CIG may extend rollover for all expats
(CNS): Having announced that the rollover (term limit) policy will now apply to civil servants, the Cayman Islands Government is set to extend the two-year term-limit break to all expatriate workers. While some form of rollover for expats has been applied in the private sector for more than 20 years, it will be introduced into the public sector for the first time next year.
Currently, foreign workers in the private sector can generally remain on a work permit for up to nine years. After that, if they have not applied for permanent residency, they must leave the Cayman Islands for at least one year before they can be considered for another work permit. However, the rollover policy that will be introduced next year for civil servants means that they must leave the islands for two years before returning here to work.
Appearing on Radio Cayman on Friday, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson hinted that the two-year break in stay, which he has argued for, might also be applied to work permit holders, so that they, too, would have to leave for 24 months. He said that Michael Myles, the new labour minister, was “very close to also asking for drafting instructions” to pave the way for that and other changes to the immigration law.
Although Manderson said he did “not want to steal [the CIG’s] thunder” about this pending change extending to the private sector, he said it was on the cards as part of the new government’s priorities.
Three months before the elections, the UPM minority government circulated a white paper on potential changes to the immigration law, though this did not include extending the rollover break. However, the paper does propose changing the law so that any permit holder who wants to change jobs within the private sector or between the private sector and the public sector must leave for twelve months before they can start a new job.
It’s not clear how the new NCFC government views this discussion paper, since all its members, except for the two former UPM ministers, campaigned on different proposals, and during the various debates, said that the paper needed to be reviewed because more changes were needed.
Manderson said that the motivation has always been to help secure work for local people, with the idea that permit holders would, where needed, train a local to fill their shoes, and leave after a specific period.
Nevertheless, the debate over the efficacy of the rollover policy, which has been raging since before it was first introduced, continues twenty years on.
The original rollover policy, which mandated a year-long break after seven years, prevented more expat workers from applying for permanent residency. However, the massive leap in work permit numbers suggests it did not necessarily pave the way for more jobs for Caymanians.
Currently, all work permit holders who have resided in the Cayman Islands continuously for eight years can apply for permanent residency. Although the bar is now slightly higher to secure that right, over the last decade, a huge number of people have secured the right to live here permanently and go on to apply for Caymanian status.
Last year, around 1,200 foreign nationals, as well as an unknown number of their dependents, were granted residency. Introducing a two-year break will not alter that situation, but it could stop jobs being held open for returning expats if the break jumps from twelve to 24 months, making employers more likely to seek, promote or train local people to fill their vacant jobs.
When he appeared on Radio Cayman Friday, Manderson explained the details of the new policy as it will apply to non-Caymanian civil servants. He said he had wanted a two-year break, along with other changes to make the policy more effective. “If term limits don’t automatically translate into better jobs or more jobs [for Caymanians]… why implement a policy that is not very effective?”
Manderson challenged his senior civil service management team to come up with an enhanced term-limit policy. In addition to rollover for expat civil servants, a number of jobs will be earmarked for local people only.
“We will designate certain jobs that can only be held by Caymanians,” he said, which he described as “a welcome policy” that will ensure that all CBC, WORC and frontline officers are Caymanian. Even though this is already largely the case, he said it was about not losing that solid employment of local people
Another employment area that should be held by locals across government is human resources. However, he said the additional change that civil service management all felt would help is to increase the term-limit break to two years because one year isn’t long enough and results in employers holding jobs open.
Manderson explained that there will now be a contractual obligation for expat civil servants to train their replacements, which goes beyond succession planning and makes it mandatory. He doesn’t believe this would be challenging because the civil service has already worked hard to get Caymanians trained and promoted. There are currently just 1,400 expats working in core government, whereas in the private sector, there are over 37,000 permit holders.
Over a third of all the expats working in government are teachers. Most of the rest are police and prison officers, and care workers in the Department of Community Services.
The change to term limits and the new policies are expected to come into effect on 1 January, after the amendments to the Public Management and Finance Act are passed in parliament, giving the administrative arm of government the chance to put the systems in place to manage these term limits.
There will be some exemptions, such as for judges, as they have different contracts, and the law will also allow Cabinet to exempt other specific jobs in order to protect essential services, but all exemptions will be made public.
Manderson hinted that the changes to the immigration law to increase term limits in the private sector are likely to be implemented on the same day.
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Is this some kind of joke? Franz is the character who helped to create the immigration mess that we are now suffering! Michael and this government need to reflect and see who he really is. It is really a joke for him to claim that he has been advocating for a two year rollover policy for expat civil servants. Now let’s back it up s tad … remember Ozzie and the driftwood story? Now look and see where the same Franz shifted her to. Oh, and his comment about he wasn’t trying to steal Michael’s “thunder” … well that’s exactly what he was purposely doing! All about trying to improve his own tarnished reputation in this mess. Jesus please take the wheel in this corrupt little island nation!
The idea of HR personnel being Caymanian makes sense – who better to ensure that Caymanians receive fair treatment. As a Cayman Brac civil servant, I can say from first hand experience that District Administration needs an HR manager who fits the bill. Please stop hiring incompetent foreigners.
Please excuse my ignorance, however i am not as familiar with the civil service as many others. Are there any Ex-Pats in senior jobs like Chief Officer, heading up Authorities, or other high paid CIG posts. Any of those roles i can think of are all filled by Caymanians. I look forward to being educated on this issue, so i know what people are referring to.
This is all just for headlines. ‘Look what we accomplished in our first 100 days!’
