Over-stayers warned to sort papers or leave
(CNS): The over-stayer amnesty put in place as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent those unable to leave from being prosecuted will come to an end on 31 October. Anyone who no longer has a valid work permit or any other official document allowing them to remain is urged to either address their paperwork problem or leave on one of the available repatriation flights over the next month.
Customs and Border Control (CBC) and Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman (WORC) said people who have overstayed due to COVID-19 must now take the necessary steps to get regularised before the end of the amnesty that was implemented in April.
Those whose work permits have been cancelled or will not be renewed are advised to take advantage of suitable repatriation flights offered by Cayman Airways or British Airways and to make the necessary reservations directly with either carrier. Cayman Airways will add extra flights to Miami, Kingston, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic should the need arise, officials said in a release Thursday.
Meanwhile, WORC’s Compliance Unit said that anyone found to be working without a valid work permit or working outside their permit terms may be subject to fines or prosecution. WORC is currently processing all application types and said employers are responsible for ensuring their workers’ documentation is up to date and written approval granted before their employees start work.
With the planned re-opening of the borders on 1 October, CBC will launch their new online system where visitors can apply and pay for extensions. To avoid congestion by appearing in person to the office, CBC is advising that visitors already scheduled to depart the island before 31 October do not need to seek an extension before leaving.
Long-term visitors who are homeowners and would like to remain for an additional period can make an appointment with CBC or apply using the online process.
Anyone whose term limit has expired and is not able to apply for permanent residency will need to make arrangements to depart the island on a repatriation flight and leave the island for a period of one year before trying to obtain another work permit.
Once the amnesty expires on 31 October, CBC will increase their compliance checks and those found to be in breach of the law may be subject to fines and or prosecution.
The extensions counter will resume with regular opening hours starting 1 October, Monday through Friday, between 8:30am to 4:00pm. Walk-ins will be accepted but booking appointments and using the online system are encouraged.
Contact 244 3318 or email Caymanvisas@gov.ky for questions or to book appointments.
Visit the CBC website to use the online system.
Category: Border Control, Crime
Extra flights to MIAMI, KINGSTON, NICARAGUA & DOMINICAN REPUBLIC!
What about Honduras?
There was a flight 2 days ago less than half empty. What happened? Where were you?
8.28 Country and Western Bar maybe?
Being racist in a hole in west bay.
West bay? Lol what district are you from may I ask?
West bay bruh
West bay….. next to a bunch of expat haters
West bay? Lol West Bay is one of the best places to live right now. No traffic and less crime. Still can get your head blown off but only if you deserve it.
Countries all over the world are once again going into lockdown . they say a few weeks , no way it will be all winter . Tourism this year is done , not happening .No offence to the people that have to leave , but Caymanians are going to have hard times just taking care of their own . This problem is worldwide and for now nothing else can be done . Everyone that is not Caymanian must leave , stop hiding , its over , please for your own sake go home to your own people .
Bertie, stop spreading fake news.
Gov. Ron DeSantis lifted all restrictions on restaurants and other businesses in Florida on Friday [today] in a move to reopen the state’s economy ..
DeSantis’ announcement would allow restaurants and hotels across the state to immediately reopen at full capacity, effective immediately — and would bar cities and counties from ordering restaurants to close, unless they can justify a closure for economic or health reasons.
He further explained that his Executive Order, coming out later today, will prohibit local municipalities from restricting the re-opening of businesses. They must be allowed to operate at least at 50% capacity, regardless of local rule.
There’s room in the Trumpster for trash comments like that…..
Gov Ron Desantis is a trump puppet , well known to do anything to get in trumps good books . I do not have to spread fake news , if interested read foreign press all you want , Britain and Italy an Spain , hell all over is starting to go into lockdowns. Aus has a whole city on intense lock down . your aloud out two hrs per day and can only go five kilometers, parts of the biggest canadian cities like Toronto and Montreal are threatening lock down , Americans are playing politics with their lockdowns and That is going to kill many more people . So please take your asinine Trump Talking points and stick em . Dont forget your kool aid your going to need it for swallowing medications when u catch Covid .
