Population grows 2.6% as work permits surge
(CNS): The Cayman Islands population has grown by at least another 2.6% to almost 84,000, according to the latest Labour Force Survey undertaken by the Economics and Statistics Office. The proportion of Caymanians in this new estimated population has dropped another 1% since the last survey in October to 46.5%, as the growth has been fuelled by 10,000 more work permits over an 18-month period between December 2021 and June 2023.
The figures were revealed by Premier Wayne Panton on Wednesday during a lengthy address to parliament on the current state of Cayman’s economy. Panton acknowledged the public debate and discussion around the increase in the population as he explained why it had grown so much over the past few years.
Dismissing the common assumption that those in power and leaders in the private sector want to increase the number of people here to at least 100,000, he said neither PACT nor any previous government that he was aware of was actually pursuing the growth of the population. He said it was a consequence of the economic rebound following the pandemic and not a deliberate effort.
“This growth has been led by the recovery of some of the most labour-intensive industries, such as construction and tourism-related services and by the expansion of others,” he said, pointing to financial services, IT services, fintech and healthcare. “Let us not forget that during the pandemic, the government made a concerted effort to absorb displaced workers and boost inward economic activity through construction and local spending.”
The premier’s remarks suggest that the construction industry, which was once dominated by Caymanians, has helped fuel the surge in work permits, largely for luxury condos and hotels that are being sold to offshore owners.
The Spring Labour Force report is expected to be made public shortly, but Panton revealed that, as of June, the workforce was a record 57,266, of which 21,615 (37.7%) were Caymanians. Among local people, unemployment has decreased to 3.7% compared to 5.1% in June 2022.
He said this was due to concerted efforts by this government to prioritise the employment of displaced Caymanians as the economy recovered, and the drop in Caymanian unemployment shows that local people are benefiting from the economic growth and returning to the job market.
“We can clearly see that, even while the expat worker population grew, Caymanian employment also increased from 19,494 in 2021 to 22,457 in June 2023. This is an increase of approximately 3,000 Caymanians in jobs,” he noted.
However, he made no mention of the number of Caymanian workers who are either underemployed or underpaid, as wages remain low in the face of record inflation.
As of the end of June, there are 36,372 work permit holders, up from 26,321 in December 2021. Panton indicated that this growth is unlikely to slow down in the near future as labour demand is expected to track with the GDP growth forecasts, and government accountants predict a 3.1% GDP growth this year and another 2.2% in 2024.
As he wrapped up his long address, which also detailed the current state of government finances and recapped the action PACT has taken to help people since taking office, the premier noted the difference between the success of the economy and the quality of life for the people.
“We sought to understand and shrink this divide at the very beginning of our term by taking steps to improve our data collection mechanisms, especially on issues that impact quality of life,” he said, noting that population trends and quality of life indicators are very important when planning new programmes and initiatives as well as evaluating ongoing programmes.
“Timely, accurate, relevant data in sufficient detail helps to make government and government services better,” Panton stated. “A rapidly growing population, such as ours, has tangible consequences for the government’s ability to plan and prepare for the future.”
He said that the rapid population growth of the last few years was not anticipated or forecast, but the government was working steadily to improve the roads and transportation network, alleviate the resulting traffic concerns and ensure that public service mechanisms such as health, education and safety were strengthened to meet the increasing demands.
“Real progress cannot be measured by money alone,” Panton said. “This government understands that. That is why every day we dedicate ourselves to looking beyond the numbers, beyond the balance sheets and income statements straight to the hearts, needs and hopes of our people. That is the true measure of success in any government enterprise: tracking how the lives of its citizens are improved.”
Read the full statement or watch the premier deliver his address on CIGTV below:
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Category: Jobs, Local News, Politics
I wonder how much longer until someone sees the light and blows the whistle on what is really going on? Surely it must reach a point where the well being of almost everyone you know is more important than the pittance of a paycheck (as compared to the whole pie) they give you and the once in a blue moon “big up” on social media.
