‘Immigration storm’ as permit holders top 36,500
(CNS): As the third labour minister in six months takes over the evermore challenging portfolio, local immigration attorneys are warning of an “immigration storm”. The backlog of permanent residency and status applications continues to grow, presenting a legal headache for the government even as new workers arrive daily, with the number of work permit holders reaching another new record of 36,501 last month.
More than 450 additional work permits were issued to foreign workers from the middle of June to the middle of September, fuelling an unprecedented population increase in the country. While this adds enormous pressure to local infrastructure and school placements and worsens the housing crisis, it is also leading to more dissatisfaction among the local population and political controversy.
In his latest update for HSM Chambers’ immigration clients, Nick Joseph said they continue to receive a steady flow of new applications for permanent residency as well as for Caymanian status.
Although applications are being processed by the team at WORC, headed up by Director Jeremy Scott, Joseph said it was the firm’s “experience and understanding that no applications for permanent residence pursuant to the points system appear to have been determined by the Caymanian Status and Permanent Residency Board since their appointment in 2021”.
Joseph said that HSM had still not received any explanation as to why the board is not processing applications for PR based on time spent living here. He warned that, as a result, the processing time was slipping back again, and applications for PR are now taking around 16 months.
In the email sent to clients, Joseph said the processing time for applications to be Caymanian on the basis of naturalisation is now between 18 and 20 months, depending on the circumstances, and 16 months for those applying on the basis of marriage.
Joseph warned that things could get worse in the coming weeks. He said that, according to the most recent data, 17 applications for Caymanian status based on naturalisation were determined in August. Ten were granted and seven refused. As HSM waits on the numbers for September, he said that early indications were not promising.
“We have heard no news as to fresh determinations since August,” he said. “It appears clear that the Caymanian Status and Permanent Residency Board… continues to fall behind.” It is believed there is a backlog of 509 applications for Caymanian status based on naturalisation and a further 222 based on marriage.
Joseph predicted that it is likely to take more than three years to determine these pending applications, and with around 50 applications for status being filed monthly, the backlog is going to grow. “We have already (long) contended that some of the delays appear unlawful,” Joseph warned and questioned how the authorities did not see this situation coming.
“It may be a good thing that we have not yet seen any formal proposals from the PR review subcommittee,” he said, noting that they had expected them to be released last month. “Although reform is needed, we need to get it right. Rushing for solutions, particularly if they are motivated by political expedience, helps no one in the longer term.”
The challenges surrounding Cayman’s immigration regime are becoming evermore complex and challenging. The knock-on effect of the growing population is having a profound impact on the community.
Having so many expatriate workers is also impacting the economy. Recent figures released by CIMA revealed that between June 2022 and June 2023, more than $300 million left this economy and was remitted back to the home nations of more than half of the workforce. More than 60% of that cash was sent to Jamaica, with the rest going to dozens of countries around the world.
Heading into the busy winter season, Cayman can expect to see the population increase again. The rate of growth in work permit numbers fell from a high of twelve every day to five per day over the summer, but that rate is likely to increase again as the tourism industry ramps up ahead of the holiday high season
While the official population is currently estimated at 84,000, Joseph said that analysis by HSM of the government statistics indicates that a more realistic figure is at least 90,000.
Even that figure falls far short of the actual number of people in Cayman on any given day, as it does not include people on temporary work permits, overseas property owners who arrive and leave throughout the year, and the thousands of tourists here every day, all of which adds to the impact on the infrastructure.
See the latest statistics of work permits by nationality and CSPR applications below
(a response to an FOI request by HSM):
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid
Category: Local News
Civil servants must creatively use the immigration points system to reject new applications to stem the tide!
It’s a tough pill to swallow, but like it, or not, statistically paper Caymanians now have more voting power than generational Caymanians. It’s not right, but it’s now so.
Let’s all come together and vote for positive change. Let’s support the good ones in government and let’s vote out the cockroaches and crony’s. Let’s get some accountability. No leader is perfect but at least Wayne is holding MP’s accountable for their conduct, we’ve not see that before.
It’s not too late to figure this out, let’s work together.
Is anti expat sentiment directed at Jamaican permit holders specifically or at people in the financial industry? Or just any foreigner regardless of occupation or nationality?
Well, the most anger is reserved for Jamaicans in the Financial Industry. Then for Hondurans & Filipinas stealing their men…
I feel sorry for the everyday Caymanian. They have seen their little islands explode with incompatible foreign influences and their voices struggle to be heard.
Don’t worry children, God will give you your country back. I can imagine it will be painful lke cancer surgery.
Should NOT be more than 10 % of Caymanian population on work permits from one single Country.. Now it’s nearly 19,000 of Jamaicans on work permit here plus their dependents and is only 38,000 Caymanians, we are in a big mess. Why can’t Government see what’s happening to our Cayman country?.
Fire the Pact govt!!^
Want more jobs for Caymanians and revenue for government? Legalize weed. Make Cayman a marijuana destination for Cayman. Tax it. Slow Caymanians to grow a limited number of plants for themselves, Leone some high class dispensaries. And the money will come flowing in.
Most of Caymanians smoke. It has its benefits, though have been take off of an anxiety mess, anti- depression meds, sleeping pills all with dangerous side effects because of smoking.
The old farts will downvote this, but I fly out to legal places and they enjoy my tax revenue from recreational sales.
Here, I hold a medical card for a vape. I can’t take over the counter sleeping meds because they give me horrible nightmares, but the cannabis vape works wonders for me.
