Local jobseekers ‘not suitable’
(CNS): Plans to vigorously enforce the part of the immigration law that call for ‘Caymanians first’ when filling job vacancies, using an improved online system, do not appear to be working for all jobseekers. CNS has received concerns from readers using WORC’s job portal who were told they are “not suitable” by employers, despite having the experience, qualifications and what they believed was a good interview. But WORC officials said they are working hard to make things better.
Several jobseekers have also told CNS that they are still experiencing significant difficulties finding the information they need and getting help from Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman (WORC) staff. However, many are reluctant to speak out as they fear it will undermine their chances of finding work.
But one jobseeker, George Ebanks, has documented his trials and is speaking out about the difficulties he has had navigating the job site and, above all, the problems that he had tracking feedback, a critical part of the system to ensure that employers are giving proper consideration to local jobseekers before they are granted a work permit.
Like other readers, Ebanks complained about the time and effort to get someone from WORC to help him and respond to his concerns. But he told CNS that one of the most difficult things to find was the feedback employers had given about interviews.
Ebanks said that when he eventually unearthed the comments one employer had given to WORC, he was astounded. He said that “it could not be anymore different” to his actual experience, given how well his interview went and “the positive direct feedback I received at the time of the interview”.
Ebanks said it appeared the job was already filled by a long-term work permit holder and the interview was essentially a “sham”. He maintained that the ongoing problem is perpetuated if employers are allowed to post inaccurate comments and declare that a Caymanian applicant “is not suitable” and “wouldn’t be a good fit”, when their experience and qualifications suggest otherwise.
Ebanks’ experience is similar to those related by other CNS readers who are applying for jobs posted in connection with a work permit renewal.
Employers are still very reluctant to give up workers who have been with them for some time, even for a suitable local replacement. While figures suggest that new vacancies create a genuine opportunity for locals to secure a position, the renewal issue remains a real problem and appears to be reflected in the latest WORC figures.
Between 1 June and last week, the number of jobseekers matched to employers was 220, which, given the current situation, is not unreasonable. However, this is a little more than one third of the number of applicants (599) who were referred to employers for jobs advertised on the portal.
There are currently 1,006 registered jobseekers, which includes the under-employed as well as unemployed. And there are 2,137 employers registered on the site, who have posted 663 active job vacancies.
Acting WORC Director Jeremy Scott accepted that there were still challenges with this new agency and the online system created to connect local jobseekers and employers. He said the unit had initiated further internal reviews of system functionality and engaged with decision makers to ensure that measures remain robust in meeting all legal requirements.
“When deciding on work permit applications, employers are required to disclose the number of Caymanians that applied for the position and should provide a justification for why they were not hired,” he said. “The applicant also has an opportunity to provide any information in response to the justification provided by the employer. These comments are then taken into consideration by decision makers.”
But challenges remain since work permit applications are still made on hard copy submissions, so WORC staff and the boards still have to manually check applications on the portal and jobseekers’ comments.
Scott said that during the last three months over 80 jobseekers provided employer feedback about their interview experience and they are currently being reviewed. And between January and August this year 86 work permits have been refused because local candidates were available.
“As captured in our vision statement, WORC plays the critical role of leading the pursuit of full Caymanian employment and economic prosperity for all through service excellence,” Scott told CNS. “As a result of COVID-19, WORC has faced many unexpected challenges but has been committed to continuing to deliver services to our customers remotely, thus aiding the Cayman Islands in its ongoing response to managing the impacts of COVID-19.”
Scott said they recognised and apologised for the delays people have been experiencing because of the high volume of queries received by the Customer Care team. “We are listening and working on ways to improve customer care efficiency and will continue to provide multiple channels for our valued customers to contact us,” he added.
He admitted, too, that the user experience on the portal, JobsCayman, has not been optimal. But through feedback from industry stakeholders and the public, progress continues on a new user-interface system, which is expected to be implemented towards the end of this year.
Scott said that in the meantime, WORC continues to assist employers to identify suitably qualified Caymanians as well as prepare Caymanian jobseekers for employment by providing training and development opportunities to prepare themselves to enter or re-enter the workforce or to enhance their existing skills.
Through a public-private partnership with various companies, WORC offers the Ready2Work and Passport2Success programmes, which provide training and development opportunities to a wide demographic of the Cayman population seeking employment. Both currently have cohorts running with a total of 26 participants and promotions for the next round will begin soon.
WORC’s Employment Services Unit also provides career counselling and workforce readiness assessment, which aide in identifying barriers that a jobseeker may have to employment.
Employers and jobseekers can contact WORC Monday through Friday 9am-4pm for more information or to make in-person appointments at Apollo House or scheduled meetings via Zoom.
Call 945-9672 or toll free at 1-800-534-9672
Email worc@gov.ky
Visit the WORC website
Category: Jobs, Local News
We can try and legislate morality, but it is a losing battle. The only way to insure fair treatment of workers is to give them the right to seek alternative employment.
I had a Filipino helper on a share with a Caymanian. I was the secondary on her permit. The primary permit holder treated this poor girl like a slave. She had her in tears daily. She refused to pay holiday or vacation pay, wanted her to work overtime for free. This poor girl was threatened with revocation of her permit if she didn’t comply. It is wrong. And if we want our people to excel we need to address the slave Labour issue. As long as people can hire foreigners for pennies on the dollar and treat them as property, Caymanians will not find jobs.
The law allows people in such positions to freely change jobs.
CNS I think replies end up kind of orphaned comments when you get “typing to fast” or whatever that error is and hit back browser..your reply box has move to bottom of page…not below the original comment.
CNS: I really appreciate the feedback.
Fix the website then fix the dump!!
What would the outcome be, if a new government was elected and their number one priority/directive to all Departments and Statutory Authorities was to enforce existing laws? Every single time. No exceptions. And all departments/authorities complied.
What would be the result?
Go.
More people would comply? You’re question is stupid.
That’s one possible answer. What else have you got?
Or could it be that life for Caymanians would improve?
Well, it would get worse for some Caymanians, either because they are breaking the rules or because they benefit from others being able to break them. Which may be why the rules are not enforced in the first place, of course.
@1:42pm. Now we talking!
I just went to the WORC site and found could not find a list of applicants and the positions they are seeking. Would that not be the first step? WORC does not need to post their personal information simply their resume and qualifications.
Resume and qualifications are personal information. Data protection law is relevant. Especially in a country so small that you can read someone’s resume and then take 5 minutes to figure out who they are.
Isn’t that the purpose of a job board?
Any suggestions on how employers can see who is available for work?
During the 1960’s on the eve of the civil rights explosion in the United States, the celebrated author Norman Mailer wrote “There’s a S… Storm coming “.
Batten down the hatches Cayman , I give this unsatisfactory situation until the next election .
But beware !We now a regiment to crack the heads of those who agitate for their rights.
I can’t believe someone like Mr Bodden who likes to say he is an academic could write that stupid last sentence (unless someone is trolling him).
Definitely someone trolling him.
Let us hope so 11:32 but I’m not so sure. Have you read all his political books?
you mean like the one that says buying votes is tolerable because it is part of our heritage…yeah i’m not sure its a troll either.
He may like to say it, but his vitriol bleeds through every time.
@6:02am..Mr. JA Roy Bodden..your insights into both our history and our current state of affairs are both erudite and profound.
I honor you, both as a statesman and as a long time personal friend.
6:02 am
I hope our people realize it was put in place mainly, because of the DP law. Colonization is a hell of a sting. Don’t let them pull the wool over your eyes or plug your ears, read between the lines people.
Troll alert
Employment agencies calling to say they have several vacancies, advertising jobs that are not available ‘Oh, that position has been put on hold for now but send in your updated resume’ Just to show WORC/Immigration they have Caymanians on their books? If WORC worked efficiently, get rid of agencies and stop them copying positions from WORC. How many agencies do you need on a small Island.
I was registered with a few agencies as a qualified accountant. Never got a call from some. Another, I saw jobs they were offering that match my criteria. No call. I called them and the agent said “oh, that is a job renewal”. Wow. Of course, I never got a job through the agency. I am not Caymanian but still the wrong nationality.