Cayman Immigration policy:
Breed a local (male or female), stay for LIFE under Human Rights. lol
No matter if criminal, unemployed or 7 kids back home. actually you can bring them here too.
We will feed house and educate the entire Caribbean and Central America this way. noo sah
“He said it was a consequence of the economic rebound following the pandemic and not a deliberate effort.”
But if you hyper-focus on the rebounding of an economy by increasing the population indirectly through work permit fee and PR investment, YOU ARE causing it and it was deliberate. Trying to say the reason you did it for was good, does not remove your part you played. You are only highlighting the fact your choice in risk/reward didn’t work out how you expected and shifting the blame. This is a consequence of “line must go up” and this government and every other one is guilty of it.
This weasel like way of EVERY government official trying to pass the responsibility of their contributions is getting tiring. It really is. What’s the point of trying to maintain a failing governmental system when we watch it not serve its purpose year after year while we lose the quality of life we have.
If the line does not go up then people will say they are failing at their first job. People hire the government to make the lines go up in ways we can’t. Your comment made me think a little and I realised that in conditions of rising cost where more profit is hard to make, expanding the customer base would be one way to do it.
If our infrastructure can handle more people, I don’t see why we shouldn’t have them. I personally did not care for Cayman at half the size, where you couldn’t leave the house without being recognised. Now you have a good chance of being able to do a whole day’s errands without running into anyone. Much better.
Most of the permits are in Construction. Caymanians cannot and will ot work construction. It requires showing up on time,math, reading a tape measure, having a professional qualification etc
Marl road mob conveniently glances over this
8.10am Caymanians will not work in construction for $6 per hour as is their right. I’m glad you think most W/permit construction workers can read, write and have a qualification. Most can’t/don’t and some know the theory but can’t action it. Also why are persons granted a contractor’s license without having to prove they can read plans? I know many that can’t.
Wayne, 37% of the workforce (and the general population, I suspect) is Caymanian. So, why do we continue calling this place Cayman when the majority of the workforce and population is not Caymanian? Call it CayJamBrit-Land.
Recent figures showed half the workforce on permits is Jamaican, quickly followed by Philippines and somewhere else. Do the math. This place now JamCay.
YUP, I just noticed this today!
There was a time when Cayman had too many Brits too! Now, I agree that Jamaica is the annoying majority followed by the Philippines.
I think you will find there’s more philipinos here than brits if you take out all the caymanians that hold British passports.
This jingoistic nationalism is founded in entitlement mindset that has persevered for decades.
It seems to be increasing as gentrification spreads. I bet many feel left behind and hopeless.
Not everyone’s home environment is the same, but the education system is.
Improve the education system and things will improve for all.
8.15am And 60% of the 37% is from Jamaica with Status
Premier was surprised in his remarks. Doesn’t Cabinet control and instruct Immigration?
what is the policy?
Some temporary work permits are used as extensions of time. The holder then stays on the island. Work or no work. Job hopping. They are seen as a red flag when seeking re-employment. Job hoppers.
This is where we need immigration reform. The issue is not PR or status applications. We are letting in so many undesirables who are not benefitting our workforce in any positive way, too many Jamaicans with terrible attitudes and lack of skill are being imported in the name of cheap labour. We need to close the door now. Once they get through the gate, as you pointed here with the job hopping, it’s difficult to get them to leave. Stop the cheap labour imports from neighbouring countries now. And I say this as a Caymanian with roots across several Caribbean islands!
Even if they do go, they still leave behind a dozen baby mamas for NAU and eventually Northward to feed and house.
The professional Jamaicans are also prevalent here. My dealings with the blue collar Jamaican is far better than the professional ones with a chip on their shoulders and the need to pretend to be ballers.