Smoking marijuana is still smoking with all the negative long-term effects, despite your high & the medical benefits. You’re trading the negative side effects you list, which are being replaced with other negatives.
But I’m certain you have figured that out, then we have the lung cancer ugly elephant that is in this discussion.
Cayman will never legalize for these reasons, as well as the other societal impacts.
Take a look at Canada , nobody wants to work anymore since it was legalized. We already have employability issues here.How will weed improve that?
It’s concerning to see the immigration situation in the Cayman Islands reaching such critical levels. With a record number of work permit holders and a backlog of permanent residency and status applications, it’s clear that the local infrastructure, schools, and housing are under immense pressure. This not only affects the residents but also stirs political controversies.
The delays in processing applications for permanent residency and Caymanian status are worrying, with wait times stretching to 16 months or more. The backlog of over 500 applications for Caymanian status based on naturalisation and marriage is a significant issue, and, unfortunately, there needs to be more clarity on why the board isn’t processing applications efficiently.
The economic impact is also substantial, with over $300 million leaving the economy as remittances to workers’ home countries. The fact that this affects the economy and, by extension, the local community is a matter of concern.
The population is set to grow further, especially during the busy winter, which will stress the Cayman Islands’ resources and infrastructure. The official population figure needs to reflect the actual situation on the ground.
The immigration challenges are complex, and while reform is necessary, it’s vital to ensure that any solutions are well-considered rather than rushed for political expediency. The community’s well-being should remain a top priority amidst these challenges.
Importing poverty isn’t sustainable. Bathing in collective ineptitude isn’t either. Caymanians that can afford to retire elsewhere are sadly touring alternate candidate areas, and making those plans. Ourselves included.
It’s the Brac for my retirement….and in my old age I’ll be safe from storms.
In light of this empirical data upon much behooving I’m indeed feeling that the honorable Sir Dwayne The Rock Seymour should be in charge giving final say whether each of these foreign permits get approved. I speak for everyone here that We trust The Rock Seymour like a guardian of the galaxy and knight in shining armor storming to the castle on his noble steed to guide us in the right direction.
unless his horse goes off the road and hits a pole.
LOL clever and hilarious reply!
Not on a full moon Bobo, him busy dem.
Less Rock and more pebble
Sir Jon Jon storming into battle under the light of the full moon on his noble donkey whilst wielding a light pole like lance blessed by justice.
It look like people write comments with out realizing their own history. How cayman was built? Did you ask your grandfather or grandma?
I did, they went to other countries and ships to make money and build home for your parents.
Now little kids here think, it pop up one day. No one should send money from here…
Skewed rant at best. Remember not all Caymanian Men went to sea, and many men and women did not leave the Cayman Islands…
Start with Daniel Ludwig and why he recruited/hired Caymanians over many nationalities he could’ve chosen from. And how he built a dynasty with those same men who stuck by him even when he couldn’t pay them at times. And did not demand more than a decent wages from his companies in spite of the wealth he accumulated with their work ethic. Y’all greedy expats wouldn’t know anything about that.
Yea. Not all went out to make money. Who ever want more better pay go far away to another place. No one countries entire population is here.
It’s like why locals get married to another nationality. No country in the world can live alone with out the help of other nationality. We trade each other, money, service, products, education etc. Stop accusing each other and come up with a better solution friends…..
Other day I was talking to a caymanian and told her that traffic is worse… she said to me we complain with out realizing one the car is ours… same with population, one is us….
Let us build together regardless of our race, religion, etc
Thank you! Great people with Honesty and integrity. One of a kind.
No one saying this!! What we are saying is that we are overcrowded ! You for one should go back to your country and work for towards a resolution! We just cannot solve all of these expats problems.. GO HOME!!!
We have worked very hard to put Cayman where it is today and we are going to work harder to keep it there.
“No one should send money from here” LOL. What did you type that on? Where do you think the money went to buy it from the manufacturer and get it here? Cayman doesn’t make anything, we add very little value to anything, almost all “our” money comes from abroad and almost all of “our” money gets sent right back out again to buy everything from gas to food. If no one “send money from here” you starve and the power goes off.
Downvote if you haven’t figured out how the Cayman economy works yet.
So expats are about 50% of the population – that was the same 10 years ago?
the other third now are paper Caymanians
44 million WP revenue 300 million money transfer you are dead right anon 11:09am it is Capital Flight Cayman! Why cant our Govt and politicos comprehend this unfair situation. Tax is the only option Cayman.
120 million is the work permit revenue number.
LOL. Tell us you don’t understand the first thing about economics without telling us. Where do you imagine all the money in Cayman comes from? You think we magic it out of thin air? It all comes from abroad. When you buy something in Fosters or ALT where do you think half the money goes? When you buy a car or boat or computer or phone where do you think the money goes? Dear god. Capital flight waaaahhhhh.
If Caymanians had the jobs, more of the money would be staying here. Just sayin.
First you have to find 30,000 Caymanians when unemployment is at alltime low.
Instead of “just sayin” why don’t you just think. Where are you going to find 36,000 Caymanians who don’t already have a job? Dear god.
Doh! Think about what you just said. LOL
When you start your comment by insulting the original poster, you just open yourself up to further criticism … just saying.
It is capital flight, as the number represents personal remittances by persons living in Cayman to elswhere. This is not normal trading activity to support a consumption economy (the Fosters and ALT in your example). It is remittances to Jamaica, for example, after a person has met his Cayman expenses, and that money is being used to develop Jamaicans, businesses, economy etc.
