Work permits at over 37,300 even in low season
(CNS): At the start of this month, despite entering tourism’s low season, the number of valid work permits was 37,334, according to the latest official figures. This is about 100 fewer than the record-breaking high of 37,437 in April this year. The huge number comes when an estimated 5% of local people are without work and after the Economics and Statistics Office published its latest occupational wage survey revealing that around 58% of workers here are earning CI$4,000 per month or less.
The usual low-season departure of tourism workers does not appear to have greatly impacted the number, which has been in excess of 37,000 permits throughout this year so far, as the current government has still not made any meaningful change to the immigration law.
In a round-robin message to their clients, local attorneys, and immigration experts, HSM said that the figures they received earlier this month show that the highest number of currently active permits are for Jamaicans at 15,427. This is followed by 6,463 workers from the Philippines, 2,081 from India, 2,024 from the United Kingdom. There are 1,246 workers from Nepal, who recently jumped into the top five largest groups, and 1,197 from Canada.
HSM also said that work permit grants or renewals are taking around 12 weeks, but it can take as much as six months to vary the conditions of a permit.
The lawyers reported that, based on the cases they are dealing with, the processing time for permanent residency and status applications has continued to drop over the last few months. Caymanian status and PR applications are taking up to twelve months, while applications for the right to work as a spouse of a Caymanian or a PR holder are taking between three and six months.
In June 2024, the Caymanian Status and Permanent Residency Board determined 138 applications for the Right to be Caymanian on the basis of naturalisation and another 58 based on marriage.
Meanwhile, the attorneys said that they recently managed to get two PR applications that they believed were wrongfully rejected based on the allocation of points reconsidered without having to appeal.
“Upon reviewing the points which they had been awarded, it appeared to us that there were clear errors made in assessing the applications, which if resolved in our clients’ favour, would lead to the award of Permanent Residence to them,” Huw Moses, a partner with the firm, said.
He explained that they decided to ask for a reconsideration even though there is no formal process, but given that this was a clear administration error, the lawyers gave it a shot.
“In both of these cases, reconsideration requests were made and approved prior to the time limit for any appeal to be filed expiring,” Moses said. “In some cases, reconsideration requests are not appropriate, however in these cases, the department exercised their discretion in a reasonable manner and accepted the submissions we made, and in doing so our clients not only obtained Permanent Residence in a far quicker manner than they eventually would via an appeal but incurred less legal fees,” he added.
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Category: Jobs, Local News
If 5% of all Caymanians are not employed, that is an amazingly low number for a western nation with a vibrant economy. In an average Western nation with a vibrant economy, the average percentage of the *working-age population* who are either deemed unemployable, or jobless but not seeking work, typically ranges from 6-13%.
If 5% of our TOTAL Caymanian population are unemployed that suggests that the percentage of unemployed among the working age population is minuscule. In any case, up to 3% of an average of western nation’s working age population are deemed to be unemployable for various reasons.
Only 5% of Caymanians being unemployed is a golden statistic, but I wonder if the number is misquoted as being a percentage of the Caymanian WORKFORCE and and not encompassing all Caymanians. The distinction is important.
We are not going back is now a US electoral campaign slogan. I wonder if there will be men and women with Nuts in the 2025 Cayman Election who will stand up and say “ we can’t go back to the good old days, but we’re gonna ensure better days for Caymanians”.
Kinda wild statement isn’t it?, here is what it takes to make it happen:
1. A plan to reduce the number of permits by not renewing where there are caymanians available either with experience , knowledge or qualification and where these are not available a plan of hiring and training on the job. Permit renewals will have to be submitted six months before expiry dste not be last minute to enable the smooth verification of Caymanian candidates and aptitude testing , training of locals and smooth exit transition of foreign worker(s).
2. Changes to Permanent residency: timing must be considered vis, a) grant moratorium for the next 10 years excluding those who have applications in and/or who are now eligible by November 30, 2024.
3. Legislate immediately thatc land purchases by Non Csymanians is not allowed, only short term leases of land permitted for up to 7 years is allowed, with any structures being built thereon being subject to professional evaluations to determine fair market value if a fixed price not agreed at the outset of the lease.