You will never get a job in accounting on this Island, especially if you are Caymanian, most just call it a different position to get a permit through or put so many qualification to the job which limit the field.
And the young recruiters that claim they can get you a job. bullshit.
They getting jobs for their friends and families up north!
They been on island for 3 months and dont have a clue. And we are expecting these same little 25 year old recruiters to get us jobs???
Get rid of them agencies!
Are you going to provide an ongoing revenue stream with processing yearly or bi-yearly permits…probably not right?
I see you are ageist and xenophobic. Nice combination!!
These are two qualities that will work against you while you are trying to be hired in a job.
to Saskia, Jeremy, Mervin, Austin, alden.mclaughlin, Winston, Governor’soffice
Dear all;
Your Excellency; Mr. Roper.
As I am simply exercising my DEMOCRATIC CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS, I am HEREBY DEMANDING TO KNOW IMMEDIATELY; by return email advice; IF THE WORK PERMIT BOARD or ANY INDIVIDUAL or COMMITTEE within WORC has seen fit to marginalize and OBSTRUCT an ABLE and QUALIFIED CAYMANIAN applicant, who applied for the above position in May 2020.
Sufficient EVIDENCE has been provided by myself to WORC to demonstrate that the employer/Bank even OPENLY BROKE THE EMPLOYMENT LAWS of the CAYMAN ISLANDS as well as SUBVERTED the entire SECTION 58 of the IMMIGRATION (Transition)LAW, 2018.
PRIOR TO MYSELF ESCALATING THIS MATTER ANY FURTHER TO A LABOUR TRIBUNAL and EVEN TO OUR COURTS OF LAW, I AM HEREBY DEMANDING TO KNOW BY 5:00PM LOCAL TIME today, the following:-
1. Whether WORC, any of its duly appointed BOARDS or a COMMITTEE thereof, saw fit to GRANT or APPROVE the WORK PERMIT for a FOREIGN NATIONAL, whilst a DOUBLELY QUALIFIED CAYMANIAN was “hoodwinked” by a WHOLLY COUNTERFEIT JOB INTERVIEW BY THE NCB (Cayman)Ltd bank;
2. IF THE WORK PERMIT for the wholly UNQUALIFIED EXPATRIATE INDIVIDUAL was indeed granted or APPROVED; ON WHAT BASIS WAS IT DONE;
3. WHETHER SOME “BLACK BOOK” OF UTTER DISCRIMINATION AGAINST MYSELF (AND OTHER QUALIFIED CAYMANIANS)EXIST WITHIN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OR THE VARIOUS WORK PERMIT BOARDS AGAINST CAYMANIANS IN GENERAL.
I await your urgent reply.
I remain, a DULY QUALIFIED CAYMANIAN SEEKING EMPLOYMENT COMMENSURATE with my QUALIFICATIONS and EXPERIENCE in order to PROPERLY PROVIDE FOR AND PROPERLY FEED MY YOUNG FAMILY; WHICH INCLUDES A FIVE (5)YEAR OLD DAUGHTER.
George R. Ebanks
DEAR CAYMANIANS/ FACEBOOK FRIENDS:-
I sent the above email letter to various Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman (“WORC”) about an hour ago.
I am awaiting their response as to WHETHER A WORK PERMIT WAS ALLOWED TO BE APPROVED BY THIS PROGESSIVE/ PPM Unity Led Government before really GETTING ANGRY here this evening!
Here you have a ABLE and QUALIFIED CAYMANIAN- in the name of George Robert Ebanks; with some 41 years of Senior Banking/ Trust and Corporate Finance experience and holding an MBA degree; BEING DISINFRANCHISED and DISCRIMINATED and MARGINALIZED IN HIS OWN GOD DARN COUNTRY BY AN INEXPERIENCED; UNQUALIFIED EXPATRIATE WORK PERMIT HOLDER.
SO, WHEN THIS GOVERNMENT and THIS newly created WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITIES and RESIDENCY CAYMAN (“WORC”); says; as per their Government’s approved mandate and Mission Statement that their job is to; and I quote….”PROMOTE, PROTECT and ENSURE THAT QUALIFIED CAYMANIANS gets FIRST CHOICE AT JOBS TO WHICH THEY HAVE APPLIED AND ARE QUAILIFIED”…let me tell you my personal and frank opinion as to what that means to me this afternoon; (as I SIT IN MY OWN GOD DARN COUNTRY BEING “HOODWINKED” by a “COUNTERFEIT INTERVIEW” conducted by NCB (Cayman) Limited against a QUALIFIED CAYMANIAN CANDIDATE)….here is what that all means-
IT IS ALL JUST PURE AND UTTER BULL-SHIT!
THIS GOVERNMENT.
THIS “WORC” newly created ORGANIZATION; couldn’t care a RATS ASS about us able and qualified CAYMANIANS WHO APPLY FOR THESE JOBS WHICH ARE HELD BY WHOLLY UNQUALIFIED EXPATRIATE WORKERS IN MY OWN COUNTRY!
-ENDS-
I heard back at 7pm..abit late but nonetheless a good reply.
THE PERMIT IS NOT GRANTED.
And let me tell NCB (Cayman) Ltd something through this medium.
IT WILL MOST LIKELY NEVER BE GRANTED.
WHY?…cause you conducted a totally “COUNTERFEIT job interview” with me.
And a host of other anomalies went on also.
THIS IS THE CAYMAN ISLANDS.
QUALIFIED CAYMANIANS COME FIRST!
And you can take that to the bank babygirl!
Using capitals like that is always a huge red flag.
Maybe he is pissed off?
You as a foreigner in this man’s domicile should be ashamed of your arrogant attitude.
Give it a break and bloody well leave it out.
The Caymanians are punishing under the hand of their own government.
Jeremy Scott is better than this, but it feels as though he has been set up to fail.
He may well be ‘pissed off’, it’s never a pleasant experience being told that you have failed to get a position you may want or need.
However, the posters rant only serves to illustrate his educational standard and clear bigotry towards someone he assumes to be an ‘inexperienced expat’.
Unfortunately this response is typical of some less informed Caymanian’s when they believe that their status gives them over-arching rights over those who are far better qualified, or of a different nationality or colour.
I hear the same rants on a daily basis, albeit in a different line of work. The appalling self entitlement of some is just mind blowing, yet they don’t seem to understand that the world is a big place, much bigger than Cayman, and that employers will maintain the right to choose the right person for the job.
If he has 41 years as a banker, he needs to realise that his time may have passed and that new blood is needed, he should also be able to demonstrate more professional qualifications than a mere MBA after so many years. Degrees are loose change in the modern era, anyone with a modicum of intelligence can get one, it proves nothing.
And I agree, if his composition and use of English is anything to go by; the recruiter made the right call. Just being Caymanian and ‘pissed off’ just doesn’t cut it in the 21st century.
Oh, and FYI, Caymans banks, their inefficient banking system and most of those who work in it are inept idiots who wouldn’t survive in the real world. Probably because the world has moved on from their outdated and self serving practices.
41 years of experience or 1 year of experience 41 times? Big difference.
7.40 I like the cut of your jib!
Not at all that simple….41 years of experience can be very little exposure for 41 years.
8:48 am
When last you checked, one bank in particular has 99o/o expats. Too sad that some of us can’t see the forest for the trees.
What makes you think I’m foreign?
This is a part of our problem. Rejecting what we don’t want to hear by assuming it comes from someone ‘other’ than us so we can ignore it.
‘pissed off”bloody well’ foreigner yourself?
@1:31am…that just shows you’re not a Caymanian; thus couldn’t care a rats ass about our/my rights as A CAYMANIAN CITIZEN with FIRST RIGHTS TO ANY JOB TO WHICH I’m qualified.
I too use bold, just to make sure you can see it a mile away as you go to the airport and bide us “bye bye” and go back to YOUR OWN SHORES.
I’m in my shores. And you darn right I’m gonna stand and fight till the last dog dies!
Wait, I thought you’re Cuban?!
Dude…I think I might know why you didn’t get the job. Also your caps-lock key is faulty.
Your comment here now guarantees that no one will ever hire you, even if you were the last man on the island.
The fact to he use his name should mean a lot.