Absolutely no criticism on Mr. Joe Jamaican for sending funds home to feed his family. But that kind of data should be alarming on a macro level to Cayman public officials.
It isn’t capital flight. To quote Wikipedia, “Capital flight, in economics, occurs when assets or money rapidly flow out of a country, due to an event of economic consequence or as the result of a political event such as regime change or economic globalization.”
Either way 300m leaving the country isn’t a worrying figure. That’s about 10,000 dollars per work permit holder.
When people come to Cayman to make money for Caymanian businesses, they receive money in exchange for their labour. They use most of this money to pay rent, buy food and otherwise put money back into Cayman’s economy.
Why is it wrong for them to send what little money they have left back home so they can provide for their families?
On the contrary. If WP holders are remitting 300m home then they are earning at least 600m, which means they are providing services of value to their mostly Caymanian owned employers with a value well in excess of 600m.
But according to their job adverts they are being paid $200 million!
You see a problem?
no. You’re getting more value out of them than your paying them (hopefully) the money they earn is then free for them to do with what they want.
Love the Cayman Kind
Import and exploit cheap labour, don’t allow their family entry.
And then complain when they send money home, so their wives and children can eat.
What a nerve they have, feeling an obligation to look out for their families.
“Let them starve” this Christian Nation cheers
Christian when it suits.
Tax Work permits and PR NOW! Time for them to PAY $$$$$ Cayman.
How would that be fair? Expats can’t use government education, health and other tax funded services? Surely tax should be for caymanians, not expats, if implemented?
Stop using logic! 🤡
Almost 900 expats in government schools, and you say they cannot use the education system?
900 expats bring provided free lunch, bus service, books, and uniforms when requested by some. The cost per teacher/student and overall cost on taxpayers. The most stupid person can understand that this provision is a liability. Why have children if you can’t afford to maintain them? Why should work permit holders bring children or relatives here to create liability on government.
Slow down development and there would not be the need for more work permits. If the PACT government want to fix this problem they can. Over development is the biggest problem. The housing market cannot fulfill the needs of all, which is the main cause of rental scams. Stop the gravelly train before it goes of track.
So either charge them directly 17k (the cost of government school) or cancel their WP and send them home if they arent worth it. Not sure why you think I should pay tax to educate Jamaican kids so that their mum can sit in GAB doing nothing for 4 hours a day.
BINGO!
Tax all work permits 40% and remittances 60% to pay for strain and wear and tear on our infrastructure now Cayman! Its Time for them to pay Cayman PR is 500K no discussion no negotiation Take it or leave Cayman.
And they will take it, because it will always be better than returning back home. The irony..
Returning to their “Shit holes!!!”
I propose a tax on stupid ideas. Seriously? Capital controls? What kind of 3rd world garbage is this?
Work permits ARE a tax.
The Work Permit issue has long ago stopped being about jobs! It’s all about revenues!!
Government’s coffers depend on WP revenues, because it (Government) made it that way! As long as WP revenues are major to our Government, they will CONTINUE to ignore improving the education system, so Caymanians can never be qualified to hold most jobs. Vocational training has been lip service for decades and has not yet materialized to any active level.
As long as (for the foreseeable future) WP revenues remain crucial to overall Government income, Caymanians will be replaced by WP holders!!
Our successive Governments cannot or will not seek to diversify our economy!! Either though ignorance or by choice. Take you pick!!
Work permits are issued to people willing to do the work.
we can’t have the continuing development take place (if this is indeed what we desire) without people available to do the work involved.
If Caymanians will not or cannot do it, then the workforce has to be imported.
Perhaps trade schools would be a good investment with maybe both the Govt/Private industry getting together. Maybe even make it mandatory for every school leaver to do 1 year vocational training (Oh i can imagine now the horrors from the CIS parents at that one!)
Maybe only allow persons who are taking jobs in construction to be attached to one development and then they must leave for 12 months. Stops entire families coming, stops a lot of the issue we have.
Could do the same for Hospitality, Nanny’s, etc.
Will we though? Probably not. Why fix a problem now when we can kick that can further down the road?!
The issue is demand side – the numbers of permits being sought, not the supply side – because at the end of the day there are only so many Caymanians available, even if you train them for the jobs in demand such as trade based skills. n that regard the idea of limiting WP for construction to specific projects with a finite time span is an interesting one. However, again its not the duration of their stay that is the issue as much as a) bringing dependents when its meant to be a short term project and b) the sheer number of developments taking place all at the same time. The wholesale granting of planning permission for those is the key to limiting how many projects are underway at the same time, or alternatively a cap on the number of WPs granted for construction (which would by limiting labour supply increase construction wages and motivate developers to hire local).
BTW – your crack about compulsory trade school sounds like you have a chip on your shoulder about private education rather than being constructive. Sure we should have the opportunity for youngsters to get a trade, and a trade school would help, but forcing every graduating student to do trade school implies that construction trades should be a higher priority than getting young Caymanians into professional services and the financial sector.
I think the emphasis should be on the educators realising that not every student is meant to be a lawyer or an accountant (thank the Lord!)
Trade schools aren’t the only answer, but a change in the view of what the population considers a “valid” career. Trades aren’t for stupid people. Trades aren’t for kids who “can’t get a job” doing anything else.
Trades are for those who aspire or show talent an aptitude to follow a career into electrical engineering, carpentry, plumbing, security or construction (amongst others). All of those are technically and physically challenging in their own ways and they should be celebrated, not derided or belittled.