4. Education must be made a National priority in terms of having fully trained Caymanians that are qualified and able to take on key positions in the various industries in the Caymanian Islands within the next 8 years. This will require a keen examination of positions in the market and requirements thereof , selection of caymanians who will undergo govt funded training in preparation for these jobs, along with extensive dialogue with Industry to make these positions and others at managerial level avsilable , including where possible overseas secondment of caymanians as part of the training and acceptance process.
These and other aspects are critical to the existence of and tile lifeline if these islands and its people. We must have not just mouth pieces in government elected at the next election, but seasoned , committed professionals to take us to a better place , to enhance our quality of life and to ensure that we don’t furthersell our souls out to investors and greedy politicians who really don’t care about you or me but their own selfish gain.
Let’s do our selves a favor come the next election. “Vote Right” Your future depends on it.
Keep em coming!
we need 48,538 more people here by Christmas.
Scam Temporary permit Haven!
The global migration trend is everywhere – canada, ireland, uk, us, etc are all seeing huge influxes of migrants. At least Cayman has them paying some work permit fee, and has some basic restrictions on who can/can’t come.
Unless you’re Jamaican.
Here’s a truthful and staggering statistic that should open everyone’s eyes: There are more than 10,000 more WP holders than there are electors — registered voters — in the Cayman Islands.
What would even more interesting is the number of electors versus the number of adult, generational Caymanians. There are gaps between the cultural values and expectations of first generation immigrants (which admittedly vary significantly) and multi generational Caymanians. That sense of disenfranchisement is potentially an even greater source of tension than the numerical balance between WP holders and electors, especially when the candidates for office are limited to the multi generational group.
Need quotas for Jamaicans. 5000 is plenty. Parliament do your job and pass a law. Easy.
The law has already passed. It is ignored with impunity.
How would Saunders Seymour Mac and Kenny be expected to ruin Cayman without them..?
We, work permit holders, would not be here if Caymanians did not hire us
This is the absolute truth!!! And for all the complainers, they would not want the much higher costs of goods and services that Caymanian workers would force on the economy. However, I strongly feel that ANY Caymanian that is competent to be hired would have a job. I just don’t buy the conspiracy theory of preferential treatment for foreigners. Companies hire skills! Caymanian workers for needed skills is severely lacking.
The vast majority of work permit holders work for non Caymanians. Just sayin.
Apart from all the WP holders hired by LCCL companies, and those hired by non Caymanian management of Caymanian owned companies.
And yet you can see, just by reading today’s media job descriptions written and tailored for incumbent permit holders. We can’t be without permit holders, they are necessary for our continued success, but qualified Caymanians have an uphill struggle and some have left Cayman to pursue their careers elsewhere because they are denied here. Just recently the Compass ran an article on this.
the compass interviewed a cook who wanted to be hired directly to chef at the ritz! google the cook and see his experience at the time. he didn’t want to work his way up, he wanted the title handed to him. This is not a Cayman thing, this is a youth of today thing. they graduate and expect to make $100000, work 4 days a week and have a month’s vacation…. that is the problem,, plus poor journalism…
Plus poor comprehension on your part. The compass did more than interview a ‘cook’ but hey don’t let facts get in the way of your false narrative.
The 5% unemployed takes no account of those Caymanians who are already employed but in jobs they don’t want to do, and at a pittance, when they are willing and qualified to be in a better position. These under utilized locals attend dozens of job interviews for better positions, and if lucky, get offered something less than what was advertised. Then the original position is filled by an expat who has few skills and an unverified list of qualifications, and the lower level caymanian ends up having to train their superior. And there’s no one to report this to, without fear of reprisal. WPB not interested and there’s no ombudsman. We are screwed.
How many times do we hear this – just document ONE example!.
All you will hear is crickets – there will be no documentation displayed. If anyone wants to improve their situation – look in the mirror for who needs to step up.
visit the grove
Yes. Terrible hiring ethics!!
Rubbish.
Temp permits are abused to bring people here with no real jobs. No pension deductions either.