He is piss, I am piss, soon many other Caymanians would be piss…
I believe you mean to say “he is pissed, I am pissed, soon many other Caymanians will be pissed”. Otherwise you are suggesting that you are urine.
you are probably right…
Dont listen to them George. The negative comments are the usual tactics to quieten you and all us Caymanians to simply be complacent and submissive because thats how foreigners have been taking everything from us for years…by insulting us when we take a loud stand.
I’m a Caymanian and I agree with what he said in his comment, but it was very unprofessionally written.
Mr Ebanks, you are no doubt a UK citizen,or a BOTC, and you have all the rights of such a person. Including human rights. There is a legal aid scheme in Cayman. You and about 5 or six other people should consult a QC currently in Chambers in the UK and get them to take the case on for you. Look for a good human rights Set-look at Chambers’ guide for this.
I can’t say more here but you must act, since writing letters has not worked. In other countries people use Twitter to effect change, and it has proven very successful. You must also consider boycotting any business that refuses to hire Caymanians. There are plenty of organised groups (like BLM) that can teach you to organise. Reach out to them.
All the best to you. Thank those brave ladies who ushered in human rights for gays. They allow you to look at the real Caymanian elephant in the room. Colours Cayman, can you help this cause?
The people working on the island now are NOT better than you. You must know in your heart that the only reason they are there, or the foremost reason, is to earn a salary that is tax-free in a warm climate! They are the lowest of the low. History will prove this.
Good luck Mr Ebanks. Sadly to say it’s not surprising that it is often Caymanians who benefited the rules when they were enforced, often are the abusers of the same now. Another case of “Not only must I succeed but everyone else must fail”.
It is not only professional qualifications which are condidered. The organisation needs to decide whether the applicant will be a proper fit. Will that person work well with others? What is the mental fitness of that person?
Lol, I wouldnt hire you 100%
Way way too much entitlement and self glorification..
Also seems like you dont know how to use the capslock on your keyboard…
@5:51am. But do you even belong here among us Caymanians? ?!!??
Caymanians won’t employ you either, George. There are reasons that go well beyond your being a Caymanian too.
Using all capital letters in an official letter or email is generally considered wildly inappropriate. So right of the bat you’ve got red flags everywhere and have immediately created a confrontational environment which anyone would assume makes you unprofessional.
Secondly…if you have 40 years of senior banking experience and an MBA (hopefully from somewhere good) why do you not already have a really good high-paying job?
Thirdly, how do you know the specifics of the expat and their qualifications? You know them personally? Or did someone leak confidential and privileged information to you?
How much better is this job than the one you have now? How much more salary?
Buddy with a caps lock like that and publishing your real name nobody reading this will ever hire you. Banker or not, that letter and attitude and all caps is incredibly unprofessional. You write a few of those at work and you’d be fired. No mystery at all why you didn’t get the job. Sorry
Which is going to work out better do you think? Persuading an employer that they want to hire you, or having the government bully them into doing so?
Good candidates don’t need enforcement. They make their own way.
You’re one of those idiots who calls enforcement bullying…your kind does need enforcement…you still try to get renewals through even though they are breaking the law don’t you?
Why haven’t you left yet? You speak ill of the locals and have looked down on us regularly. You say we have no culture and that the people here could not survive elsewhere. Yet you don’t seem to want to leave? You enjoyed the women and bought a house. Has it not sold yet?
I have interviewed you before, on the basis that we gave all Caymanians an opportunity to convince the employer that they had what it took. But you George applied for a job without having the credentials required in the reasonable advert, performed poorly at the interview (conducted by fellow Caymanians no less), and gave us no reason to consider you for employment. You might want to rethink your approach to working for a living. We have hired other Caymanians without the grief which you caused, all of whom lead active lives in promoting local recruitment.
@9:27am..state your name; as I do mine; then I might believe you did.
Otherwise; you’re talking pure and utter rubbish!
George next time you want to highlight key words when sending an email, use italic never full caps. Full caps come across as arrogant and confrontational
QED
Hi George
I think your grammar is frankly not perfect. Yelling and screaming on an online forum is virtually by definition unprofessional. You have been half crying, half spitting hate speech with no understand of to whom you’re speaking. Plenty of these people may be Caymanian and you’re ranting at them to go home. Others are probably expat but may have done plenty good for this country or the advancement of its citizens. You literally come off as crazy and unhinged. If this is your actual name, I wouldn’t let my family around you. Your words literally sound like someone who is a danger to others. That’s my style. So in the meantime, calm down, sit down, and since we’re throwing obscenities around STFU and work harder
How can they provide you with details of the when there is Data Protection? Also, what does one have to say about hiring persons convicted of fraud?? Just curious…
Breaking!
I got a reply at 7:00pm though. 2 hours late, but its contents, which are private and personal, makes me very happy.
The days of UNQUALIFIED EXPATRIATE INDIVIDUALS coming into MY ISLAND and TAKING MY JOBs..ARE BUT OVER!
Ponto final!
#OneHappyCaymanianAssKicker!
Same way you update on here, you should update Facebook, George
The overlaying problem is Government’s insatiable appetite for REVENUE from any and all sources.
They simply cannot afford to lose (give up?!)a single dollar in revenue. And work permit fees is estimated to contribute some $100 MILLION per year (2019/2020).
Caymanians, QUALIFIED or not, are on a dangerous conveyor belt. Headed South!
Paper Caymanian hear and when I came to Cayman for the first 10 years I was uncertain whether my permit would renew but I knew that was the rules of the country and I chose to live with that uncertainty.
Sadly Aldart has changed all that…expats sue for PR and expect continual permits until they can apply for it. I hope all Caymanian children are raised to know the weak lil man who gave away their rights and opportunities in their own country.
sb here
so true, I arrived in the late 90’s and there was no way you could change jobs on a WP and you were genuinely concerned at each renewal date – what happened?
Alden.
At least continue to use the work permit fees to provide a basic income for all caymanians actively seeking employment, or currently retraining.
You miss an important practical point: employers are actually anxious to take on and retain as many Caymanians as they can, not only to show government that they are doing so but also for the very good (and obvious) commercial reason that they don’t have to pay work permit fees for them.
But the applicants have to be right for the position. Paper qualifications, especially those from dubious sources, can be meaningless and irrelevant to whether the applicant fits the necessary criteria. I’ve known expatriate applicants with the very best degrees who could not string two words together in interview.
Don’t blame employers as if they’re all engaged in some evil conspiracy to do down Caymanians. Of course they’re not. They’re just businesses. Look, instead, critically at yourselves. A Caymanian applicant who presents well, is friendly, has no entitlement attitude and expresses a desire to learn will get a job, as they would in the real world. Are you one of those? Really?
This is true but, as an employer, there are other factors at play here. For example let’s say I have a colleague that I have worked with for many years. He is a competent senior manager with staff that respect him. Let’s say our wives are friends, our kids go to school together and play sport together on the weekends. Once every year or two years his work permit comes up for renewal and I have a statutory obligation to try and find a Caymanian that can take his job away from him. So we go through the process with a nudge and a wink but there is zero chance I,m going to replace him. That’s when people like George above get called in for an interview and can’t understand why they don’t get the job.
Exactly, well put!
Well put but also should be understood as acceptable. Regardless of being friends and the wives being friends having a senior manager who is a good leader who’s team respects and delivers is hard to find. Determining if a new hire can pull that off is almost impossible so it’s a huge dice roll to replace such a person. And arguably it’s detrimental to the company if the new person can’t perform. So since I am unable to determine 100% in an interview if the Caymanian is qualified for that task then I don’t have to hire them. Full stop. Being friends and wives being friends isn’t great optics when it comes to this topic, but it certainly doesn’t make this illegal.
This post just proved the inaccuracy of the post above. Caymanians are not put first, they are pushed aside so that expats like 2:19 can keep their little fiends around because their wives and kids are friends. Absolutely disgusting.
You miss a point….employers are NOT anxious to employ caymanians…they truly like the indentured nature of the work permit and often prefer working with their own countrymen and/or friends or family. The do not like nor know how to manage labour that can change jobs.
Nonsense. Simply not true, except perhaps a small minority of small business employers.
Exactly the opposite…permit fees are nothing to the big firms and the Cayman offices make money no matter what the usually expat managers do.