As I recall, following the banking crisis in 2008, many traders left Investment Banking and retrained as plumbers… and made more money!
They didn’t have to compete with 15 year experienced Filipinos earning $6.00 an hour!
But those Filipinos turn up on time, are polite and generally don’t cause a fuss. Unlike some.
And the same is paid for those Caymanians who are nurtured and paid a meaningful wage.
3,000 plus status grants in 2003 coming home to roost! Thanks to Big Mac & Fries! Time longer than rope….
After all is said and done, it is clear that the worst thing that has ever happened to the well-being of the Cayman Islands was the people of the Caymans choosing McKeever Bush to run their country!
How do stupid things like that happen?
Ask the Attorney the Attorney General. He received one of Mac’s grants and so is intimately familiar.
And why would you give thousands of educated professionals PR and Status..?
I mean it’s not like they’re going to vote for Mac Kenny, Seymour Saunders and Jay is it.?
Best to keep the voting base poor and uneducated so they won’t question their politicians’ self serving ways.
So we’re only about 10,000 short of that magic 100,000 euphoria, – how’s everyone doing, how’s it all going, swimmingly ? – can’t even do that now with SMB gone & annexed by the high net worth/Dart 🏊🏽♂️🤷🏻♀️
Oh well, another few months I can eat my words when the population ambition & ultimate desires manifest themselves, hooray ! 😐
Tax Ken Dart.
Tax every single second home owner, an annual levy on all properties that are not your primary residence
How about tax non Caymanian home owners?
Those wealthy vacation home owners can afford it.
Because we will sell and leave.
lmao you would never.
Can’t thanks to Dr. Bush.
Mr. Dart is Caymanian.
Keep loading the place with Jamaicans , and they will breed and multiply to the 100,000, in no time… no problem.
Their babies will of course be Caymanian and with their baby mamas will depend on NAU hand outs .
Such a serious and important topic, yet we have so many ignorant people speaking crap. Every nation in the world import people to help build the nation. They come with experiences, skills, talents, resource and ideas. People from all walks of life. Unfortunately, some might be bad apples, but that is unavoidable.
This immigration situation is a storm indeed waiting to happen. This has happened in other jurisdictions, let us see and learn how best they resolve this crisis. bashing each other is not the way.
Tax Caymanians that sell their land to expats!
Woah there Willis! Its my right to sell my land to an expat and then complain that expats are buying up all the land.
Wayne loves the smell of work permit revenue in the morning.
Caymanians please WaKe the F%@# UP and do the math if we are getting 45,000000 in revenue from work permits and they are sending 300,000000 out in remittances How is Cayman’s economy benefiting from this even if they are spending on rent fuel and food and services they are not generating 45 million into our economy and even if they were at minimum the lost of 255 million to our economy is quite clear we need to stop this clear hemorrhaging and stop listening to this hocus pocus theory by their mouth pieces and our politicians about they are here for us. 36,000 is outrageous and only here to continue this fleecing. We are propping up other economies Cayman to our own detriment and peril.
I’m very confused about this hang up people have over remittances. Work permit fees have nothing to do with remittance. Those are fees paid to the government to spend on whatever they ultimately spend it on. Remittances are privately held funds that people received for their labor and chose to send off island. It’s their money and they can do what they want with it.
Similarly there are countless tourists who come here and spend foreign money which stays here. Same with funds and other financial service stuff. Same with all the enterprise city stuff and any medical tourism.
Presumably plenty of wp holders work in tourism and for every dollar they are paid, a tourist has put more than 1 dollar into the economy. And then they send some portion of that dollar back home. It shouldn’t really matter.
Unless you can show that the nation as a whole is in a cash deficit specifically due to remittances I think it’s just a scapegoat.
We send a lot more money off island to buy food and diesel.
Go home star you come ya with your intellect but you only promoting more Debt. Those just like you want to turn this place into a cowboy town!
No where else in the Caribbean allow this shit to happen Those privately held funds for labor you speak of belong to and should be for displaced and unemployed Caymanians you prick.Those taking all the foreign US currency and strapping it to their waist and transporting or sending it to elsewhere should be paying for the enormous strain and damage they are putting on our infrastructure and environment. Too many work permits on top of that you all do not want to leave and want to make this disenfranchisement of Caymanians permanent.
Oh boy you must be a smart one. Do a little research and you will find that virtually no country in the world prohibits persons from sending their own money to another place in the world.
So you’re saying that after someone earns a dollar that dollar should be used for unemployed Caymanians??? AKA my salary pays for someone unemployed? Are you the dumbest person on the face of the earth or did you not understand the point of the post you’re ripping into?
From your tone I couldn’t give two $#its if you specifically are disenfranchised for life.
Go get a job un the UK and see if one single person ever questions you sending money home.
Catcha fire on that, dumbass.
So we shouldn’t allow money earned in Cayman to be spent overseas? So no more shopping trips to Miami? No more online shopping and shipping it to Cayman? No more foreign holidays?
Its the exact same thing. If you want all money earned in Cayman to stay in Cayman then you have to ban those other things too.
Your logic here is flawed. Most of these work permit holders are contributing towards businesses that generate revenue inflows that are greater than the remittances out of the country.
For example. A work permit holder might earn $100k salary and send half of that out of the country. However, the same work permit holder is also generating $500k per annum of revenue for the company that he works for – in the financial services industry, almost all of this revenue is coming in from abroad. Therefore there is a net inflow of cash coming into Cayman on account of this work permit holder.