After that this govt won’t accomplish anything of real substance.
I’m curious why no one talks about this e-gov department…millions of dollars and nothing to show.
Good luck in the future…these ideas and policies will blow up in everybodys faces
As an expat I agree that Caymanians should be first in line. No doubt. I just don’t agree to force out specialists in fields such as Teachers, Nurses, Forensic Experts, Detectives, Care Workers and Lawyers just for the sake of a rollover. Look how many in the private sector go on rollover and return like nothing happened?. These jobs I mentioned earlier are career roles which still open up for Caymanians even without a term limit (for the few that want it). The gov jobs that Caymanians actually want are already about 98% locals anyways. Now with the term limit the jobs I alluded to will not attract the best of the best as it once did. Secondly, those who leave will find permanent employment elsewhere. The only thing changes is the attrition rate. PR does not solve the issue because I’ve seen Europeans who invested in property and have enough points but was still denied a PR. It would be good to exempt a few roles in gov that are not highly sought after. Peace to all.
11.08am 98% of locals only includes 25% actual Caymanians.
Before everyone declares victory, lets see what thy put in black and white. There is already talk of ‘exceptions’ for specific areas where they know they will need expat expertise. To be honest, every candidate campaigned on this policy and it had to be done. I expect there will be delays on the Jan 1 date, which by the way gives everyone time to get status.
Peanuts ‘Protection Board” needs to get in gear and stop the flood of status. There are loads of easy wins like moratoriums. Lets see what they are made of.
Moratoriums are not easy. In fact they are unlawful.
It will end in tears.
…of joy.
As an expat I agree that Caymanians should be first in line. No doubt. I just don’t agree to force out specialists in fields such as Teachers, Nurses, Forensic Experts, Detectives, Care Workers and Lawyers just for the sake of a rollover. Look how many in the private sector go on rollover and return like nothing happened?. These jobs I mentioned earlier are career roles which still open up for Caymanians even without a term limit (for the few that want it). The gov jobs that Caymanians actually want are already about 98% locals anyways. Now with the term limit the jobs I alluded to will not attract the best of the best as it once did. Secondly, those who leave will find permanent employment elsewhere. The only thing changes is the attrition rate. PR does not solve the issue because I’ve seen Europeans who invested in property and have enough points but was still denied a PR. It would be good to exempt a few roles in gov that are not highly sought after. Peace to all.
Ah I see you didn’t read it through. The exemptions are for teachers, detectives, care workers etc.
Personally I think we should do better to retain high skilled workers, those in financial services, law, medicine. We need to encourage them that they can build a permanent life here, buying a home, land. It all helps. I think it should be something to consider making easier. If it isnt already, excuse my ignorance if it is.
If this is put in place with out removing the purchase of property to gain residency, our housing crisis will only get worst, for everyone. Also cayman is known as an attractive place to live an do business due to our service industry. Wealthy ppl won’t come if they know they will go to a restaurant and get terrible food and terrible service.
Terrible service…maybe but terrible food? absolutely not.
“worse” not “worst” OMG man!
Yes!,Yes!,Yes!
Change the current time for 2 years for private sector workers to leave Cayman before they can return to work here if they so desire. A FAIR DEAL for ALL foreign workers. What is good for the public sector is equally good for the private sector.
NCFC please do not let any of these foreign persons, rich or poor, persuade you from carrying out this change.
As it will only come into affect January 1st 2026 and such persons have 9 years to continue to work in Cayman, they have ample time to continue to amass a hell of a fortune especially those in the white collar jobs.
Caymanians will not feel any real effect until such time, so I believe the CIG is being more reasonable toward our expatriate workers than most world governments would be.
NCFC – AKA CAYMANIANS FIRST!
Agreed. Cayman is a magnet for the whole world to come here, so we need to move away from “the personality effect” that exists for expatriate workers. In other words, the majority come from larger countries where they are just one of many, i.e. like a Passport number, and can be replaced like they would be in their original country.
The personality effect should be reserved only be for generational Caymanians as it is their birthright.
Can you please explain this “Personality effect” to which you refer?
I have never heard of it, and I don’t understand what you mean.
any comment from the chamber of commerce on this nonsense?
To Caymanians: Not all expats are obnoxious and condescending, but let’s stick it to the ones who are. Let’s quietly train fellow Caymanians who have the aptitude and foundation skills for the roles and show these bunch exactly how much they underestimate us. It will benefit us in a myriad ways in the long run.
to expats: not all caymanians are poorly educated with a poor work ethic. lets continue the search for the ones who can do the basics of professional jobs… as they can become a much better option than rolling the dice with international recruitment.
The problem is that we already are doing this, and we already employ at least the top 50% Caymanians.
The ones doing the whinging are the bottom 25%, who demand jobs and salaries that we can’t give them without damaging our businesses.
Most of our roles can be staffed either here or in another international office. If CIG make it harder to recruit here, we will simply create the jobs elsewhere – and pay the work permit fees, import taxes etc. in those other countries.
As an expat, this seems entirely reasonable. I would however suggest that most expats don’t underestimate Caymanians per se; rather, we just think that there’s a similar talent distribution in Cayman as there is in e.g. Canada or South Africa:
Top 25% most intelligent, hardest working
Middle 50% ” ”
Bottom 25% ” ”
In other words, Caymanians are no worse than any other nationality – but also no better. The problem is that we (the private sector) are already employing all of the top 25%, and most of the middle 50% of Caymanians. The problem for us is that there are not enough of you.