Yeah, lets throw out all the non Caymanians who run our financial services industry, our sole remaining pillar of sustainable economic activity. Sounds like a plan.
3:19 pm
Where were you and your cronies in the 1960 – 1980s when caymanians created the financial industry here that you all have come to enjoy. I could only wish for Sir Vassel Johnson to answer your senseless, stupid comment. We worked hard and created what we had for all like you and others to repatriate here to root tus out of. It could only happen in the .cayman Islands.
True, and Captain Charles, and Arthur Hunter, but do not forget Bill Walker and John Maples…
Do you mean the same Sir Vassal Johnson that was born in Jamaica and moved here from Cuba? There is a reason he was never proclaimed a national hero despite being a critical element of the development of the financial services industry here – Caymanians like you who have a deep seated disregard for expats irrespective of what they do to help the islands. All part of the great myth that Cayman invented its financial services industry’s with no help from outsiders.
And don’t forget those who are out of work but self sufficient and still spending money on food, take-out, rent etc etc. Super clever!
Why is Barbados putting out the welcome mat while Cayman is showing them the door.
Am I missing something?
Yes I agree. Let’s just get all expats off island, let it die the death it deserves(should take a few just months) and then all the expats can return to the island they bought.
Do you really want all non-Caymanians off the island? Are you really sure about that?? Because you will no longer have any healthcare services. Your doctors and nurses are almost 100% expat, so your hospitals and dr offices will be empty.
Sounds like your well-thought-out plan may not work too well.
We want them ALL gone and it will work beautifully.
11:07 pm
Those people to whom you refer to are employed. Why should government have to cater to the unemployed/cancelled permits/ closed businesses?
Most of you are digressing from the original article.
Surely the immigration department knows who’s here and who isn’t ? And they know what paperwork is in place, and how long someone has leave to be here. They also know who they are supposed to work for, and who is guaranteeing their compliance with the laws…all in theory.
But if Immigration doesn’t know, then they should be sacked, for incompetence in a public office.
Immigration does not know. Hence the problem of hundreds of “ghost” Caymanians, together with the fact that no one can tell us how many people are actually in Cayman on any day.
11.35 Immigration isn’t responsible for Ghost Caymanians they and their parents are. Most are Jamaican who inherently like to claim ignorance of our laws.
A lack of enforcement by immigration (and other government agencies, for decades) is responsible.
10:56pm
Stop trying to be bias. They are here from many countries, and have dodged repatriation. It is best that they leave and return when it is more favorable.
9:50 am
The government failed us by not introducing/setting up the fingering equipment that is still in storage. It would’ve cleared the air of all the doggers, who are friends os so and so.
CNS, why you are not writing about unclaimed cargo goods that will be sold? This is outrageous because it is daytime robbery! With the island closed to visitors the owners of the cargo might not be unable to collect it.
After The Dormant Accounts Law, which is atrocious in my opinion, selling cargo goods after just 4 weeks, is another example that CIG again is willing to steal assets from the rightful owners just because they can.
The owners of unclaimed cargo are the customers of Port Authority and already paid lots of money for their service. Port Authority has legally binding contracts with its owners. When the owners are physically prevented from collecting their goods, it is CIG responsibility to safeguard the assets.
CIG simply does whatever it can to raise money and avoid doing what they need to do.
I say shame, shame, shame on all involved.
Sold to who?? Are the sales announced? Who benefits from the proceeds? Do the staff get first pick? Do they pay the same amount as the selling price or special discount for employees?
Are the owners of the goods notified prior to the sale? Are they even on the island or stuck elsewhere?
Why not auction the items and announce when the sale will happen?