Lol, the number of down votes on this comment (as well as the nonsensical content of the original comment) is an indicator of the general level of intellect and subpar education of the readers.
@17/10/2023 at 4:43 pm – Your logic is also flawed. That work permit holder might generate $500k in revenue for his Cayman-based employer, but most of that revenue gets kicked up to the home office off island. The small financial services firm that I work for, for example, generates $10 million in revenue annually. About $1.2 million of that goes to the salaries for the local staff annually, about another $500k for annual overhead, and a few bits and pieces here and there. The rest, about $8 million annually, goes to the home office off island. Pretty sure its the same for most other financial services firms on island.
Ummm flawed logic? The largest financial services and law firms on the island are Maples and Walkers – both of whom are headquartered in Cayman.
Also, the large accounting firms in Cayman – they are all owned by the respective partners who are resident in Cayman.
And to expand your flawed logic even more. The work permit holders on the construction sites might be sending some of their money abroad. But the hotels that they are building will be generating multiple times more cash inflows into Cayman for the benefit of CIG and all the other local stakeholders and employees of these hotels.
Have you seen the breakdown of the CIG’s revenue?
Fact – The vast majority comes from financial services. And without all the work permit holders in the financial services industry, this revenue would not exist. The Cayman economy is driven by the cash inflows generated by work permit holders.
Ummm what form do you work for so I can make sure to not employ them ever. Even if everything you said is true…the revenue for your company didn’t come from here. It came from overseas. So if 10m comes in and 8m goes out the locally economy is still in the black by 2m. If half that was sent home (which would be a high percentage) then local circulation is still up by $1m in your scenario.
Why would a company in a tax haven want to send money to a country where it will be taxed lol?
But anyway, we’re back to people being able to do what they want with their money. Should companies not be allowed to send money where they please? If not, you’re arguing for a tax on companies, which would destroy our economy.
You’re “pretty sure” about something you evidently know absolutely nothing about.
Capital flight…. quite possibly the most ignorant, illogical and frankly stupid post I’ve ever seen on CNS! Where do you imagine the money, FOR EVERYTHING HERE, comes from in your head?
Capital Flight and Not so Fast (probably the same person), is trying to make the argument that the economy of this island can be summarized by the equation “work permit revenue – remittance outflows = cayman making a net economic loss because of work permit holders”.
I guess this explains why Cayman is the poorest and least prosperous country in the Caribbean where everybody lives in poverty?
WORC is not working!!! I know of Caymanians that have applied to 50 jobs and have been told no with lame excuses. The positions themselves ask for degrees when one is not needed and years experience is being ignored.
WORC is not monitoring their own system and employers know the loop holes and are getting permits for middle income administrative jobs that should go to Caymanians.
In most instances Caymanians are not even being interviewed.
We have foreigners getting permits for low entry levels that then open their own businesses.
WORC concentrates on enforcement of small enterprise when they should be looking into the flawed job recruitment system.
How does the system not red flag an applicant with 10 other people at the same address.
How is one company able to change the dates on their permits and let workers come 1 way on tickets for a temporary job?
An easy fix is NOT to allow foreign workers for these entry level jobs. Period.
Because the operators do not do what the law expects. It has become a pretense of a system to fool the Caymanian people that they are being protected.
Lol. Often Caymanians who are short listed don’t bother to show up for the interview or do so smelling of drink from the night before or chewing gum during the interview. Seriously, some of you posters don’t know what it’s like trying to hire Caymanians.
more expats the better. there are no caymanians willing or able to do the jobs.
Its certainly true that there are more WPs than unemployed Caymanians. But how many of those jobs are essential for Cayman? We got by for the longest time on 20000 or less WPS – why is it suddenly 36000? How many thousands of construction workers do we need at any given time, and how many of these WPs are in order to service a population which has been driven artificially higher by that demand? Its a self fulfilling prophecy – grant planning for every development project requested, allow government ministers to build vanity projects, bring in workers and their dependants to meet those projects, then engage in more construction of roads, schools, housing and retail industries to accommodate an increased expat population,which then requires more expat workers because we have exhausted the local labour pool….and so it goes on.
Following on from 1:41pm>>>>
Useless jobs and non-essential businesses have been created by the new imports chasing the opportunity to tap into the capital trailing the HNW/UHNW/Individuals/Family Offices, most of whom are also new on the scene, unlike their established counterparts here in the islands. These newcomers live louder and more flamboyant than the established expat wealth class and are typically from new money. This has led to an explosion of higher end services and providers catering to upper class. Or for those who can afford it… Just look around, how many “Dog Grooming” or “Professional Hugger’s” businesses you remember from the 1990’s or 2000’s?
Cheap Labour has also increased for people to staff these ventures. Caymanians actually built the hospitality industry, so some are not that averse to these “Servitude” roles in order to put food on the table. However, they cannot compete with the work permit demand for these roles from individuals worldwide. And employers’ preference to hire WP holders. And CIG’s insatiable need for the revenue WPs provide.
With worsening global socioeconomic conditions, coupled with some capital flight, most of these providers will disappear. Alongside the economic migrant labor elements complementing them. Leaving the Caymanians behind who are invested in their country of birth and citizenship and want the opportunity to build a life here. Unlike Work Permit holders, who are mostly on a short-term assignment to try and build wealth quickly and remit most of their earnings to their country of origin, or wherever they have dependents.
Jamaicans are expats too….10.19 you sure you mean that..?