Government is one of the main snub holes. Too many students have applied and were not even showed common courtesy of a reply. People with masters have applied to the private sector as well and has never gotten a reply or may have had a fake interview.
The problem with employment here is, their are too many employment agencies and expat HRs who have status. They secure the jobs for their very own or their friends who are from across the pond.
I could elaborate about a CIG agency that has been hiring from an country only because of one of the persons connections. A
Oh the local HR’s are often as bad or worse.
My advice to WORC is to check all the previous advertisements and you will discover that advertisements change dependent on the permit holder in the position. You will also find qualifications And experience have been added that the permit holder does not posses just to further reduce the chance of a Caymanian applying.
These slimy machinations aren’t even new but WORC seems to have no idea. How about chumming by agencies to see who applies and then changing requirements to exclude?
Do these Caymanians struggling to find jobs have criminal records? A history of “job hopping”? WORC should look at those struggling to find work to see if there is a common denominator. No one wants to spend time training someone only to have them leave and have to start all over again. No one wants to hire someone with a history of theft or assault- those are some people WORC has to offer. I actually find it unfair that WORC forces employers to enter into the system why some of these people aren’t hired (which the applicant sees, and can respond to), especially if they have records of violent behavior.
Typical rant/excuse for not hiring locals. Why not look at your fellow expats track record of job hoping?
Actually it is a very valid point. If someone has changed jobs year after year after year, that shows a red flag in the employer’s eyes. It shows that the person can potentially be unreliable or not cut out for the job – no work ethic
8:11 am
Criminal records? How many work permit holders are here with criminal records? Didn’t the RCIP have criminals employed? Were they caymanians? How about those who have been deported from across the pond and are employed here., aren’t they criminals.?.
When will our government install the finger printing machine, which would answer a number of our questions.,and assist your sarcasm.
The fix, with some tweaks and additions is to bring into force the EMPLOYMENT LAW of 2004. This will not cure all the ills, but will damn sure address a great number of them. But, there is no cojones and testicular fortitide to disrupt the establishment.
Why would bringing the Employment Law into force change anything? The Traffic Law and the Immigration Law have both been in force for decades. They are ignored, with near absolute impunity. New laws are not what we need. We cannot even be bothered with the ones we have.
7:52 pm
Aldart and his disciples made the change to disenfranchise us for the expats gain. Time for a rude awakening and claim this country we call home.
6:22 say when and where, I’ll be there 100%
We need to rise up.
8:56 am
I am praying that our younger people take the bull by the horn and deal with the discrimination. Provide all the help they need to clean the slate. Don’t forget to vote out the slime sellers of this place we call home.
As an employer I do not want to replace a known employee with an unknown person. Especially if the existing employee is doing a good job. Really if Caymanians want to level the playing field work permit holders should have portability. They should be able to move from business to business within their work permit constraints. If one leaves a company the new company should reimburse the prior permit holder. That way we alleviate the slave labor aspect, and have more fluid movement of intellectual capital. More of a green card situation, but limited to the field specified in the initial permit. Just my two cents.
Agreed with portable permits however NO way can they be guaranteed. Caymanians must be given an opportunity in their own country…why can’t you and your employer accept that a permit is not guaranteed and they should try to find a permanent solution.
The huge annual cost of a work permit is a strong incentive to hire a Caymanian wherever possible. All other things being equal the Caymanian will always get the job. One issue is the quality of education here. It’s just not good enough, and without that foundation it’s hard to get that first job and use that to gain experience and climb up the ladder. Another issue is the employment laws. As an employer if you hire an expat and it doesn’t work out it is very easy to get rid of them. Cancel their WP and they’re gone. But it is extremely difficult/impossible to separate from a bad Caymanian employee, and believe me they know it! As a result there are strong incentives for expats to perform, and almost none for locals. It’s a vicious circle.
You’re wrong…I’ve been on the hiring side and company pays the permit so we don’t really care…it is barely a blip in our expenses.
Actually, I have zero work permit employees. I have always been able to find qualified Caymanians, so I have never needed to do permits. I am just trying to objectively address an issue with logic.
The logic is that the rules were in place when you decided to do business or open an office in Cayman….so yes it would be easier for you if you were allowed any permits you wanted but that’s not where you set up shop.
@7:49pm..so you think work permit holders have an “entitlement of sorts” to be here!!!??..do you really think this sort of discrimination against locals, in their own country could go on in YOUR own country!!??
The discrimination in the law is in favor of the locals and still the likes of you moan.
Aww you can’t read can you? We are moaning as the law (which is and should be in the favor of the citizens) is not being applied or enforced.
It surely does.
If you were in my country legally with a work visa you get all the same rights as I do as a citizen with the exception of being able to vote.
Same rules for buying a house, getting a mortgage, getting and keeping a job. Same price (if not better) for university and scholarships for your kids. Same (good) public schools. In my country employers are not allowed to question your immigration status when considering you for a job so you’ll be golden. You get literally every benefit and protection as I do except for voting. You can change jobs, or lose a job and collect unemployment benefits. Your children born on my country’s soil are citizens instantly and forever.
Don’t for one second think that people coming here have it easier than you would have it in their home countries. Doesn’t mean our laws at home should rule here by any means. But don’t spit this nonsense about how bad it would be if the tables were turned.
Are permit holders allowed to disenfranchise Bermudans?
OK, so many do not have the skills to get jobs… CIG will now change the qualifications so “they are qualified.” And we wonder why Cayman cannot govern itself – they cannot EDUCATE itself!
Ya Ya, criticize this, but just look, read and educate yourself on the sorry state of our government, committees and policies. Nothing but corruption, inept, uneducated officials that WE elect. Want to cast blame, look into a mirror of Cayman! We hold blame, and only we can correct this mess.
If permit holders were not afraid of losing their job they would report the many illegal practices that they allow their employers to get away with.
Many permit workers are not paid overtime, get short paid, pay for their own health insurance, have pension contributions deducted from salary but not deposited in pension accounts, and are bullied and abused at work.
Caymanians expect employers to act within the labour law while expats will look the other way rather than jeopardize their permit. Equality in the work environment is not the same for expats or locals depending on their socioeconomic status.
WORC need to re-educate their applicants and review resumes. Most of them are job hopppers who spend 1-3 months on a job. Thats a waste of an employer’s resources and time. Employees need to understand that they have contracted their employment skills for money as after 1-2 weeks they become very complacent and lose interest.
WORC has been doing nothing but working to make it easier for employers to circumvent the law…what they need to do is start fining you on an officer level for every permit application not made in good faith or consistent tight the spirit of the laws.
No sure i agree with this. I have a Caymanian friend who owns a small company, which requires working outside all day. For this type of job it also requires the employee to be knowledgeable about and to be able to handle chemicals, as such the employee is required to either have previous knowledge about this or a decent amount of time being trained to use such chemicals. He advertised the job vacancy on WORC as required, no this was not a work permit renewal, and his preference would have been to hire a Caymanian so he didn’t have to pay work permit fees (small company). No one responded to his advert so he had to look elsewhere and found someone else. He applied for a work permit and it was refused, reason being they had someone who “fit the bill”. “Great” my friend thinks, although why did no one respond.
It turns out the guy WORC thought was a great fit, was someone who was actually applying to work in the finance industry! This guy rocks up on the 1st day to be trained to use the chemicals and how to do the job and grumbled all day about it being too hot. He never showed up again, leaving my friend and the 4 other Caymanian workers he hires to bear an additional work load.
I am all for hiring us Caymanians 1st, however one cannot just blame the employers.
I think that needs to go on that worker’s record at WORC….same as employers who intentionally exclude Caymanians with unnecessary requirements…bad actors.
WORC has been doing nothing but working to make it easier for employers to circumvent the law…what they need to do is start fining you on an officer level for every permit application not made in good faith or consistent with the spirit of the laws.
@5:57pm…I tend to agree with you there. Some are a difficult bunch. I’ve seen an “in house trained” local leave a fairly good paying job to go to another job, all for a meager. 75cents an hour!
Can you explain how he did that, 3:12? Hint: the problems you and others are highlighting on this thread about Caymanians and jobs have been going on for at least the 50 years I’ve been here when Alden was about 5 years old.