Panton says a lot but says nothing again. He also neither sides or doesn’t with Spendy B’s immigration reform plan an obvious fracture in the PACT Govt. From what I can fathom, the only real thing PACT has done in response to the burden of new people arriving is stop the import of cars 7 years & older to reduce traffic in relation to steps ‘PACT has taken to help people since taking office, the premier noted the difference between the success of the economy and the quality of life for the people.’ – oh, and talk a lot, – I think I mentioned that 🗣️🗣️🗣️🚮
The idea that we are overpopulated is complete bunk. The real issue is the urban sprawl resulting from an irrational aversion to “tall” buildings.
And the number of work permits is entirely unrelated to the issues of Caymanian unemployment and “underemployment”.
These are often seen as a problem that employers or the government can solve. The only people who can solve the problem is the unemployed or underemployed person him or her self.
Well said
facts. locals can’t handle the truth.
We’re overpopulated by uneducated economic migrants who contribute nothing to Cayman.
Surely, Panton an educated man can see that, yet he does nothing to stem the flow of Jamaicans, Hondurans, Nicaraguans here to destroy Cayman.
The uneducated, unskilled, poor attitude Jamaican is the worst of them all. Stop the cheap labour imports from neighbouring countries now. There’s your immigration reform Kenny!!
Caymanians do not want to work in hospitality or construction. That is why the need to bring in large numbers of foreign workers. Unless you want to do the job, you can’t complain about the people being brought in who will do the work.
and when they stop bringing in cheap labour will you be in a financial position to pay for higher cost of goods and services?
And the Canadians??
I think you will find there’s more philipinos here than brits if you take out all the caymanians that hold British passports.
My aversion is your ignorance
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5052143/#:~:text=In%20addition%2C%20residents'%20health%20can,stress%20reduction%20and%20mental%20recovery.
https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/ex/sustainablecitiescollective/7-reasons-why-high-rises-kill-livability/561536/
OMFG. Are you serious? That is straw clutching of the highest order.
You think the health of people who live in Kapok is somehow worse than those who live in shorter buildings in Windsor park?
Unreal.
The alternative to height is sprawl. Sprawl requires cars to get around, vast roads and parking lots to accommodate them. To say you prefer this is on environment (or any other grounds) is flat out stupidity, and frankly sir/madam, people like you are the number one threat to our natural environment.
Interesting remark 11:04 and interesting comparisons, – why the distinction of Kapok & Windsor Village besides a perceived skewer of social inequality as well as the ‘flat out stupidity’ in selecting cars, parking lots & roads for ‘sprawl’ yet forgetting what exists immediately outside the glass doors of your choice for an upscale high rise. I’m not sure at this point if it’s ignorance or unawareness that prevails but my eff me after this, my aversion remains unchanged, thank you 👍
This is a Caribbean island (what’s left at least) NOT Manhattan.
Go build your castle there.
…and for the record (not that it should make any difference) I’m an expat.
4.31… we used to be an Island in the Caribbean, but thanks to Mac, and more recently our Jamaican politicians, we ARE being turned into a Caribbean Island….!
Bringing in cheap labour and selling your own down the river oh boy.
Capital functions need to be relocated sequentially to Cayman Brac Island. The average elevation of Grand Cayman Island is about 2 meters, while that of Cayman Brac is about 17 meters. This will not only help to combat future global warming, sea level rise, and flooding, but will also help to combat traffic congestion, rising land prices, and concentration on Grand Cayman Island. It will also serve as a risk hedge against disasters in the Cayman Islands as a whole. It is also effective as a regional development for Cayman Brac Island. Much of the relocation costs can be covered by the sale or lease of state-owned land after the relocation.
We don’t need the Brac to turn into Grand Cayman. We like it the way it is, thank you very much – the way Cayman used to be. You can stay, sink and swim in the mess you’ve made in Grand Cayman.