Please believe me: we do not want to pay work permit fees. (Also, there is no Masons-type secret society to hire more foreigners!)
The people making all the noise are the bottom 25%. In, to carry on the example, Canada and South Africa, those people are doing e.g. bar worker and gardening jobs. Here in Cayman it feels as if even the bottom 25% consider it their sacred birthright for an international company to give them a desk job in an air conditioned office. We can do that for a few such people, but only a handful.
What I am missing?
@3:18pm: I agree with your perception. Also, the primary schools need to start steering students into ALL careers based on aptitude. A child gets distracted drawing during science class? That is an architect or an interior designer. Instead of chastising, steer them accordingly. Harness the child’s aptitude instead of forcing them to excel in subjects that do not come to them naturally.
Good point, but I suspect it doesn’t address the comment above. The “Bottom 25%” will still persist in demanding jobs which businesses are unable to give them without suffering economic damage.
Yes, that should be happening anyway.
More broadly, there should be a route for people to work here but to *NEVER* get PR or status. Most people don’t want to be here forever (including me), and we understand the legitimate fears about too many people with PR and status.
There’s a notable confusion between work permit regulations (including rollovers) and the criteria for PR/status. Caymanians’ primary concern should be to restrict PR and status grants to prevent the influx of low-value immigrants who might become burdens on public resources, thereby avoiding the issue of “imported poverty”.
Beyond that, there should be a way to require people to relinquish any claim to PR or status if they don’t do rollover. e.g. if there are 100 jobs requiring certain skills, but only 20 Caymanians with those skills, then until that changes, you need 80 expats. There should be a way for us to come here – for decades if necessary – but then boot us out once we are no use to you, and we retire.
It’s not as clear as some people suggest that 9 years gets you a legal right to stay forever. See https://caymannewsservice.com/2025/02/discussion-paper-details-new-caymanian-protection-act/#comment-674032
@6:16pm: To your point, if an ad explicitly says “Engineer needed for five years” and a non-Caymanian applies, then the terms were clear and accepted from the onset so there is no discussion needed. At five years, it is time to go.
That’s not a sensible example is it, though?
With the exception of time-limited projects, e.g. perhaps most obviously hotel construction, most jobs are permanent.
The better option would surely be to establish a way for people to work here for as long as employers need them (and employers know what they need better than WORC), but to block them from PR or status.
Hard times create strong men.
Strong men create good times.
Good times create weak men.
And, weak men create hard times.
The “need” for a rollover in the Civil Service is simply a sign that the leadership of the Civil Service, have failed in their jobs. If the leadership of the Civil Service did their jobs, there would be no “need” for a rollover policy as sufficient training and planning would already be in place.
The truth is there is no “need” for a rollover policy.
“The governor said the new rules would create a “level playing field” for workers across the private and public sectors.
She noted that fewer than 90 expat civil servants, over the past 20 years, had obtained permanent residency, and the majority spent fewer than six or seven years here.”
Per the Compass article, it doesn’t seem like there is actually a problem that rollover in the Civil Service is going to fix.
https://www.caymancompass.com/2025/05/23/immigration-term-limits-for-expat-civil-servants/
Facts don’t care about feelings!
How convenient these were not included.
The Governor’s information appears incorrect. Is she counting the children of the civil servants getting automatic PR?
Nope. Not is she counting the hundreds granted status 20 years ago.
It horrifying how uninformed, partially informed (or is it misinformed?) the Governor is.
Truth, WHOLE truth, and nothing but…?
Our civil service has been taken over – and Caymanians and the best interests of these Islands excluded and marginalised in the process.
It is not simply a question of who got PR under the Points System
Who got PR through marriage?
Who got status?
There are many hundreds, including in a very significant number of the most senior positions.
There’s no good answer here. Ultimately the fact staring us all in the face is that the Islands are too small for the population and associated needs (traffic being the immediate concern, with health, utilities, sewer/water, and education fast behind).
Unsure of legality or whatever, however there is surely merit in simply stopping further grants of status or PR based on length of residency. Lucky to all those already in the pipeline and in situ, but change the laws, no more permits longer than 5 years ever, no chance of extension. Only mega wealthy can buy Status/residency.
Everyone else, lucky you, you and your children have won the lottery and will all become Caymanian in coming years if on the road to residency.
If we do not implement something this draconian, we are utterly doomed – we simply cannot cope with much more population increase, the geography of the Islands prevents it.
Someone grow some testicular fortitude and sort it.
My reply to Poster 27/05/202 @ 8:46 am
I totally agree with your comment, except for this part…
“Only mega wealthy can buy Status/residency.” I think not. They should NOT be included either. They can be the rudest, arrogant, racist, and entitled people, and to allow them to be able to gain PR or Status would be no different than what we are having to deal with now. So. I say hell no to that part of your comment.
As of 2034, (because it will take this length of time (since it is a nine-year term limit), God spares our lives, the only grants of PR or Status should be to those married to Caymanians and/or have Caymanian descent ties.
You said it. It is not about disliking foreigners, we are simply too small to sustain such break-neck population growth. In the 90s it made sense; now we have to manage our economy and grow our Caymanian people so that, together, can spearhead the development going forward.
Try owning a business here for 39 years and see how hard it is to find qualified people.
The talent isn’t here, as the governments of the pass have failed the people with the lack of eduction.
Kids cant read or write at a high school level coming out!!!
Cayman has imported cheap labor and in the pass you could make a living here.