Not to the extent they are now…Alden’s policy is permits for whomever can pay (“I like giving management level permits as it creates lower level jobs”)…. I was looking during this time and if you did get and interview it bordered on abusive….one slimy agency indicated a position was no longer being considered and then readvertised slightly different title in a paper with very little distribution…immigration didn’t care..it was a bit work permit fee.
WORC you have the ample opportunity to do it right. There will be no excuse for hundreds of Caymanians to be unemployed 6 months from now.
Maybe this is just a job for you and your monthly salary is guaranteed but please learn the skill of EMPATHY and ensure that this process of getting Caymanians back to work is done right and long term.
IF Caymanians continue to be classed as second class citizens and continue to be overlooked for jobs that we are certainly willing, able, qualified, and ready to do, fed up Caymanians will create social unrest that Cayman has never seen.
This will be worse than COVID-19. Get it right WORC for the sake of the emotional, economical, social, and psychological well-being of ALL Caymanians NOT just a few in your network of your family, friends and socialites.
Other than the Global Recession and destruction of our local economy. If six months from now we only have a few hundred Caymanians unemployed and people aren’t facing foreclosures and worse, I will be very happy.
My Caymanian peeps, dog nyam unuh supper for those currently unemployed for whatever reason. You see, our CIG is currently and for the foreseeable future, not going to be reaping profits from tourism. Sadly, that means even if there is a job you’re perfectly suited and qualified for, that job will go to the work permit holder, as that fee is what’s helping the CIG stay afloat. This however is not the fault of the WP holder, it’s our Governments lack of vision to always be so dependent on work permit revenue. Remember, everybody is looking for betterment no matter the nationality.
Where should I send your income tax filing form since you prefer to support a different revenue raising measure. I am sure you are happy to be taxed for 25% of your income to do your part to help Cayman…
Staffing /employment agencies are bad. Everywhere. They think they are experts. They are not. In fact, they are people who didn’t succeed in real professional world.
A friend, exceptionally bright, experienced and licensed professional moved from the west coast (USA) to east coast. She took few months off for her father was ill.
When she returned to job market, she went through hell with employment agencies and was ready to take an entry level job. She was mentally exhausted. Then she got a financial director of an international company job. On her own.
They are often wash ups from industry that aren’t getting renewed.
This is the next issue that the governor needs to address with urgency.
Yes. I also think that this will have to come from the Governor. Shame!
It’s been 8 years of Alden that caused this. For at least that long Caymanian applicants for jobs are routinely and unfairly ignored. Any prosecutions? No. Why not?
If people dont wipe their ass properly, they blame Alden.
Not true. Alden’s Immigration Department has allowed abuse after abuse. Some of the breaches so overt they are crimes. And yet no prosecutions. That cannot happen without “Ministry Assistance.”
Agreed, CIG can’t/won’t find a solution – Wait for Mommy/Daddy (UK/Governor) to change our diapers and clean up our messes. Very discouraging. And we wish to be respected, what a joke.
Long since past time to examine the useless and inefficiency of people running WORC.
I suppose you can do better?
Yes! We could!
A dead iguana sitting at a desk would be better.
Will employers will be FORCED to hire undesirable people with the job experience?
Well many employers think Caymanians are undesirable as they have freedom of movement…so YES…and you have freedom to go back home 🙂
7.51pm Yes- you also have the freedom to look for a job in the UK where there’s far more work up for grabs.
and buh-bye
What if I don’t want to go to the UK?
@5:57pm…I tend to agree with you there. Some are a difficult bunch. I’ve seen an “in house trained” local leave a fairly good paying job to go to another job, all for a meager. 75cents an hour!
That .75 cents may have been meager to you but it could have made the world of difference for them. Furthermore, you never know what could have been occurring behind the scene that caused them leave.
I have had several applications and interviews with “qualified” applicants.
One lied about their current work status. One had no experience other than someone showing them something once upon a time. One tried to hide a very sketchy work history.
One worry is that you hire a Caymanian, to replace a loyal long time permit holder, and they only stay a couple of months or they know much less than you were led to believe.
The old school thinking is that a good employee already has a job and in the of chance they were laid off they will have a lineup of employers knocking at their door.
These are the rules of the country that you chose to operate in….others managed well…if you can’t that’s a reflection of your limitations.
But if the “rules of the country you choose to operate in” are bulls..t, then that is YOUR limitations. CIG/Cayman needs to come into the current century with all it’s realities!
You want to regress into a bug-infested, back-water, third-world oasis with beaches and pristine reefs that nobody will come to see (with their $$$ that you still like), that opportunity is there for you! (Oh, your children will need to to learn how to clean conch, carry smudge pots and actually do a days work…)
You know little pathetic scared men like you have been saying that for decades…and we’ve grown and prospered complying with the same “bulls..t” most other countries also employ….go home lil man.
What flight are you leaving this backwoods on? I want to come say goodbye, give you a rum cake and a pair of whompers to send you on your merry way you pompous donkey…
No others have not managed so well. How many businesses here failed almost instantly during the pandemic? How many fail constantly because they’re so poorly run?
You know nothing about business…newer businesses or expanding businesses often don’t have a nest egg to ride out sudden and unexpected downturns…I mean who anticipated the devastation of Cov19?
Youre hilarious. I cant even count in the past 30 years how many expats ive known here with fake resumes, kob experience and otherwise but employers for some reason take their CVs or verbal accomplishments at face value. No background check, no proof required and youre gonna talk about a Caymanian that has embellished a little!
@3:13pm…surely that’s got to be the exception. Not the rule.
Caymanians, duly QUALIFIED and able to work MUST COME FIRST, EACH AND EVERY TIME, in their own country BoBo!
And those who don’t like it. Well, there’s the airport. And there’s an available outgoing jet plane waiting for you too!
Shouting about it in capital letters won’t change the fact that you cannot force private businesses to give you money. That’s why these stupid laws don’t work and never will. To get at their money you have to have something they are willing to pay you for. If they aren’t buying your skills then you need to either lower the price or improve the product. Blaming politicians or WORC, acting entitled and ranting and raving like a fool might make you feel better but it is not going to help you.
what a self service load of crap…these laws don’t work as they aren’t enforced.
Oh shut it expat trash 4:22. Running your mouth in affairs that do not concern you.
The “product” and the price are fine, the problem is to we are not “slaves” and we don’t take employers bull-shit.
Also there is the law: “Caymanians are first”,
if you don’t like it – the airport is open for you as well…
B/W similar law is taking place in UK after 1st Jan 2021 but there will be pointing system
@4:22am. Have you considered that he’s writing in BOLD LETTERS so curls like you can easily read what he’s writing? ??!!?
I can’t speak for all companies, but law firms, yawningly conservative and innovationless, want a similar culture match at board, Partner and exec level. White males, usually from the UK, or UK-educated, at the top make decisions. They hire people like themselves.
Caymanians doing admin, Or tech support. Maybe a token Caymanians lawyer or Acting partner. Jamaicans cleaning.
The work permit fee is peanuts for the big companies. Legal secretaries, usually female, Young, single and expat, are often more inclined to work longer hours than a local. Locals are likely to have family and neighbourhood and church commitments; and possibly less desire to work themselves to exhaustion for a company who doesn’t care about them.
The Caymanians are, however, less likely to be fired as the companies need to employ them to stay in business.
Then the resulting work environment for both Caymanians and expat workers.
When I got to Cayman, I was shocked at how derisively expats talked about locals. And how entitled most expats were, even as they accused Caymanians of being entitled.
Until Caymanians are in partnership positions as the norm, the big employers will continue to find ways to usher in expats that look and sound like they do.
I see efforts to support younger Caymanians, internships and scholarships.
But I’ve never seen active headhunting of locals for positions – have you?
How awesome if a law firm plucked one of the hardworking, no-nonsense, super experienced, older Caymanian ladies from their dead end admin job Or civil service role, and put them on the board.
Walkers, Harneys, Maples et al – what are you afraid of?
Some Law Firms are not afraid of anything. Alden granted them immunity from the Law. Winston Conolly tried to call him out. Talk about night of the long knives.