In recent weeks I’ve documented 2 who approached me in the streets looking jobs. Not Caribbean people either..and yes. I have their photos and emails.. car number too.
Remeber Aldens logic…? More work permits means more jobs for Caymanians..Im still trying to figure that one out.
I guess he was saying we are here to serve foreign workers.
No, he was saying that the work permit holder would train Caymanians , but nobody follows up that condition of the permit.
agreed, this is why there should be a follow from worc with the trainee that they are indeed being trained and that the training is fit for purpose. too many expats are in under the guise of training a local and this never happens. the aim is to fraustrate the local in order for them to leave. Happens often. employers love the powder a wp gives them, so the additional fees are worth it.
Work permits fees are a cash cow for CIG machine and will continue to be, as are all other fees and tariffs, until other streams of revenue are developed by our political and civic “leaders” wearing blinders.
Where’re the Referenda on national lottery and marijuana decriminalization?
Want some more fees CIG? Sell permits to cultivate homegrown!!
Stop new Work Permits!
Sort of, I don’t have the numbers but I am pretty certain that 90% of WP revenue comes from 20% of WP’s.
Stop the 58% coming in from JA and Philippines and cap them at 5%. They even get more points than, for example, Brits in PR applications… go figure?
6.06pm Indians more of a problem than Philipinos and they are now pouring in here. We neverlearn.
And once again not coming to grips with the main problem. Too many unemployable Caymanians that even Caymanians won’t hire created by a third world culture and a third world education system that will not ever change without hard work. There are many skilled hard working Caymanians out there that are like gold to employers and that’s why they are all working. But there is always the ones that no one will hire for obvious reasons that make the most noise because they are voters. This will not change at all in your lifetimes. So keep up the loud complaining that no one listens to any more. It’s all you can do. If someone in leadership would try and change the government run educations system to give more Caymanians a fighting chance at competing with with expats that come from a hard working culture things would start to change. Does anyone see that as a possiblity? And why not? Culture. Am I wrong? If so what is the answer to the problem of the many unemployables now and in the future?
Yes. 5% of unemployed available Caymanians… Pretty darn good if you factor in the great probability that many have “issues”; criminal activity, drug/alcohol struggles, lack of advanced skills, poor work habits, lack of motivation. And the biggest deterent to getting a job – free income from CIG.
Too many Caymanian employers that won’t hire Caymanians, because they’d prefer to have their heel on the head of an expat worker. #Caymanmean
Most employers with hundreds of T&B licenses are actuslly Jamaicans w/Status. Until they are not allowed any more licenses the problems will persist.
No, they would rather employ foreigners because Caymanians feel they have the right to take over two hours for lunch, go home early, not show up Friday afternoons and take every sick leave opportunity.
I’m tired of the work permit rhetoric. It’s been clear for a while that work permits generate significant revenue for the Cayman Islands Government (CIG), so it’s frustrating to hear politicians continue pushing the “Caymanians first” narrative. What I want to see is clear data on exactly how much money is made from work permits and where that money has gone over the past four years. I’m not usually into conspiracy theories, but it’s starting to feel like this Cayman-first rhetoric is just a distraction from making this information public.
how can the CIG permit one nation to have that much influence in the country….they can only blame themselves for the loss of Cayman Culture when there are more Jamaicans then Caymanians in Cayman…simple mathematics
This is particularly dangerous in the case of Jamaica:
“Jamaican culture is among the most violent in the world. For example, murder rates are fifty times higher than in Britain. Guns are normal, so it is unsurprising that Jamaican immigrants brought their gun culture with them; indeed, the gun culture of the Afro-Caribbean community is now a specific concern of British crime policy. That culture is perhaps why Duggan carried a gun: his uncle had been a gun-toting gang leader in Manchester, and he did not recognize it as breaking a taboo. Manchester itself is struggling to live down its description as “Gunchester.” In 2012 it was the scene of a tragedy in which, for the first time in Britain, two policewomen were shot dead.”