BTW it is past not pass and “can’t” and your general grammar is not at high school level.
Pot calling the kettle black?
Poster 27/05/2025 @11:02 am
You forgot another one …. education NOT eduction.
———————————————————
Poster 27/05/2025 @8:09, you have no place to talk about “Kids cant read or write at a high school level coming out!!!” Obviously, you are not doing so well either.
…eduction… Enough said.
Lack of education… PasT , not pass.
Far easier to blame expats than address the problems with Cayman’s education system.
As an employer, I leap at the chance to use a Caymanian to fill any vacancy, but those worth hiring already have jobs.
What company, and what jobs do you have that you are looking to fill with Caymanians (but struggle to find them)?
This is a stupid question, isn’t it? No employer is going to dare to question “the narrative” publicly!
“The marrative” being pushed here belongs solely to the OP. Sounds to me like they (you?) made up a scenario to run down Caymanians, and when they got called out on it, couldn’t back up their words.
If there is a company that struggles to find Caymanians, why wouldn’t they want to list the available jobs? After all, you’d save oh-so-much on permits (🙄🙄) if they were able to hire locally instead.
You understand that a disproportionate number of the teachers and those managing them are expatriates, right? If you are blaming the government education system, you are blaming expats.
Children learn better from people who are like them.
Can we encourage Caymanians to join the profession?
It’s a difficult ask as the primary school system relies heavily on an irrelevant British curriculum, resulting in disinterested and frustrated students.
That irrelevant curriculum you speak of is the one expected and required by all of our industries…And it is internationally respected.
>”irrelevant British curriculum”
What would you suggest as an alternative? Perhaps a special Caymanian syllabus:
– Killing turtles and other endangered species.
– The diabetes diet: how to eat crap and die early.
– Speeding: how to risk your life and other people’s.
You really took that personally, huh? What makes you think that was even a Caymanian’s suggestion? Or that you needed to spew such vitriol towards a people whose island you are a guest on? You just hatefully filled in the blanks.
Like… you good? Everything alright at home?
Reply to poster JTB 27/05/2025 @8:07am.
I wish to repeat a comment by a poster 27/05/2025 @ 11:45am to help you understand the complexity of why you may perceive the Cayman Islands’ education system as failing as a result of Caymanians. Let it be known:
“You understand that a disproportionate number of the teachers and those managing them are expatriates, right? If you are blaming the government education system, you are blaming expats.
Education begins at home. I believe that the cultural undervaluing of education is one of the primary reasons the system continues to struggle.
Do we really believe that Cayman’s children are somehow uniquely unteachable? Or that the teaching methods and strategies that work in classrooms around the world simply fail here by coincidence? I refuse to believe that either of these could be true.
Uninterested parents lead to disengaged children, which leads to poor academic results and, ultimately, a Cayman where Caymanians struggle to get their preferred jobs.
Teachers, police, care workers. Yeah, those people are taking advantage of Caymanians. Let’s get rid of them!
SMH
A lot of them are. Have you had to deal with a Jamaican police officer who blatantly favours their compatriot lately? Or a Jamaican teacher who looks down on Caymanian kids in the public school system? All while they and their numerous dependents are taking up spaces that should be reserved for Caymanians in our public health care and education systems for FREE??
and Caymanians in those roles won’t do those things? And will pay for their health care?
…are you being intentionally obtuse?
Surely your stance can’t actually be: because there is a chance that a Caymanian will do it as well, we should continue to import immigrants to do it instead?
This is false, Civil Servants contribute to their Pension and Healthcare.
Every time I see Mr Manderson discussing this policy all that comes to mind is the fox guarding the hen house.
Peanut and Mr Myles need to get rid of Franz. I know Franz & Peanut are buddies, but he’s wearing another cap now and that cap is for the people of the Cayman Islands as a representative. Give him his retirement handbook guys along with the AG
That you, shadow leader?!
wait your turn.. or NOT.
please dont!
Oh yes. And he has at least two non-generational Chief Officers who has always done his bidding. Those are the types whom he likes to surround himself with.
On Radio Cayman yesterday morning, the host read a Private Members Motion for the Caymanianisation of jobs etc that was submitted to Parliament 5 years ago that Manderson blocked as he deemed it unworkable. And after being in the job for 13years he suddenly says he has asked his team to come up with the present plan. Things do not add up here, so me thinks this was due to the recent public pressure seen and heard over several years with our eroding society.
So you expect, say, an expat high school math teacher to somehow “train” a Caymanian to become a high school math teacher? Wouldn’t that first require the Caymanian to go to university for four years and obtain an education degree with an advanced math specialty?
Not well thought through.
And yet CIS, St. Ignatius, Prep … all manage fine…
(and provide much better educations).
Those schools have all Caymanian staff?
What planet are you on?
@7:56 am
There is a quote often attributed to Abraham Lincoln that fits here.
@10:42pm KMT. For Pete’s sake, you are simplifying this to the max just to be difficult.
Yes, if there is a Caymanian HS math teacher with the required education degree and advanced math specialty, than that person can be trained if needed. And if not, a new expat math teacher can be hired. People don’t seem to understand, if a Caymanian is not available to fill the role, then a new expat person would be hired. It’s really not rocket science. Its a way to reduce the path to citizenship, which we have every right to do. We should not have to apologize for that.
‘reduce the path to citzenship’….zzzzz…but thanks for honesty
sad backward fools.