All these firms you mention, S 3:12, have many many Caymanian employees, some are very, very good some are useless but have to be hired because, well, they are Caymanian. BTW, your post sounds a bit “ungenuine” to me.
How many of the Caymanian employees became Caymanian after they started to work there?
None, 7:53.
That’s funny. I know many equity partners of Cayman firms. None of them had even ever visited Cayman 25 years ago.
Your comment makes sense until the second-last paragraph. You’re looking for innovation from an older Caymanian lady in the civil service? And you think she is qualified to be on the board of a global law firm? I’m all for diversity and agree that these firms would benefit from making up more Caymanian partners but come on…
This deeply ageist and sexist comment is the reason Cayman is in the state it is in.You are all for diversity? You sure could have fooled me. What a prick you must be in real life. No doubt you are an aging white man yourself. Please know if I ever meet you face to face I will be glad to kick you in the balls.
Making up more Caymanian partners? You jest. Give a couple of examples from the last 8 years. Hell, I’ll even accept someone granted status, provided they were a child when they became Caymanian. Go on. Tell me who has been “made up.”
They do not exist. The conduct of some law firms is actually criminal. No repercussions, ever.
CAYMANIAN PARTNER in a GLOBAL LAW FIRM … a lawyer whose qualification (if received here in Cayman) are not even worth the paper that it is printed on ???
While the plethora of White Male UK educated Lawyers needs to change the next option is not a Truman Bodden Graduate …
This couldn’t be more wrong. Law firms are desperate to hire Caymanian lawyers. If you have a law degree and can read and write you are basically guaranteed a job. Similarly for secretaries.
You are right about one thing – firms will hire people even when they are clearly not up to the job (and keep them even when they demonstrate no interest in learning or even turning up on time/at all) because it’s impossible to get permits for good lawyers/secretaries if you don’t. It then costs a fortune in lost productivity and paying someone else to do the same job. Many people just regard it as a cost of doing business in Cayman.
When you load the dice so heavily in favor of Caymanian applicants don’t be surprised when some of them take advantage to do nothing. When you have such a small population, a disproportionately large legal sector and a global talent pool to compete against don’t be surprised if Cayman can’t supply all the required employees. Cayman can’t turn out uniformly brilliant lawyers. Some lawyers are just not up to it (wherever they’re from). In fact, statistically, exactly the same percentage from Cayman as the US, UK, Canada etc. If you want to hire the top 10 or 20% a lot of people will be disappointed – as they are everywhere else in the world.
There are obviously many great Caymanian lawyers and secretaries – but don’t pretend this is caused by ‘expat employers’. If you think that you’re deluded.
Absolute, unmitigated Bullshit.
Ever been to a law firm?
More than two decades. Caymanian after Caymanian applicant for the most senior positions not even disclosed to the immigration authorities.
The articulacy of your response reflects the quality of your argument.
11.37pm – “Articulation”!.
No – articulacy: the quality or state of being articulate (or in this case the lack of it).
woooo…look who discovered thesaurus.com…Mr Pompous Ass
Er, the articulacy of your response reflects the quality of your argument…
I wonder how many Caymanians have a law degree from an accredited school in the UK? I mean, how many are there actually. A dozen maybe?
Accredited? The BSb and Sra accept hundreds of law schools so please explain which school you are complaining of.
Hundreds.
Gee, I think we all know what the poster was talking about. No pay to play accreditation accepted, no caribbean schools, no for-profit schools, no stand alone schools, no diploma mills, no correspondence schools, just respected schools with tenured faculty, recognized journals, a track record of accomplished graduates.
No Caribbean schools! Wow!! Please tell that to the CJ and half the people on the CA. Nasty racist British. Mi cyaan tek unno.
Thing is the CJ wouldn’t get a job at Maples. When you can select people from top schools, you need a real good reason to look elsewhere.
This cannot be a serious question. The answer is, as the comment below states, hundreds. There are around 20 articled clerks at any one time alone, all of whom become fully qualified lawyers at the end of their training. There are 200-300 Caymanian lawyers practising I believe (we are something like 1/4 to 1/3 of the local profession), and many more Caymanians have law degrees only or are pursuing the next stages of qualification after getting the degree. So, yeah, your question is either not serious or you know so little about the industry that you’re not qualified to participate in the discussion.
Well, so there are 200-300 practicing Caymanian practicing lawyers. That narrows it down a good bit. So how many educated at a good school?
It works both ways, try applying through WORC for a Civil Service job as an expatriate even with status.You can be well over qualified but there is zero response either from WORC or the Civil Service.Nepotism is and always has been ramapant there and the primary qualification is who you know or are related to. Without this connection you hear nothing and might as well whistle in the wind.
This is more prominent on the Brac. A little less now on Grand Cayman.
Boy is that true! Don’t get me started…
I’m positive that this happens. However, many Caymanians overlooked for a position are so, because they are actually unsuitable.
You are clearly not Caymanian if you think that.
Having a degree doesn’t mean anything. Cayman works by who you know not what you know. I am a Caymanian and I am ashamed most days to say I am. Where else in the world do you go and see educated, skilled unemployed people in the homeland? I’ve had interviews and the feedback has been great but I am jobless. And don’t say we’re lazy, or we’re not good enough because I am. But I don’t know the big shots and I ain’t apart of lodge and my family name ain’t got power behind it. Alden where are you? Why are you hiding? You cried when a voice note called the governor and his wife a name and you were on national tv apologizing. How come your not out here fighting for us young Caymanian people? Can I come see you? Can I ask you to help me get a job? How come you ain’t got that energy bobo to help ya own?
Everyday there working on fixing the portal and hold on it will get better. But I have to find money to buy credit to call 100 times without a call back. And don’t tell me to go to NAU because if we’re speaking truth have u ever heard or seen how they speak to people? How they treat you? Can I tell CUC and Water company hold on the system got glitches and I trying get a job? Can I tell the banks I soon pay but the system being worked on and I trying find a job?
When the excuses going stop? When Am I A CAYMANIAN, will be able to live comfortable in my own land?
WHEN?
Sometimes a bad attitude will exclude you from good opportunities. I can feel your attitude in this post and even if justified you need to find a way to get past it.
I have hired young Caymanians and many of them have been excellent and even moved on to better and greener pastures. All of them humble and hard working eager to learn and prosper because of that.
I have also hired young Caymanians with very poor attitudes who perhaps grew up with helpers and thought life didn’t require effort. They acted like they were above the position or not willing to be told when what and where to do things.
Education only opens the doors. You have to find a way to get through the door and into the open spaces.
Geez what a special gift you must have but didn’t you “feel” their “attitude” when you hired the ones “with very poor attitudes”? Oh and “Education….blah blah blah…”.
Not too happy with your attitude either…
ok that was good 🙂
Would be interested to know what industry this person wants a job in – would help if I can
Congratulations. The good and the bad exist in every country.
Conceptually brilliant. Poorly executed with crap grammar, spelling mistakes and an attitude that would guarantee you joblessness anywhere in the world. Sorry. Harsh reality. 99% of success comes from effort and attitude. Problem is, you misinterpreted the type of attitude needed.
@8:00pm.
Don’t you find or have you observed recently that the meek among us are getting it stuck into them rather deeply!?
So, those Caymanians who feel exploited and discriminated against, they had better be prepared to speak the hell up!
Or else be thrown table crumbs!
Not I, said I.
The system is rigged and will remain rigged unless the government is willing to take a stand. I have seen requirements for jobs that include skills that have absolutely nothing to do with the job in question. They were simply added to dissuade Caymanians from applying for the positions. Additionally, if the government would simply give the person that the job is being held for a skills assessment test they would quickly realize that the whole this was a fraud.
Independent skills assessment testing should be given to all work permit holders and employers banned from applying for work permits for a set period of time if they have made false representations in an attempt to secure a work permit.
Oh yea, same old crap. Whether in person or online the system is not working properly. I wonder who interviewed some of the staff at Worc. Do they even know that they are suppose to answer their phones or at least return a message. What exactly they are doing all day? Another thing the word xenophobic has no business in this subject. It does not matter one bit whether we like foreign nationals or not, this is not a personality/ popularity contest, this is about a non national or /Caymanian HR person (some of our own are very guilty of skulduggery too) not giving a fair interview and review and purposely preventing a Caymanian from getting a job. I know how it usually go with them because I had to deal with them in the past. WORC should be targeting these issues and putting a stop to it. Some of these HR persons repeatedly overlooked certain temps over others. By the way they also have inefficient non nationals on their roasters too so please do not get smug and believe that they are all work ready!!