Exodus: Immigration and Multiculturalism in the 21st Century, Paul Collier (Professor of Economics and Director of the Centre for the Study of African Economies at Oxford University and a former director of Development Research at the World Bank), https://www.amazon.co.uk/Exodus-Immigration-Multiculturalism-21st-Century-ebook/dp/B00ELXQYM0
It should be possible to cap the % of work permits for any particularly nationality to, e.g. 20% of the total number granted. E.g. this would allow 7,466 non-Caymanians from any one country. It would only impact Jamaicans, but this would be a reasonable and non-discriminatory way of preventing any one culture (said neutrally) from influencing Cayman.
You are advocating for institutionalized racism. I don’t support that.
Definitely discrimination but it is not racism.
nonsense. a policy like that would cap Brits, Canadians, Aussys, saffas, kiwis, Irish, Eskimos, and Jamaicans all the same. Nothing racist at all, it’s not even discrimination.
Jamaican is a nationality not a race
Anonymous @ 12/09/2024 at 9:21 am – we’ve done that before – capped the number of Jamaicans allowed to be here on permits, and then replaced them with Filipino’s. They can do it again, but this time put a cap on all nationalities so we’re not overrun by one particular group.
when did this happen? first time hearing this, how long did it last?
@ Anonymous 12/09/2024 at 4:49 pm Don’t recall exactly but around the early 2000s, I think.
Very happy with more Filipinos. Please now block further Jamaicans, and begin a determined effort to re-migrate any existing Jamaicans who are not clear, unambiguous positive contributors to Cayman.
Illegal? Show some backbone. The quote “John Marshall has made his decision; now let him enforce it!” is attributed to President Andrew Jackson in response to a Supreme Court ruling by Chief Justice John Marshall in the case of Worcester v. Georgia* (1832). The Court had ruled that the state of Georgia could not impose its laws on Cherokee tribal lands, recognising the sovereignty of the Cherokee Nation.
Despite the ruling, President Jackson reportedly refused to take action to enforce the decision, allowing Georgia to continue its policies, which eventually led to the forced removal of the Cherokee people in what became known as the “Trail of Tears.” This episode is often cited as a significant example of the tension between the executive and judicial branches of the US government.
____________
Comparison of Association with Gangs and Criminality
1. Filipino Migrants:
• General: Filipino migrants, particularly in countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia, are generally law-abiding and have a lower statistical association with gangs and criminality. They are often employed in healthcare, domestic work, and other sectors where there is high demand for skilled and semi-skilled labour. Filipino communities have low crime rates compared to other migrant groups.
• Cultural and Societal Factors: The Philippines has a strong cultural emphasis on family, community, and religious values, which translates into the migrant communities. Filipinos are often motivated by the desire for upward social mobility, and their communities typically support law-abiding behaviour to avoid jeopardising their opportunities in host countries.
2. Jamaican Migrants:
• General: In contrast, Jamaican migrants, particularly in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, have a more complex relationship with gang affiliation and criminality. There are notable instances where the Jamaican diaspora have been involved in criminal activities, including gang violence and drug trafficking.
• Cultural and Societal Factors: Jamaica has faced long-standing socio-economic challenges, including high levels of poverty and crime, which predictably extend to the diaspora. Particularly for young Jamaican males, involvement in gang culture is seen as a means of securing financial gain and social identity, especially in host countries with soft, Western criminal justice systems where there are no real punishments or deterrents. Notably, Singapore, which famously uses both corporal punishment and capital punishment, has a large Filipino migrant community, but no significant Jamaican population. It also has virtually no crime.
Jamaicans work, 5% of Caymanians don’t.
*”Jamaicans work for $7.20USD/hr because their minimum wage back home is $2.39USD/hr, 5% of Caymanian’s won’t work for an unlivable wage and shack up with 20 others in a 3 bedroom.”
FTFY. You omitted a couple of facts.
CIG really has no idea how many people are here and what they are doing? How is it possible to issue WP’s when the accommodation form is required. Do they run the address used? Are they able to see that 20 people are using the same address?
Has CIG ever asked, why are these people here and what do they add to Cayman?
Agreed. Too many people here. Time for meaningful immigration reform.
…just need to enforce our law. We don’t. we don’t even read it anymore.