What is wrong with wanting to reduce the eligible numbers on the path to citizenship? Do you believe that Cayman should have open borders?
Nothing wrong with it inherently. The people of this country should choose what works for them. However, people need to understand the dynamics at play and how their chosen policy might negatively impact the financial services industry, which is Cayman’s golden goose.
I can speak to the impact it would have on expat lawyers, if they aren’t exempted.
It is career suicide to leave your position as a mid-level or senior associate in a London law firm to move to Cayman, unless you commit to a new career path as a Cayman lawyer. It can work if you are junior and are here for only a small number of years because at that level you can return to your old role without a major impact on your practice. However, at the more senior levels (with only few exceptions) you are severely limiting your future prospects by moving here, so you need to be committed to it as a long term career from the outset. When I told people I was making the move, a senior partner at my old firm took me aside and tried to talk me out of it. He said, “you know, it’s like Hotel California, once you check in you can never check out”. And he was mostly right, but I went ahead with it because I was committed to never “checking out”. If the long term prospects in Cayman are also severely restricted by this policy it will be virtually impossible to convince people like me to come here, because our careers would be dead in the water from the outset. It would only be an attractive option to very junior people looking for a short jolly on a Caribbean island. Hopefully there will be suitable exemptions.
Edit: I’m speaking of course about the calls to extend this policy to the private sector.
…the policy that has been successfully navigated by the private sector for 20 years?
Roll-over has only been for 1 year, and most attorneys who are still here at the 8 year point get PR, because they can’t be replaced. That’s simple maths:
50 Caymanian attorneys
500 Attorney jobs
= Not enough Caymanians.
You can’t treat a highly skilled workforce like cattle, by booting them out on rollover, because we can’t recruit e.g. another attorney *with eight years’ experience* – so the work simply moves to another jurisdiction, and never comes back.
Incidentally, we struggle to recruit even junior people now: the increased popularity of WFH in First World countries, the increased salaries, and the extremely high cost of living here make it unattractive to most potential candidates. Even those who we do manage to persuade to join us often go home once they have children, because education is so expensive here.
So what? Financial services pays for Cayman, so we need to be careful.
Kudos to you for replying in a calm, respectful manner. All you explained is understandable . I think most level headed Caymanians are not asking for a blanket stop to PR / status. However, it cannot be as easily accessible as it is now . A happy medium can coexist if the right minds come together to work things out.
⬆️ This!
Excellent point, but both the people who proposed this, and the people in the comments section commending it, are too stupid to understand.
That person already has a job
The better option would be create a route for people to work here but never get PR or status. Most people don’t want to be here forever, but we do understand the legitimate fears about too many people with PR and status.
There’s a notable confusion between work permit regulations and the criteria for PR/status. Caymanians’ primary concern should be to restrict PR and status grants to prevent the influx of low-value immigrants who might become burdens on public resources, thereby avoiding the issue of “imported poverty”.
Beyond that, there should be a way to require people to relinquish any claim to PR or status if they don’t do rollover. It’s not as clear as some people suggest that 9 years gets you a legal right to stay forever. See https://caymannewsservice.com/2025/02/discussion-paper-details-new-caymanian-protection-act/#comment-674032
Reply to poster 27/05/2025 @ 9:00am
Shout it as loud as you can from your rooftop gal or guy!
Spot on.
The only comment that is needed to clarify this article. Other comments do not come close.
Some of those “teachers” don’t even have teaching degrees. If an expat can get a Science degree and teach Science so can a Caymanian. The truth is that it’s advertised overseas and expats have the top positions so they hire other expats. Cayman have some good Caymanian teachers.
We have a failing public school system. The issue is bigger than whether the teachers are Caymanian or Expat.
The obvious answer is we need some of both, but if education was better, you would need fewer expats for specialized roles. But there isn’t a pool of 1,000s of amazing Caymanian workers looking for jobs. Unemployment is low so every time a new hotel is built or a business expands the population has to grow to staff it.
>”Cayman have some good Caymanian teachers.”
That should be:
“Cayman HAS some good Caymanian teachers.”
They’re obviously not that good, are they!
The issue is not the lack of jobs. There are already more than enough jobs. The issue is the lack of properly trained Caymanians.
Rolllover is not about jobs for Caymanians. It’s about stopping expats from getting status.
Where is the empirical data on how many expats get status vs the number of work permits granted?
A two year rollover will just cause more jobs to be done remotely. With the same people doing the work, just not contributing to the economy.
Those that cannot be done remotely such as lower level hospitality and construction shouldn’t qualify for permanent residency anyway?
Where is the data????
There is none, same as the “data” for the cruise berthing and loss of Caymanian jobs.
Do you actually want to be like Bermuda or Jamaica? That’s the way you’re going with this attitude of yours.
Sorry to be blunt, but apparently it is necessary. Cayman needs expats. Expats do not need Cayman. Look at your own (Cayman) Economics and Statistics Office (ESO) August 2022 report about how many banks and trusts moved off island compared to the previous year:
“Banks & Trusts: The total value of international banking assets domiciled in the Cayman Islands declined by 12.9 percent to US$518.3 billion in 2021 relative to the previous year. Similarly, international liabilities domiciled locally fell by 13.0 percent to US$517.5billion (see Table 4.1). The Islands’ financial system had cross-border assets of US$503.0 billion, a decline of 13.1 percent, and liabilities of $470.8 billion, a decline of 12.5 percent relative to end-2020.“
https://www.eso.ky/UserFiles/page_docums/files/uploads/the_cayman_islands_annual_economic_repor-7.pdf, page 27.