Another thing- what happened to Ms. Roulstone?
Ms. Roulstone? What about Ms. Evans? What about Ms. Davis?
Sometimes they also have two pay scales- one for locals and one for expats! They will go to any length to get a non-national!!
Why is that?
People just like to hire their friends or is there a business reason that keeps coming up?
This must be an urban legend. Why would any employer bother hiring an expat that they have to pay a work permit fee for when they could hire a local if the local is similarly trained/experienced. That would not be good business sense.
The situation is much more nuanced than you think. The bottom line is this: the people in charge are interested in running a successful business which maximizes profits and maybe, just maybe do some good for their employees and their community. Paying a work permit fee or even employing a few token locals with no real expectations that they pull their weight, are a cost of doing business which is often much less than the alternative (ie having to rely on locals as your workforce & dealing with the associated BS, including the risk of having Ezzard blast your name on the radio after talking with 1 of your disgruntled ex-employees). While some employers do actively avoid hiring Caymanians…most don’t really care who they hire. They want to look after their business and hiring expats is often times easier & cheaper (even with added work permit fees) way of doing that
You tell me why an employer would bother hiring an expat …………… some employers twist themselves into a pretzel to do exactly that. I am cognizant that not all employers are of this mindset but there are still too many who do so and having no consequence to bear. Until immigration department and WORC get their act together and seriously fix this anomaly it will continue to go on. I was hoping that things would get better.but the only difference is that some employers are bettter at lying and hiding the facts. Caymanians it is time to get out on the street and demonstrate. If you are unemployed you now have the time to get out there day after day and do not stop until this discriminatory action stops. Time to make good trouble!!
It’s been the norm for years…Westin, Ritz Carlton, Marriott and Kimpton just to name a few from my personal experience with their blatant discrimination.
I’m sorry my friend but you’re wrong. I worked at one of the above mentioned hotels and I can tell you the HR department vigorously upholds Caymanian interests with regards to this issue. Every single Caymanian who applied for a job no matter what their resume looked like received an interview. I personally hired two caymanians to fill one post because I liked them both and got funding to increase staffing just for that reason. And that post was open because an expat rolled over and I promoted a Caymanian to fill his job. Those hotels are barred by their confidentiality policies to disclose the number of caymanians they employ but I know what the number is for the one I worked at and it is shockingly high. After everyone always throws those companies under the bus to know the percentage of locals actually employed there would embarrass you.
Also of note is that none of those hotels are tiny little rinky dink mom and pop inns. They’re the big leagues. The RC is the most recognized luxury brand in the world and that hotel is one of their highest performing. They don’t get there by hiring every Tom dick and Harry that took a culinary course from UCCI and said “I’m ready to be your director of food and beverage”. Businesses have value to create and they can’t do that when you hamstring their hiring process and force them to hire unqualified people and jump up and cry that you didn’t get the job you’re “totally qualified for”.
Guess what: I’ve interviewed for jobs I was qualified for too and didn’t get them. Because someone equally or greater qualified convinced the hiring managers they were a better candidate. It happens. Literally all the time to everyone. I promise there isn’t a soul on earth who got every job they ever interviewed for. People here are frustratingly blind to the reality of the job seeking process. Sorry but it’s the truth.
Sorry. Not true. Ask enforcement.
Yes true. I worked there. Saw firsthand and have no reason to lie. That doesn’t mean we didn’t get a ton of completely unqualified people interviewing that got turned away. I had one guy show up an hour late for an interview in ripped jeans and a t shirt. Wouldn’t take his sunglasses off indoors and had one word answers to every interview question i asked him. He had zero relevant job experience whatsoever and the job posting was not entry level. I’m sure he’s on here complaining about this.
Ps. I hired another Caymanian for the job. I’m sure however the first one still thinks he was wronged.
8:34 Everyone knows that is a lie. They do NOT like to hire local and go out of their way not to do so.
Why would I lie. I don’t work there anymore and couldn’t care less what their reputation is. I also never said anything about liking the idea of hiring locals I just said they did it and they do. Of all the private employers on island I would bet that The hotel I worked at has some of the highest percentages of caymanians.
Why would I lie? I don’t have a horse in the race, just trying to shed some light. But you know better right?
See? Contrived reasons as my other post suggested! Xenophobia is one! People like Anonymous 19/8 1:15pm choose to ignore the reality that there is fault on both sides and the young Caymanian without a good employment future is the contingent liability while Government on one hand and employers on the other count the profits!
Roosters coming home!!
You can thank Alden the Destroyer for that. Read the resulting comments and you will see how the expatriate has become the entitled.
He should have exerted some of his free time on sorting the WORC problem out, but apparently he’d rather use his time for other things!!
Good luck complaining to a corrupt government (installed by Caymanians) that subsists on uninterrupted work permit revenue. The right hand doesn’t seem to care about the left hand. Worse, it’s doubly exploitive in that our Caymanian employers prefer to pay more just to retain the upper hand leverage of having a work permit to threaten to withdraw! Fact!
yawn….if you are good enough you will get the job.end of story.
if you have been discriminated against, there are numerous legal and statutory remedies.
show me the cases where employers have been proven to be wrong.
Bullshit! You do not see the cases (and there are many) because the authorities are complicit. The statutory remedies are a farce. How does a Caymanian appeal where a work permit is granted without the authorities even being told they applied?
Our desire to ensure that suitably qualified Caymanians get good jobs is impacted by factors on both sides of the issue – unqualified applicant and employers giving and holding cherry-picked posts for friends or friends of friends, regardless of work permits fees (which Government is happy to accept as “necessary” revenue). The percentages of each these factors are too high, but what…….? Same old story, day after day; year after year.
On the one hand, our failed education system and the “entitlement” attitude of some Caymanians are squarely to blame. Then successive Governments’ reliance on WP fees, thus creating little reason for suitable Caymanians to be assured a fair chance of employment in the workforce. Further, long and successive inaction on enforcing requirements for developing Caymanians with a view of replacing WP holders in due course. Then of course is the gorilla which some sectors choose to ignore while they blame the previous 3 factors and invent more – that is the employers who have no intention of hiring Caymanians for various reasons, real or contrived, but sometimes seemingly even prejudicial. Yes, that attitude exists here among some employers.
So it’s a multi-faceted issue which cannot have one single approach to solve. However, how can attitudes, processes, and actions proceed in any beneficial and balanced direction when the root issue is the education system which continues to be a “plaything” for each successive administrations who change and pare and re-structure and revise and “modernize” and, in fact, continue to screw-up school curricula and go around in circles while dumping unqualified and unprepared children in the workforce to fail!!
Don’t they see that the roosters have to come home to roost??
Why is it necessary for workers to be registered to SEE the positions? This wasn’t the case when positions were advertised it the paper. Is it merely so employers can develop their requirements AROUND the available skills. How about actually fining employers that still try to push through work permit?
This will never stop. Every professional firm those in charge (usually not Caymanians or Caribbean) the new employees are usually friends of those in charge.
The truth is that once a good employee is found, why on earth would any employer want to get rid of them for someone – even if it “seems” they may be a good fit – and then later find out that they made a huge mistake? This goes for both expats AND Caymanians. Nobody wants to get rid of great employees.
It’s a tough call.
I think that to be fair to everyone, NEW hires should be open to all, but then WP RENEWALS are just that – renewals. It’s really not fair to the Caymanian to be on a job interview for a job that doesn’t exist. It’s a waste of everyone’s time involved and it’s really not good to the psychological effects of the Caymanian that is being interviewed. It’s actually quite disrespectful.
Renewals are not guaranteed…these are the rules of the country you chose to operate in…Caymanians coming back from school or even seeking advance need to be given those opportunities.
Stop saying what the law says. Renewals are guaranteed, and you know it.
ok how about..Renewals are not supposed to be guaranteed..
OK. That’s more like it.
Yeah, but you are unlikely to be a better candidate than the person with the actual on the job experience for however many years.