Too many Caymanians luring and oppressing foreign workers – making them pay for their own flights/permits and/or not even providing work, housing, etc. that was promised. We need to find and arrest those Caymanians orchestrating this idle population explosion.
“Caymanians”
Jaimanians not Caymanians
Try to get the ‘locals’, as you call them, to do the work that the foreigners are doing and the number of WP’s will be lower.
A fool’s errand. “locals” will not be able/willing to do what the “foreigners” do.
As long as Filipinos will work for practically nothing, they won’t hire Caymanians.
I think you meant to say as long as”Filipinos”Keep showing up for work and keep doing a great job they won’t hire those who don’t.
Agreed 1.01 pm but UPM have a solution.
Build a $200 Million resort prison, and import hundreds more Jamaican staff, in order to provide more comfortable housing for criminals.
Spend half that money on improved education and trade schools to stem the rot that has set in, so that we won’t need to import so many of the worlds poor and hungry to live off our foolish generosity.
Or just the $10Million fees to consultants would do it..!
They add indentured, slave like labour. Employers of security guards, landscapers, domestic help, cleaners and nannies need to be held to account and disclose what they are paying per hour, the medical cover they are providing and level of pension. Only in this way can we be sure we are not contracting with what are effectively human traffickers.
please stop using cig. This is a result of elected members. The Minister of Labour should be a shamed of himself with so many Caymanians unemployed.
is WORC not CIG, they change IT systems every 6 months, where is the finger print reader? I never understood that as an expat that arrived in the 90’s I didnt have to provide fingerprints for my WP. Every 3 or 4 months WORC does a high profile raid to make it look like they are doing something. Where are the penalties for employers that don’t cancel WP’s when they let people go?
and???…what is the story here?
work permits have been awarded because government determined there was no caymanian to do the job.
Why were these 37,500 permits issued to so many that were brought here and still aren’t working? That’s on top of those that are many years overstaying their paperwork. Immigration is asleep at the wheel.
The govt didn’t determine that. An employer determined that. An employer who is usually originally from the same country where they are getting work permits. An employer who tailors the job description to someone who they can underpay and control to reach maximum profit. Yes this person maybe Caymanian now. But they absolutely hold another citizenship originally.
Caymanians are a passive people and have let too many ingrates in the gate.
Story I’m seeing is this:
Jamaica 41%
Philippines 17%
I now have my answer as to why over the last 20 years we ended up with so many overcrowded, multiple occupancy homes, not to mention, appalling driving standards. And I’m sorry to the many good Jamaicans out there but there’s a lot of badness coming in from JA too.
Exactly – can… and willing.
Sign of a vibrant economy. Now you might think CIG could use all the data at its disposal to tailor our education and employment systems to ensure that there is a supply of properly prepared young Caymanians ready and able to take all available jobs for years to come. But no. Apparently the ship must be left to drift aimlessly.
I couldn’t agree more. The Government reported a $200 million surplus. The richest country in the Caribbean and one of the best off in the world by GDP. You would expect a country like that to have a superb educational system ready to equip its youngsters. Th reality is an embarrassment.
The reality is there is no surplus.
Why would they want to do that? When WP fees are one of governments best revenue.
Every outstanding work permit involves a successful application with obligations and promises linked to the underwriting Caymanian employer. What agency is verifying these promises to guest workers, to fellow Caymanians, and to the collective responsibility to the greater community? From the number of low skill outfits willing to flyer neighbourhoods with a willingness to do almost anything, it seems like low labour utilisation isn’t being factored into multiple applications held by same application underwriters, and that the process has been wilfully corrupted from within, by the underwriting Caymanians and agencies tasked with supervising it. At $6/hr, it’s not far from human trafficking.
Not all permits.
SEZC and VASP are two examples that isn’t true. And with 300+ companies on the zone and the new CEC campus that’s probably a decent chunk of folks.
Not saying this is wrong or right, just noting.
You do not have to be Caymanian to hire a helper or nanny. If you read an article some time ago, it’s Filipinos taking advantage of their own people. This is not so different than the Jamaicans taking out permits for their own with no work for them. But the employee has to pay the employer $500 per week from whatever work they do find on the road plus provide free services for them as part of the privilege of holding the permit for them. You don’t even need to be Caymanian to hire any household staff such as a gardener, butler, etc.
