those who stood with him while their rights were so flagrantly abused for so many years.
The voter pool is one thing, but at the end of the day you have to pick one of a very poor selection of candidates. Cayman needs to get rid of some the petty restrictions on Caymanians qualifying for office, like overseas travel and multigenerational qualifications, and encourage some of the extremely successful Caymanians in the private sector to put something back by taking on public office for 4 years. Imagine what we could do with a government composed of clever people who already made their money and are not in it for the salary or the “extras” and can’t be bought.
Arnold Schwarzenegger was governor of California, would be nice if naturalized here could run for premier too.
Like Roy? What has he done other than flip flopping?
Even the Government accounts are still not sorted out I think we read recently….
Hell yes Jotnar! All this generational, paper, Johnny come lately bs will be the death of Cayman. New blood and new ideas are what carries a place forward, not the same old all the time.
The rejection rate is higher then I expected considering some of the really unworthy people I know who were successful.
Do not worry. Appeals are underway.
Premier Aldart should always be remembered as the one who gave away the future of young Caymanians. I’m sure he’s looking after his own though.
I think Mr Bush did that long before Alden got in. Not that I like either of them. Just being objective.
Oh, self-pitying melodrama of the zero sum game economic caveman.