Think of expats as holding the place until a qualified caymanian can come in at the same level they did.
It’s the law, that is why. The governor you have will really be earning his keep this time around. Blessings to him.
LOL. The law? Been here long?
Not exactly no it’s not. You have to advertise and consider qualified caymanians. However after the wp holder has had the job for say two years they will by definition have two more years of experience. So say the first advert required 5 years experience, the renewal can say 7 and that’s reasonable frankly. Additionally that person now has experience with the specifics of that exact business which is of value and hence can go in the advert. If a given Caymanian wasn’t qualified two years ago, how could they be now? They’re playing catch-up. So it means it’s got to be a different more qualified Caymanian who frankly probably already has a good job. The law is vague because “qualified” is a very subjective term. At the end of the day a business owner does t have to hire anyone, Caymanian or expat, if they don’t want them on the team. And frankly the entitled attitude and job hopping mentality is what gives many employers significant reasons to resist hiring a Caymanian just because they’re Caymanian.
I’ve hired caymanians before, plenty of times because they were qualified and I believed them to be good candidates and they were. I’ve also seen plenty hired by colleagues Just because it was an admin role and the applicant was Caymanian…never ending revolving door.
I’ve worked in three businesses here and hired caymanians at all three. Every single one is still employed or has been promoted. But every one of those businesses also has a steady flow of bad apple job hoppers trying to pull the wool over someone’s eyes and get something for nothing. These are the bad apples crying foul constantly and calling the radio and posting here talking about how qualified they are but can’t find work. This is a small place and people talk…and there’s probably a good reason if you’ve been let go from 5 jobs and are struggling to find someone to take you on. Your “qualifications” are Very likely not what you think they are and you need to look in the mirror and come to grips with that and stop blaming Joe Expat for all your problems.
At some point a lot of Joe Expats are going to become Caymanian and then what are you going to blame everything on (and don’t reply with the same nonsense about stopping status and PR that everyone loves to whine about).
Nobody has ever been successful in life by complaining and blaming all their problems on someone else. Just educate yourself and work hard and the rest will follow. Anything else is wasted energy
So they used to disallow the moving goal post….you need to think of the original placement of a work permit holder as temporary until a qualified Caymanian is available for that position at ENTRY level of the permit holder.
No shit Sherlock, everyone has always known this to be the case.
Thanks for posting this CNS. As a visitor to Cayman I was astounded by the lack of racial diversity in professionals in the workforce. Yes I am saying Cayman is really “White,” compared to BVI, TCI, Anguilla, and even Bermuda.
I asked a collague of mine about this and he said “they prefer white people over there.” No doubt some of the Caymanian applicants are also white, so I am not sure that race is the issue there, I don’t know what is. I was also told that Caymanians are “stupid” and “lazy.”
We all know that this situation could not persist in the UK and it is time now to get those laws Caymanians have on the books enforced.
Get that stirring spoon right in there!
Your ignorance is that you try to boil this down to color when there are true Caymanian on every level of the black white spectrum. Your immediately divisive approach is the epitome of your own cultural deficiencies. This is not about color. Get that through your thick skull…
Troll.
There are stupid, lazy white Caymanians too. Some are MLA’s. All productive and qualified black professionals have got good jobs. Please don’t hold the UK up as the example to follow on this.
Look at real estate. How many black agents do you know?
The original settlers of the Cayman Islands were white. Face palm. However, this is not about race but I had to correct your history misinformation.
Thank you CNS for putting this on blast and every thing said here is true. Law firms and the employment agencies are big culprits. A basic receptionist job and you are not good enough even though you have a BA in business and was working in business / HR before the hotel closed. I wish I could name the HR persons and companies on here but know I can’t.
You can do you own research on LinkedIn and guess what, yep the HR recruiters in half of the big companies and recruitment agencies aren’t even from Cayman so, naturally the cayman applicant is not good enough. The whole system is irreparably broken.
A simple BA in business is not needed for a basic receptionist job. A Masters in Economics from an online university is not needed. What is needed is a good personality with common sense, a pleasant disposition, an ability to think on the fly to deal with problems, put up with crap from clients and a good work ethic to show up on time and maybe do a bit extra now and then. These things are difficult to convey in one or two interviews.
Cayman employment agencies and HR managers are some of the worst abusers and really the main reason they are engaged. Really slimy.
You particular case must be investigated to find out what is really going on.
There must be a good reason for not hiring you of which you might not be aware. Or just like you said you are overqualified for the position.
While no formal education is usually required to become a legal receptionist at a small law firm, larger, international firms might seek exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, executive reception experience and at least some basic knowledge of legal industry.
It only seems that because you have BA in business you are qualified for a legal firm receptionist. It is beneficial for you to find out what exactly you are lacking that prevents you from getting the job you want.
P.S. Nobody I know, educated or not, experienced or not likes employment agencies. They literally treat people like $hit. I am a certified, licensed and experienced professional who found all my jobs on my own (I lived in worked in several countries). I really do hate employment agencies and wish I never wasted my time trying to get a job through them.
So don’t give up. Changing jobs is not easy.
That “good reason for not hiring” can be employer doesn’t feel they have to replace a permit holder with a Caymanian….Alden’s policies and rants have given them this expectation.
@2:50 pm I think you missed what the writer @1:18pm was saying. It’s not about a receptionist job or the BA degree in business, it’s always about no matter what skills or qualifications you have 9 out of 10 cases you as a Caymanian ain’t good enough. It’s not solely about being a legal receptionist, the writer is pointing out that, the big companies are major culprits. Their HR managers when you check their profiles, you see they previously worked for an employment agency and then somehow they end up being HR recruiters and managers in the private sector.
They inform their old agency of internal openings, agency finds another WP holder the job is us advertised just for show. The sham cycle never stops
How does immigration approve a work permit for someone to come to Cayman to be a recruiter of Caymanians and then approve a work permit for the same person to assume the role as HR manager or adviser in the private sector in a short space of time. You see, they are all in cahoots together so nothing changes. Frauds!
“OVERQUALIFIED” as a excuse for refusal of job should be criminal offense !
This is mostly unrelated and humiliated act against any human bean – Cayamanian or not
Why would a company want to hire someone with a BA and HR experience to be a receptionist? The expectation is that you will only be there until the next best thing comes along. Suggest looking for a job at a temp agency.
Probably not likely with any company where scared little people like you’re working but employment at specific companies is sought after even if it is lower level position.
Agree. Good comment.
As an employer I do not want to replace a known employee with an unknown person. Especially if the existing employee is doing a good job. Really if Caymanians want to level the playing field work permit holders should have portability. They should be able to move from business to business within their work permit constraints. If one leaves a company the new company should reimburse the prior permit holder. That way we alleviate the slave labor aspect, and have more fluid movement of intellectual capital. More of a green card situation, but limited to the field specified in the initial permit. Just my two cents.
Then you should be an employer in another country.
Brace yourselves! Xenophobia incoming!
This comment in itself is xenophobia. EVERY COUNTRY includes USA and UK look after their citizens FIRST.
Just because Caymanians speak for their Birth or adopted rights they become “Xenophobic”. You are being Unfair, Disproportionate, irational.
USA and UK have been foolishly moving in the opposite direction for years. It’s why they are losing their national identities and if we’re not careful the same will happen here. Cayman first!
The US has always been a nation of immigrants (indigenous persons excluded) so it’s hard to understand what point you’re making.
If you didn’t know, Cayman is also a territory built on immigrants as there weren’t native people here in the beginning. White settlers leaving Jamaica brought slaves to tend to their plantations. At what point do you move to a new identity? Do you still identify as a plantation island after 150 years free of slavery? Or did you decide to ‘rebrand’ as a christian island that hates gays?
ooow 3:18 pm – Great comment. Love this.
I’ve seen a lot up in here. The stories I could tell..
Signed
Caymanian for 30 years (meaning I am 30yrs old, duh)
Your capitalizations are irrational.
Ure an idiot
You spelt truth wrong.
Ah “Xenophobia” the rant of the entitled expatriate. Every country in the world has immigration rules designed to give their citizens a certain amount of security and protection. Alden took these protections away and truly destroyed the opportunities for Caymanians in their own country.