I’m 28. We have a little disposable income at the end of the month. We’re born and bred Caymanian, but have decided that we won’t have kids.. not like this.
We’re a dying breed that sold out Cayman. We’ve destroyed the lower class with imported poverty that hemorrages the economy by sending funds home, put the dream of owning a decent plot of land and property out of reach of too many middle class Caymanians, and made it impossible for Caymanians to dominate the upper class due to gentrification by expats who paid a one off tax for PR points.
We have a new Canadian coffee house (that will be staffed by WP) being set up by a wealthy Caymanian, yet visitors make viral videos about the lack of culture here.
It breaks my heart to see. Cayman is not for Caymanians anymore, and this all started in 2003. We had 20 years of warning, and now the seams begin to burst.
What makes you think a Caymanian is setting up a Canadian coffee house?
It’s been confirmed that they are opening up a Tim Hortons in Red Bay. Not exactly a local business is it?
Who is the Caymanian? Who are “they?”
Mark Anthony. Yes they are Caymanian.
Ummm, you sure?
Don’t forget we have jewelers shops, spas, dance schools, regular schools, restaurants, fast food chains etc all owned by “Caymanians” so why would we not have a Tim Hortons ?
You missed the part about the PR points system encouraging the purchase rather than rental of residential property, driving up house prices to boot.
Thank you… currently rolled over again for that reason.
My understanding is, A Canadian has opened a Canadian brand “Tim Hortons” for the cultural relativity of his fellow citizens (Canadians) in the Cayman Islands. This is also the individual who has purchased the Burger King and Popeye’s Franchises from said Wealthy Caymanian family you speak of. He also acquired some WBR real estate from Hamilton, Canada based company Mountain CI Ltd a few years back. A Caymanian may or not be involved, but likely since we always grab a front row seat to our own destruction most of the time.
To quote AM Gerrard, Brtish Diplomat and Commissioner in the Cayman Islands 1952-1956,
An excerpt from his March 16th, 1955, Budget Speech-
“I will perhaps shock certain members by saying that, in general our problems today are not really to get better roads, to eradicate mosquitos, and so on. Our Real problems are to adjust ourselves to a difficult and changing outside world and to avoid the danger of becoming a degenerate community worshipping money. Our fundamental problem is to create a stable community which desires to better itself in real terms by bettering its own human material, by educating its children in proper human values, instead of being hypnotized, as too often happens today, by the belief that happiness consists of the possession on a glossier motor car and a bigger and more sparkling refrigerator than that possessed by one’s next-door neighbor.”
still think this all started in 2003?
9:45, BS to your comment about it starting in 2003. It started way way back in the early 80s when Jim Bodden opened the flood gates of development and the money surged in when developers built the original condos on seven mile beach.
To clear the back log, all they need to do is refuse all the applications. There is never any guarantee anyway.
I bet you, you got your citizenship by naturalization. Now you hate to see your country fellow people getting it.
You bet wrong, born and bred.
Yes, why let the law get in the way of administrative convenience? It’s idiotic suggestions like that which bring the Islands into disrepute.
The only answer is for the CSPRB to discharge their duties promptly and efficiently or, if they are unable to do so, resign.
Because PR is not a right bobo, it is a coveted privilege.
True. And there are rules for qualifying for it. So when people comply with the rules you think that after the event the goalposts should be moved? Don’t like the PR rules? Fine – change them. They were after all written by Caymanians, not expats.
No. The rules were written by expats. And they are ludicrous.
No. They were not. This is the only place I have ever been which has degrees of citizenship.
If a person qualifies (under the old rule, not the Cabinet appointment rule) for Caymanian Status, and fulfills the requirements, and it is granted, they are Caymanian. They are not ‘paper Caymanians’, they are not ‘driftwood’, they are Caymanian, unless they subsequently screw up enough that their Status is revoked.
The rules were written by expats.
Their monitoring and enforcement has been controlled by expats.
There are no varying degrees of “citizenship.”
Permanent Residence does not make you Caymanian.
@17/10/2023 at 3:22 pm – LOL!! “This is the only place I have ever been which has degrees of citizenship.”
I’ll bet dollars to donuts that the “minorities” back in your home country would beg to differ.
Points or not, it is still a subjective decision.
8:11 – You’re a complete fool
What a fantastic come back argument, you must be a master debater.
Umm – have you read the law? If someone is resident for 15 years and BOTC the only basis you can refuse the application is one of public policy. Which would require a government policy – which doesn’t yet exist, and even if you introduce one, cant make it retrospective without running into a different legal problem. Denying legal applications = kicking the can- we are heading for a repeat of 2003 when a known problem with immigration got deferred to a point where the government, no doubt under pressure from the UK, decided to make mass grants. None of our politicians seems to have the commonsense or ability to at least stop the tap by adjusting immigration law on permanent residence and work permits now. Wont help with the backlog, but when your bath is overflowing at least turn off the tap.
This country is destroying itself. We issue tens of thousands of permits every year for low paying, entry level jobs that could be filled by young Caymanians. Young Caymanians aren’t getting the opportunity to have that first job to introduce them to the world of work. For many Caymanians that first job doesn’t come until they’ve earned a degree, which is ridiculous. That’s not how it works in the rest of the world. Ask any American or Canadian and they’ll tell you their first job was in food service, or retail, or a grocery store, or in fast food. But in Cayman, virtually all of those jobs are populated by foreigners on work permits. So employers, I’ll ask you this, how long will your business succeed if you don’t support the local populace? If Cayman society continues to erode with unemployment, crime and imported poverty, the people that come here that can afford your service will stop coming. They will go elsewhere. We are destroying the very thing that brings them here, all in the name of short term success.