Curb the work permits now. The current clamour for immigration reform lies not with PR or status applications so it would be best for our politicians to stop with the rhetoric and stop focusing on the wrong end of the stick. Switch the approach around and close the gate. All of the temp work permits in industries like construction and allowing so many Jamaicans who have not been screened properly for skill to flood low-paying jobs is hurting us on all levels of society. If you speak to any business owner or client, they will tell you most Jamaicans employed are the bottom of the barrel labourers who barely perform the job to any proper standard with the poorest of attitudes. It is hurting business, it hurting our young people, it is hurting our Cayman society.
We need to stop the addiction to cheap labour and put in some sturdy guard rails. Screen all work permit applications very carefully in areas like construction and other physical-labour jobs. As repeatedly said, once they get through the gate, it’s harder to get them to leave.
sounds biased and prejudice.
It may sound that way, but unfortunately it’s a harsh reality of what has happened with our broken immigration system. If you speak to anyone in construction or related physical labour profession, I am sure they will admit the issue.
PrejudicED..
marl road nationalism inspired by trump
All Jamaicans worked on/at my house did bad work. Few worked hard but they all did bad work. I won’t hire anymore Jamaicans . Most had a bad/rude attitude, facts are facts they are the worst of all the low wages expats. They are ruining these islands,Government need need to stop permits from there Pronto.
I would be doing myself a disservice if I didn’t behoove myself on this matter ladies and gents upon deep thoughts and reviewing empirical data it is indeed profound that us among us far and wide yonder and furthest peaks that comprehensive reform is needed. It is time upon us that endless banter will not get results we need action y’all. My bredrin needs to come together inspire what unites us rather than what divides hope and change for a brighter future a world where KFC bucket is shared and prosperity of the community is erected. We must look to our leaders elected officials the brightest boldest in the community to behoove the direction forth. Indeed.
say waa
Enough with this stupid behooving… speak English.
here here clearly this is an avid reader of Shakespeare. it shows man well done #goosebumps #inspirational #hope&change #wow!
A lot of these will be hospitality sector renewals or rejoiners coming back post covid. The hotels sacked most people in 2020 and the government had no idea how many were here before. And at the end of the day, if there is a Caymanian who is suitably able and qualified to do a job, no employer will ever choose to bring someone in on a work permit. The buck stops with the government and their awful education of Caymanian kids.
Teachers can only do so much: they only have children for a minimal period of time, compared to their parents.
Garbage in = Garbage out.
Caribbean culture = Caribbean outcomes.
If we all agree that the education system failing the youth (and country) needs to be top priority, then responsible/effective parenting is riding shotgun as a close second.
But Juliana and her minions have been in charge of education for nearly a decade…
too many parents living for the ‘gram
Panton previously attributed 100k to the PPM (https://caymannewsservice.com/2022/07/staggering-population-growth-must-be-managed/). Why back off now?
I remember the PPMs 100K ambitions.
Panton: “That is the true measure of success in any government enterprise: tracking how the lives of its citizens are improved.”
Rewrite: “That is the true measure of success in any government enterprise: tracking how the lives of its caymanian citizens are improved, OR NOT as is the current situation.”
cayman could handle 150k easy if there was proper planning and infrastructure….
but no chance with no-plan-pact or do-nothing-ppm.
when will caymanians admit you do not have the political experience or talent to address these issues???
What ya smokin’ ?
That’s a big if especially when infrastructure has been botched, patched and done ad hoc for decades. The capital outlay required to bring it up to par is currently in the billions. And this is without consideration for the resilience factor required to harden existing infrastructure.
Our runaway freight train has no brakes, no driver, the conductor is still enthusiastically selling tickets to no end though.
All this bragging about surplus will come to a head when our train hits the buffers and gridlock ensues. Big money will have to spent and may fly in the face of FFR. The next bunch of greedy pigs we elect might be put to pasture when the funny farm is taken over.