The fleecing of Cayman continues unabated. The false narrative of we need them for exactly What??? to feed our greedy 1.6 million dollar homeowners in Gated communities for our political pirates .
10.21am We need a lot of them to live in with Caymanian families, cleaning the house, cooking all meals, babysitting nights, driving the kids to and from school, helping them with homework etc., all on the minimum wage which has not increased in the last 20 years.
You mean the “greedy” $1.6 million homeowners who paid some $100,000 in stamp duty when they bought their home? About enough to employ 2 teachers for a year.
I dare you to take your money elsewhere. You would lose that 100k annually.
Yes, but Cayman is desperate for well-qualified, professional expats, so you need us. By contrast, we don’t need you. There are other low tax places we could work. All that Cayman has is low taxes, and warm weather, neither of which are any reflection on Caymanians.
STFU and be grateful that we deign to grace you with our presence, because our work permit fees and stamp duty on house purchases fund your NAU and Second NAU (AKA World Class Civil Service).
If we weren’t here, developers wouldn’t be building those houses in the first place: there’s no margin to be made on building mud huts for subsidence fishermen.
Even “7-mile beach” has almost gone, so tourism is dying except for those who just want a week in a “generic hotel somewhere warm” (and thus who will simply select the cheapest option). SMB is now about 4 miles long, about 30ft at its widest point, largely concreted over, and infested with thirdworlders selling crap. It’s as if CIG are actively trying to model it on Somalia or Haiti. (Or, all Caymanian politicians except Andre and Wayne are corrupt, greedy bottom-feeders who are willingly dragging Cayman into the abyss. Probably the latter).
Uh-oh, looks like we found another thin-skinned immigrant 😂
Bet you won’t put your money where your mouth is and move elsewhere. We have nothing here to offer you, after all. 😂
If you don’t like political pirates – stop electing them. Its ironic that so many complain about things that are within their power to change.
But is it though? This is an interesting, however flawed postulate of yours. Is it within our — the electors — power to change when we are required to choose from among flawed choices? If your district runs two politicians, and both are reruns, both of which failed your district in one way or another, is it really within our power to change it? Change it without revolution? Mind, I’m certainly not espousing revolution, no Sir — and yes, I’m fairly certain you’re a “Sir”, not that it matters for this discussion.
If my vote is cast for a person who will then likely combine with others after a lot of horse-trading and swapped loyalties to form a government, where in all that is my voting power? I have voted for a person whom I hope has the best chance of working for us. That will be the last voice I have in the entire process, and it is almost immediately absorbed by the unicellular amoeba of the newly formed government.
Where is my voting ‘value’ in all that? Moreover, where is my ‘power to change’. How dare you classify this reality as “ironic” and try to minimalise our rightful complaints.
The electorate is the only ‘pool’ of eligible Ministers. So if there are only ‘reruns’ and poor choices… it is still the responsibility of the electorate for poor ministers. Sorry, but the power to change the Ministers resides only within the electorate. Yes, its complicated, difficult and will takes decades, but complaining will not result in change – only action will.
Cayman is like an old cargo vessel that has become too top heavy with crew and no cargo to stabilise or displace the weight and the crew have started to lean the vessel to one side and rough weather is approaching or on the horizon and the ships Captain is too drunk with power or stupidity to understand the ship’s capacity to sink or capsize.
UPM are a despicable government only concerned with enriching themselves and building monuments to thy self and the destruction of our precious environment as we can see from the latest Panton & Turner fiasco the displacement of Caymanians continues unabated despite all the double talk and false promises to help the little people fulling this place up with migrants disenfranchising our children’s future. It seem this is the only game in town. Real trouble coming To this little place Cayman and our political donkeys seem useless or so corrupt they cannot or won’t stop it !
PROGRESSIVES AND UPM. Fixed it for you.
That is untrue – Honorable Seymour has everything under control
As Seymour himself declared…
“ I am being invited to join because of my talents and experience.”
Talent and experience in self serving that is.
CNS , Where is the LOL Button?