Unfortunately, many young Caymanians have been raised to be spoiled, lazy and entitled because their parents didn’t work with them during their formulative years instilling good work ethic and educational achievement.
They are not asking for those jobs.
But Caymanians don’t want the lower level jobs. I have never heard of any local lining up to a nanny or construction worker. These businesses are forced to seek elsewhere.
The Cayman Islands follow behind the United States with close currency association, inflation rates, interest rates, real estate overly inflated prices then why not follow some of the sensible U.S. immigration policies and laws/Acts. I could go into the entire immigration process system on permanent residence and citizenship but it would take a long time to type and it’s late. Temporary residence is issued first with two years before permanent residency is applied for and that has to be done up to 90 days before the expiry of the temporary and there’s certain criteria that has to be met. There’s no point system per se. Purchasing “property/real estate” does not count as a credential to acquire permanent residency and in fact purchasing property is the last resort and can only be done so at a margin set very high price; it’s not simply purchase some form of property and it qualifies you to apply for permanent residency. Having studied and practiced U.S. Immigration law for a number of years plus a near 4-year tenure in the P/R and C/S Section of Department of Immigration in the 90s there may be some resorting back to the Cayman Protection Law and subsequent immediate laws thereafter. What we have today is not working for our small jurisdiction. Although they Government is salvaging the revenue it cannot continue. I don’t know how we’re going to solve this problem but assuredly it won’t be an easy one.
A bit confused by your statements, top of page 7 – certificate of permanent residence for persons of independent means: https://www.careyolsen.com/sites/default/files/Carey%20Olsen%20Moving%20to%20the%20Cayman%20Islands%20Immigration%20Guide_Dec_21.PDF
Purchasing/investing in real estate does in fact confer you with PR, albeit without the right to work, but that can be altered after the fact.
my PR as a spouse of a PR Holder took 2 months. My spouse’s PR based on points was approved in March, after 16 months.
Seems they’re rushing through the easier ones, instead of processing the hard ones.
My PR as a spouse took 9 months, for something that is meant to be administrative.
Out of curiosity I’ve thought of doing a FOI just to see what if any notes evidencing review are in my file…
File that FOI and see what happens to any status application you make in due course. Not saying WORC are vindictive but….
another dismal reflection on the pact government and the general incompetence of the civil service
I think it is more of an indictment of the general level of competence of our politicians and their constant pandering for votes.
This all comes down to leadership. We are all related to or at least know people in the Civil Service. They are not getting up in the morning with the thought of “How do I avoid accomplishing anything today”.
I expect if you think about it, you will have had many pleasant interactions with individuals in the CS, but on a whole the system is lacking, many that calls and emails often go unanswered for an extraordinary length of time or not at all.
These issue predate PACT.
At least prior to PACT appointing the new board the immigration board met periodically and handled applications. Complete nonsense that in 2 years they have not dealt with anything other than an obsession with status based on marriage.
Ummm, under the PPM people were waiting more than 3 years for a simple PR application.
The high cost of living is now forcing many people to leave here. So many have departed this year.
Not true at all – as clearly evident from these statistics.
For every one that leaves, 7 more pop up. Hail Hydra, I guess.
Hold up – *a lot of CAYMANIANS are no longer here. They have migrated.
Nonsense 8:55. When you depart Cayman your work permit is immediately cancelled and the figures don’t show up.
Tell me how many work permits have been cancelled the past 12 months?
I know at least a dozen people who have left in the past year.
So far as I can see, these statistics relate to the number of permits issued, not those expired or cancelled as people leave the island. The full math hasn’t been completed.
The statistics relate to current permissions in existence on 18 September.
You know that when you leave your work permit is cancelled and so does not form part of the numbers, right?
Our government are an utter disgrace for allowing this to happen pushing this place to the brink the weak will leave and the hardened will resort to nefarious means to survive. We are seeing the signs already of our future hopefully the waves will soon come to get us and non swimmers will have to leave. We can only hope !
CIG and Cayman……get you education systems in order with a mandatory 2 year college programs for all Caymanians. We need all Caymanians deducted for the future to be brighter.
Stop hiring so many Jamacians, Filipinos and Indians. Jamaican’s will make us a Little Jamaica, Filipinos and Indians do not participate in our community and stay only to themselves.
Yeah, this is a pretty good argument for improving Cayman’s education system, thanks.
@9:10pm – based on purely deductive reasoning, I believe you are correct.
it was a typo you English F*&%
A typo? Are you joking? That was barely English.
Raid the “house down Windsor Park with the high bush hedging and fence that has cars parked off 24hrs” and you will see how the other unmentioned foreign nationals are ‘surviving’ here (without having to pop out a child for a Caymanian).
Can’t do that, me fren live there an him look after me.
College isn’t the hard and fast solution. Not everyone has the brains or the desire to go into further education. It’s no criticisms of them. People are different and subsequently have varying academic abilities and interests. A better solution is for the government to open/support more trade schools. Many trade jobs (plumbers, electricians, etc) pay better money and subsequently, the individuals working in trade often out-earn those who went to college/uni. This would be a better avenue for our young people.
With 36000 work permits in issue training > 2000 unemployed Caymanians, however worthwhile, is not a solution. The key issue – why are there so many WPs when 10 years ago there were 40% less? What are all these jobs, how many of them are entirely parasitic on real estate development and the expansion of the expatriate population, and how essential are they to a sustainable Cayman economy?