In the short term cash will keep coming, but long term best be prepared to deal with an inevitable economic slowdown. Cayman may even consider allowing expats to stand for election then, as your current politicians are plainly useless.
See this March 2023 Financial Times article, “Singapore and Hong Kong vie to be the Caymans (sic) of Asia” which notes:
“The two cities have set up new fund structures to lure wealth away from traditional offshore financial centres… Singapore established the Variable Capital Company, a fund structure that allows a wide range of potential users to shelter large pools of capital in discreet, lightly taxed wrappers domiciled in a well-regulated financial centre… Investor take-up, particularly in Singapore, has been rapid. The bankers, fund managers and lawyers involved in setting them up say their impact could be far more widespread and more disruptive than previously imagined, drawing assets and expertise into the region… The new vehicles represent a direct challenge to traditional offshore finance centres whose success has been built on privacy and low taxes and whose economies are heavily dependent on the revenue generated by financial services… Singaporean authorities, frustrated at the tendency of local fund managers to register investment vehicles offshore rather than in Singapore itself, launched the rival VCC in 2020. It made it easier for overseas and domestic entities to register an investment vehicle in Singapore… For Singapore the rush to establish the new structures has been especially pronounced. “Prior to 2020 the vast majority of Singaporean managers had their funds in offshore jurisdictions such as the Cayman Islands, Mauritius or Luxembourg. Now the tables have turned,” says Mahip Gupta, a partner at Singapore-based Dhruva Advisors.“Since the Variable Capital Company structure was introduced, most have chosen Singapore as their fund domiciliation hub.””
https://www.ft.com/content/88e20280-bb6e-4209-ae76-d7183c60ff62, 20 March 2023.
Politicians and populations who are too stupid to allow businesses to recruit freely will rapidly find their financial service industry leaves. Expats will be fine: by definition we can do jobs which Caymanians can’t do. That’s why we’re here: Caymanians in WORC conceded that we’re better than any Caymanian alternative. We can therefore escape. You can’t. Be careful what you wish for.
What’s the master plan here?
1. Is e.g. ‘Sarah the neurosurgeon’ really going to come to Cayman for 8 years, on the condition that she trains up ‘Bobo the Caymanian’ to replace her? Does Bobo have a hope in hell of being able to the job?! 🤣 Is she going to do that in the knowledge that she will then be thrown out of Cayman with her family for two years, disrupting her and her husband’s life and her children’s education, and then come grovelling back to WORC to see if she can be employed again?
2. Or, will she look at the new rules – and those who imposed them – with thoroughly-earned contempt, and look elsewhere in the world to build her life?
I’ll give you a clue: it won’t be (1). You can repeat the example for every other profession which Cayman relies upon to pay the bills. Covid proved that we don’t need tourism. Financial services are the lifeblood of this island, and generate $$$$$$ which Caymanian politicians then squander to buy votes, rather than investing in functioning education systems and the overseas employment programmes which are essential for people to get international experience and then compete – ON THEIR MERITS – for jobs in Cayman. Expats already pay for this island: it’s not our fault that your politicians waste the money.
Clients are already wary of our Caymanian employees, because they suspect that they are affirmative action hires. Threats like the ones in this article aren’t helping. We’re going the way of Bermuda: a xenophobic death spiral.
The same ESO indicates that 66% of the financial services work force is Caymanian. That tells us that if that 66% is willing to share their knowledge and expertise with younger Caymanians entering the field, then we can increase that % to at least 80% in three years. Same in every other field. Caymanians need to stop stonewalling their own. It will benefit us in the long run.
ICCI had a full-page ad in a physical paper last week. They were congratulating their graduates, out of 32 only 4 across all levels had done Accounting.
Workers aren’t prepared and in many cases companies just can’t effectively train people for all the roles if they don’t have the right educational base.
It makes me giddy that your posts are getting more hysterical and desperate as time goes on. We both know that your days of exploiting Cayman are numbered. <3
The blunt and unpalatable reality is simply that affirmative action can only go so far, or you end up employing idiots as “expensive furniture”, to appease WORC/the dumbest voter.
People need:
1. Education/qualifications. This is the baseline just to get your CV through the filter. It doesn’t even guarantee you an interview.
2. International experience. The private sectors serves international clients, who prefer not to instruct people who have only ever worked in Cayman. Many jobs cannot credibly or competently be done by people whose horizons are so tiny that they don’t have years of experience in the wider world).
3. Aptitude. Many people should realistically be aspiring to be e.g. security guards, checkout workers and bar staff, because that’s their ceiling. Don’t be a snob – there is nothing wrong with those jobs, and someone must do them. Double (or more) the minimum wage so that Caymanians can do them. 🤷♀️
4. Attitude. Anyone who’s grown up in a First World major city understands how it is infused with an atmosphere of competitiveness that is simply absent in the famously relaxed Caribbean. That ‘hunger to work’, and to commit oneself to one’s career is noticeably absent even with the children of first generation ‘Status Caymanians’, e.g. Canadians who moved here in the last 15-20 years.
Surely it would be better to subsidise the bottom e.g. 20% of people, who are unemployable without affirmative action, to resettle to the UK. This would provide them with access to a lower cost of living, and they would be in a normal economy, with opportunities to earn a living within their limited ability, rather than just being bitter and disgruntled in Cayman, and constantly demanding special treatment. It seems unfair to say to such people, as we are at the moment: “You too can compete with the best international professionals”, when it’s simply not true.