Please audit the temp work permits. Do not permit temp work permit holders to change professions. Temp work permit holders are flooding the job market and taking jobs away from Caymanians. Why is a hotel waiter on a temp work permit allowed to now seek employment as a book keeper?
Yes. Temp work permits should not be ongoing. In fact, they should not exist at all. Temp workers aren’t required to measure up to the values of regular WP holders. Do away with the whole classification.
You want a bartender? Advertise for a bartender, and if *gasp* there are no Caymanians that want to work for $6.00 per hour and no tips, then you source an expat bartender, but the employer should be required to fund full benefits and reptriation.
They can’t. Stop making stuff up. Better question is why d we even need temporary work permits with the reduced diligence those involve Primary reason is that WORC can’t process a full for months – it shouldn’t be that hard.
How so? I have 30 years experience, qualified and skilled in several trades. But I still have to leave the island and start the application process afresh if I switch occupations. I’ve been coming and going for 2 decades now, always the same.
And don’t allow all these foreign owned Temp agencies to place the foreign people on their books to slip knto permanent jobs. If you come as Temp stay as one.
Enough is enough. We don’t need more people here.
The quality of life here is rapidly deteriorating.
The population increase every year is simply not sustainable anymore.
I agree. It’s far t0o crowded.
The data is not timely, or accurate.
Add 40,000 Caymanians, 36,000 Work Permit Holders, 7,000 Permanent Residents, and 4,000 dependents.
87,000.
THEN start adding condo owners, prisoners, illegals, refugees, ghosts…
The population is already at 90,000.
Then the undocumented and false-documented !
and less than 30,000 are natives.
Less than 20,000. We have been hijacked. Literally.
Try so stop lying! It’s been said and shown multiple times that there is a push to increase the population – which needs to stop! Who you think all these condos are being built for? Random investors? Average Caymanians? NO – the influx of wealthy WP holders and their families of course.
Just look at the traffic, school density, crime rates, mount trashmore – to name a few. We simply cannot accommodate 100,000 people here, and whoever is allowing it/pushing the agenda needs to sit in traffic from the eastern districts at rush hour twice every day, send their kids to public schools, work a minimum wage job on a public school education, and try to pay a average sized mortgage to get the drift.
Cayman is NOT for Caymanians and I am tired of watching others come here and make all the money, while we stay struggling and segregated from the elites!!! Do better PACT, do better.
What is stopping you from gaining higher education and soft skills to compete for the well-paying jobs to afford buying new housing?
Oh hmmm, lemme see – COST OF LIVING to start with.
Lack of personal funding to self-pay for higher education (due to the ever-rising cost of living).
Working two jobs to make ends meet and deciding between Fosters or CUC every month.
Lack of school leaver scholarship opportunities (that are so readily offered to just about every private school kid).
Also, I am not sure if you know this but even with higher education and experience – higher paying jobs are often held back from Caymanians based on your last name, skin tone, or what they can gain through networking opportunities aka “who you know and who knows you”.
The usual woe is me argument. Things will only change for the better for Caymanians if you elect ethical, educated leaders as opposed to the current shower of corrupt, selfish cronies.
Clearly you don’t understand the struggles of the average Caymanian, but meh carry on.
Today for you, tomorrow for me.
Is local college free for Caymanians?
If not, it should be.
Excelling in maths and soft skills is certainly free. It just takes work on behalf of the individual.
Successive governments failing on education.
But Juliana has been a constant as head of the Ministry of Education.
Yes. For every successive bumbling and useless administration. Speaks volumes doesn’t it? Look how education has suffered. We used to turn out from school good back in the day. But times have moved on and so have education and employment standards … elsewhere at least.
Voters whine but still haven’t changed the elections law to ban convicted criminals, or compelled terminations on all the government department heads that still can’t produce proper financials.
Also ban those with criminal convictions from being awarded government contracts, even if they’re best friends with every Governor .
Don’t ever allow people with criminals records to run for M P. Only in Cayman they are allowed to run.