The immigration law. It all spiralled when they started kicking out old friends with rollover and opening their arms to new fodder every 7 (now 9) years. Turned it into a production line of WP holders and a win-win for the recruiters. It was better before they tried to fix it.
On what basis can you refuse an application for Cayman status after 15 years and being a BOTC?
There are many reasons. They include it not being in the public interest, bad character, and having too many dependents. The reasons are set out in section 30 of the Act. There is no right to become Caymanian, save for those who are “Caymanian as of Right.”
Especially to refuse 7 out of 17!!
Criminal record
Which means they should have had their PR revoked before they got to apply for status, doesn’t it?
You can be elected with a criminal record, that is how good the system is.
PR is not a pre-requisite for status
Yes it is – unless you have been married to a Caymanian for 7 years.
Agreed, but what happens ? You go rogue between getting your BOTC and status?
You should be deported – if we follow our law.
You like it or not, population in Cayman will keep going up. There is no way of going backwards, it will be a disaster for Caymanians in all aspects. Government can only do a sustained controlled increase in population from here onwards but can’t stop.
Government can’t control number of children going to be born in Cayman, it can’t stop Caymanians getting married and bringing them here.
There have to be always need for low level jobbers for Caymanians, who will be doing those works?
Plan for next 50-100 years ahead with a good plan… I don’t see one with the government yet.
Agreed. Use Singapore as the case study on rapid growth.
Not the BOT’s or other island nations in the Caribbean/Atlantic.
And, as you said, start making decisions for 50 and 100 years out (multiple generations), not the current 5,10, and at best 20 year plans.
Unless there is a major earthquake or tsunami, the population will continue to grow rapidly. A major hurricane event is just a blip on the radar when you consider the rebound from Ivan.
We’ll be underwater in 30 years or wiped out by a hurricane in the interim so wouldn’t worry too much about future planning.
LOL. Would you care for another round?
Utter rubbish 10:56.
Not if you move to the Brac..!
Move to Brac bluff and enjoy the view instead.
Cayman CAN stop whoever it wants from coming here INCLUDING foreign children and spouses. The UK does it perfectly effectively. Cayman has chosen not to – and automatically allows any person who marries a Caymanian or Permanent Resident AND their families to move here without regard to our ability to absorb them, or for them to pay their way.
Cayman can also do a much better job of removing hundreds of persons who are causing problems, and contribute little.
Do you understand what happened to UK after brexit?
Yep, it got better 11:13.
What they’re saying is Cayman can’t afford to cut the population. The UK can cause they have a much larger population and higher birth (Cayman’s birth rate is way too small to rely solely on it). Our local population is too small to sustain itself and our economy would go under. Like it or not, we need foreign workers to continue to have a strong economy, we just need to plan better for it, and be more careful about who deserves to be in the country.
Does no one anywhere realize what they are doing to Cayman?
Cayman is being destroyed on the backs of imported, impoverished labor, and developments which too often do not serve, employ, or profit local persons.
Our over-inflated economy risks falling off a cliff.
Our laws and regulations were crafted to prevent this very circumstance. We ignore our legislation at our peril. The threats are becoming existential. Our luster is at risk of fading, fast. Too many Caymanians cannot afford it. Too many expatriates are here, temporarily, to “milk” it – and are tolerated and even embraced in the process.
There is nothing sustainable about what we are doing, and the bodies charged with protecting us are inadvertently contributing to our demise. Is no-one willing to regain control?
Those that contribute must be encouraged. Those that weaken should be curtailed. And Caymanians must be active participants and brought back from the margins.
We are so much better than this.
Severe harm.
So what, we work permit people do all you rich people’s dirty work so you all can live the lifestyle of the rich and famous. You need us to take care of your children, keep your fancy houses up and build more mega mansions all for cheap wages while you drink champagne and eat caviar. See how long your fancy lifestyle will last if you get rid of us.
I think the point is that the very wealthy you describe are not for the most part Caymanian.
Maybe we should be more concerned about the people buying residence as nothing seems to be trickling down to the average Caymanian.
There is an ongoing argument about whether Caymanians won’t (lack of desire) or can’t (unaffordable to live) work in lower-level service jobs.
A clear solution seems to be to raise the cost of work permits significantly. This would be somewhat inflationary of course, but why is it that a large number of permits are less than $1,000? The difference between Financial Services permit costs and other industries is staggering. Permits should be reasonably expensive for any industry where low-skill low-wage employees are being brought in. If you consider 250 working days in a year a business should be able to pay $10/day for any employee that is needed on a permit. That would be $2,500/yr. Perhaps that would temper the number of low wage workers being brought on island. Employers would need to invest in their business to become more efficient, hire Caymanians or suck it up and pay the higher fee if at a last resort the low-wage worker was actually needed.
Never going to happen because what will Jon Jon do for his workers then?
LOL. Bye.
It’s a bit like the Link Rd to South Church St, it lurches along for a few years and then everything grinds to a halt without any further progress being made.
Was never needed. Use Bodden Road.
It makes no account of how many WP holders are leaving. From what I see, people are leaving because of the cost of living.
And impending implosion when either the system can no longer cope which is blatantly obvious right now or our numb skull politicians screw up so badly that Britain is forced to impose direct rule.
You can add rampant crime and corrupt, conflicted and inept politicians to that list.
And the lack of really good schools.
Yep, I know 3 families who left this year for this reason and one who had a job offer but never came because they couldn’t find school places.