Cayman’s competition is Singapore and Dubai. The current government appears to have a death wish for the island. Great for qualified restructuring and insolvency practitioners, as they get work from the collapse of the Cayman economy, but not so good for those stuck here.
Wow 🤯🤯🤯🤯
Y’all getting so much bolder!
Now it’s not just the lazy line but just like you did in the Chagos Islands, you want to ship us out to make room for your plans.
Only the stupid ones.
A Caymanian partner at my accountancy firm has said the same thing for years. Tell him that it’s a crazy idea.
So, what’s your solution?
The bottom 20% of any society are less employable than the top 80%. In Canada, Australia, the US, etc. there are cheap goods and services available, so they get by. Here, everything must be shipped or flown in, so it’s far more expensive – and people understandably demand a far, far higher standard of life than their grandparents experienced in e.g. the 1950s.
There appears to be a mismatch: the bottom 20% can either:
1. Have 1950s-quality housing and jobs (mosquito-ridden huts and fishing), and stay on Cayman.
Or
2. Have a 21st Century-quality of life, but somewhere where their skill set allows them to afford that.
CIG could just increase income tax (AKA work permit fees – they’re the same thing) and simply give even more handouts to Caymanians, but that will only increase the size of the problem.
So, what’s your solution?
9 years is too long.
Mr Franz and the others are genuinely good people but this is bigger than them and outside of their good selves.
Envy is at the bottom of this whole story as always.
“Mr Franz and others are genuinely good people” really?
Did you also know unicorns and mermaids are real?
idiots. sending all the wrong signals to very people that keep the lights on around here..
Absolutely. Affirmative action never works out in the end. NAU 2.0 soon come.
Much easier to meddle with the expats and alienate them rather than working on improving the lackluster at best public education system.
Largely run by expats from the Eastern Caribbean? That failing school system?
Are expats responsible for curriculum?
Yes. It is called the CXC – written and operated by the Caribbean Examinations Council.
Be great to have a two year break from Manderson.
He are just getting started!
Yes, he are. Bless your heart.
Mr Dart will not be happy
why?
Good!
Dart companies hire and train more Caymanians than most businesses.
pure tokenism… from a very generous man…but caymanians still complain about him
Are you counting Ritz, Kimpton and Indigo?
That is not a bad thing.
That is a good thing.
We encourage PoCS to rethink the nine-year window. Three years from January, 2026 is time enough to identify a suitably qualified understudy who has the right aptitude and skills set for succession.Please and thank you.
Or, we could simply leave well enough alone and focus on improving the awful public education system instead of affirmative action.
Your assertion is premised on the assumption that there will be a “suitably qualified understudy who has the right aptitude and skills [sic] set for succession”.
On what basis do you assert that a tiny Caribbean island, with an atrocious record of educational achievement, has such people in the vast array of careers that exist in the modern world?
If you had left the word “Caribbean” out of your description, I would not be perceiving you to be prejudiced.
So where is Cayman?
We are islands in the Caribbean. Not Caribbean islands. It is an important distinction. Go to Country and Western if you are struggling to understand. THAT is more indicative of Cayman than what you perceive – and it ain’t “Caribbean”.
I have no idea what you’re trying to say. It’s probably me being dim, but would you explain, please – many thanks!
Great! 2 years, why not 3! This will stop employers from keeping them on remote work from Cayman to return after a year back to their job.
What makes you think they will be allowed to return? If they failed to help train a Caymanian to fill their role the first time, why should we be giving them a second chance? Wake up!!! The Caymanian people have had enough of the lies and empty promises.
Fix your broken public education system.
Most don’t hire high school leavers. What about the Caymanians that come back from US/UK universities with degrees and still can’t get an entry level job? Now your little “uneducated” lie crumbles.
There are very few entry level professional jobs in Cayman. Gov’t makes people come back but there is not work. It would be better if they worked aboard for a few years then came home.
Also, CIG should stop allowing scholarship money to go to Religious and Directional Universities in the USA.
Degrees from Western Presbyterian Alabama State are not good use of money.
Southern Methodist excluded.
Who told you that just getting a natty bit of paper from an attendance course guarantees you whatever you job you demand? They have lied to you.
Before you go to university, know that you are being sold a ticket to an outcome. The university doesn’t care about the outcome; they only care about the sale of the ticket. So if the university can convince 500 people to enrol and graduate from Tulip Arranging, earning $60,000 per student, but only two jobs for Professional Tulip Arrangement exist, leaving 498 people with a completely useless degree… well that’s not really the university’s problem. The university’s problem would be finding an artist to build a statue of a giant tulip with the extra $30,000,000 revenue and making flipping certain that the brochures for the next class will be extra glossy.
In reality, people need:
1. Education/qualifications. This is the baseline just to get your CV through the filter. It doesn’t even guarantee you an interview.
2. International experience. The private sectors serves international clients, who prefer not to instruct people who have only ever worked in Cayman. Many jobs cannot credibly or competently be done by people whose horizons are so tiny that they don’t have years of experience in the wider world).
3. Aptitude. Many people should realistically be aspiring to be e.g. security guards, checkout workers and bar staff, because that’s their ceiling. Don’t be a snob – there is nothing wrong with those jobs, and someone must do them. Double (or more) the minimum wage so that Caymanians can do them. 🤷♀️
4. Attitude. Anyone who’s grown up in a First World major city understands how it is infused with an atmosphere of competitiveness that is simply absent in the famously relaxed Caribbean. That ‘hunger to work’, and to commit oneself to one’s career is noticeably absent even with the children of first generation ‘Status Caymanians’, e.g. Canadians who moved here in the last 15-20 years.
Hey 9:51 – I knew a couple in Cayman that had met while in college in the US. The female is caymanian and her boyfriend American. Upon arriving on island, she (caymanian) secured employment within 2 weeks while the boyfriend was unemployed for nearly a year until he secured a temporary job. They ended up leaving because of how difficult securing a job was for the boyfriend. Not sure what trash you are saying about educated caymanians being unable to find work. Qualified caymanians can easily find work in cayman from what I’ve seen.
3 years remote isn’t too bad either. Keep it up and soon the majority of the skilled workers will be “consultants” working from their home countries. You can’t force companies to hire locals that simply don’t have the specialized skills needed for certain jobs.
Exactly. Companies in Singapore and Dubai likely watching this closely and prepared to take good emoloyees from their Caymanian offices.
Get ready for the looming real estate crash and recession.
Real Estate crash would be good. Caymanians can finally afford something.
Caymanians won’t have jobs if that happens. We’ll just be left with feral Jamaicans .
We will only be left with feral foreigners if we fail to roll them over.
And nothing but service and retail jobs as the financial firms flee.
@7:12am: We only developed a housing crisis when the PPM decided to make owning real estate the highest criteria point to apply for PR. A top-tier lawyer, physician or auditor could suddenly buy a $300,000 house without much fuss. Simultaneously, it became increasingly challenging for a Caymanian to get a decent-paying job. Result: average cost of property today: $500,000. Average Caymanian salary (if lucky!): $50,000
Genuine question: is that true?
Surely building here costs $$$$, and therefore prices have always been high?
No – prices were actually affordable a generation ago. Pretty much any working Caymanian could build a home for themselves – and they did.
What is happening here is literally happening everywhere in the world.
Which is one of many reasons we know the noisy immigrants on here threatening to leave are full of shit. Leave and go where? Where offers a better, tax-free QoL? We are literally actively trying to get rid of you and you won’t leave. Some even going so far as threatening to sue just for the privilege of remaining here. 😂
When you read to fully understand most of the comments that are, for obvious reasons, predominantly posted by ex-pats. It is easy to see them for what they truly are. To clarify, I am not generalizing, as I have met some amazing people (Ex-pats), some who are still here and some who have long left.
You can’t train those without the desire to work. Good luck!
maybe if those lazy people also got a car, an apartment, multiple trips overseas, children paid for private school and the list goes on….they might be a bit more interested
11:40 – you sound like all that stuff is just given away to these hardworking expats that actually work hard for what they have. Why don’t you start with a solid education from a school that isn’t an online diploma factory. Then, proven experience at real companies. Maybe then all that stuff will follow. Good luck to you and that base you’re appealing to!
That doesn’t make even the smallest bit of sense. Where did you get the idea you don’t need to work for anything?
“Entitled Caymanian” movement
Damn 11:40, who is handing all of that stuff out? Can you please sign me up?
Exactly. Big mistake being made here by Government. Let us take a good look at the number of teachers, nurses, police, doctors, etc who are foreign nationals (EXPATS) like me.
If we can work in the community for up to 9 years then why the need to leave the island for a year or two.
There simply isn’t enough Caymanians who are trained in xertain professions- hence it is necessary for Government to employ expats.
This anti-expat policy is a big mistake being made by Government – time will tell – you heard it hear first.
As it will always be.
Let me guess, you are a professor engaged in the art of teaching the English language and you have a doctorate in teaching others how to spell?
You are heard here.
LOL
The culture at HSA is that expat doctors belittle and berate young Caymanian trainee doctors rather than develop a plan to help them grow.
Nothing unique to medical profession…belittling and berating Caymanians has been going on in the financial service industry for decades…ask any Caymanian in financial service industry as to why they are overlooked for promotion.
HSA being a statutory body must do better.
Wtf, do you have proof of this hate mongering shite you are peddling?
You have to leave after 9 years, unless you have qualified for PR, because if you don’t, various laws and principles start to afford you an automatic right to remain here forever, irrespective of whether Cayman wishes you to remain.
Fundamentally, if Cayman is to maintain control over who stays here and on what basis, strictly enforced term Limits are the only effective and workable option.
If Cayman is your intended forever home, by all means apply for PR.
Again I say the root of the problem is uncontrolled development. there will never be enough Caymanians to fill all the jobs. Damn its not that hard to figure out.
This is a fair summary of the position.
There are arguments that CIG may be taking too conservative an approach, however. Please see here:
https://caymannewsservice.com/2025/02/discussion-paper-details-new-caymanian-protection-act/#comment-674032
Excerpt: “The Cayman Islands’ Bill of Rights, particularly Article 9(3)(e) [1], grants the government explicit authority to regulate entry and residence, serving as a safeguard against claims that prolonged residence alone establishes a right to permanent residency. This provision aligns with the European Court of Human Rights’ (ECtHR) stance [1] that states possess a broad margin of appreciation in immigration matters, even for long-term residents. However, concerns have been raised about the ECtHR’s interpretative approach. Retired Supreme Court Justice Jonathan Sumption, in his 2019 book “Trials of the State: Law and the Decline of Politics,” observed…”
I’ve seen Europeans who invested in property and have enough points but was still denied a PR
No you have not. Everyone with 110 Points is guaranteed PR.