5.39 Have you seen how many cars are at the CBC holding area? Cars that were shipped whose owners left at the beginning of Covid. Bought and paid for and unlikely their owners will be back. Wonder where those cars go???? Bagsy me a Honda CRV please!
What is to stop the owner of the cargo paying an agent to collect it?
Port Authority is facing unique operational challenges due to the Coronavirus that should have been already addressed.
Due to travel restrictions some owners of unclaimed cargo may be off island and unable to return for many reasons. They will be suffering due to no fault of their own if the goods are sold. Has it been taken into consideration?
Section 24 of the Port Law is written for the Port operating under normal conditions, not during pandemic.
Pure thieves. We ordered our first ever shipment through Seaboard last month and when we finally got to open our boxes, we found the game card missing from a $40 gaming video case. Its all my son wanted for his birthday and nobody sells it on island. The dvd case was unsealed, cracked open and contents pulled out all under the guise of “port authority inspection”. Made an online complaint and now two weeks later, there has been ZERO response. Shameful.
“Port Authority has legally binding contracts with its owners. ” Indeed it does. And if you look at them you will find contract terms stating that if the goods are not collected within a time period the owners must pay storage, and if they don’t pay the storage after a period of time they can sell the goods. What else are they to do – store them indefinitely free of charge?
I guess I have to use visual elements to explain it more clearly.
Section 24 of the Port Law is written for the Port operating under ✅NORMAL conditions, ✅NOT during pandemic. Forfeiture fees may be waived for specific reasons, and under unforeseeable circumstances.
Many countries have ✅extended time to collect goods and ✅forfeited fees❗️amid COVID19 travel restrictions.
Good Afternoon. Please allow me to clarify this outrageous claim. Firstly, the claim that owners of unclaimed cargo have already paid the Port Authority is totally untrue. Secondly, no one is physically prevented from getting their goods that are with the Port Authority.
Now I will explain the process. Section 24 of the Port Authority Law allows the Port Authority to sell unclaimed cargo after a period of four weeks if the owner does not claim it. Our last auction was a year ago and we have another auction planned for October 24. At this stage, we are in the process of calling every importer whose goods we are entitled to auction to ascertain if they wish to claim their goods prior to the auction. In addition to that, we will post notice of the auction and provide a detailed list describing the goods being auctioned on our website and the government’s gazette. We will publish a notice in the local media as well and I see that the Cayman Compass already has an article advising that the Port Authority will be holding an auction on October 24. So with all this effort and transparency, if we are unable to reach anyone with goods that they did not claim for whatever reason, and they wish to do so prior to the auction, they may gladly come and claim the them. We are not trying to steal anyone’s goods.
Let me add that during our efforts to contact those with unclaimed goods at the Port Authority, one of those persons, when contacted, asked for their goods not to be auctioned as they intend to pay the storage and collect them within a certain time frame. Their cargo was removed from the list.
And to dispel allegations of unfairness or any impropriety on the part of the Port Authority, let me share with you the kind of organization that we are. There was one person who imported a vehicle in 2018 and it remained unclaimed for over a year. We were unable to contact the importer at the number they had stated on their documents and the vehicle was auctioned in our 2019 auction. Ten months later, in 2020, the person came to collect the vehicle, but it had been auctioned. When the person explained the hardship that they had been through to just get to this point, we reimbursed that person the entire amount gained from auctioning of the vehicle, which was far more than they had originally paid for it. We did not subtract anything for the storage charges that had accumulated on the vehicle whatsoever.
Thank you for allowing me to clarify the erroneous statements and perceptions that have been expressed by uninformed parties.
Sincerely,
Joseph Woods
Acting Port Director
Great reply. Now let’s work on clearing items quickly so we aren’t paying fees for having the containers for longer than originally planned.
Why don’t you go and volunteer your time to the point to help them instead of comparing. Everyone is doing the best they can under the circumstances.
Volunteer to help paid people? Why don’t you?
If this is a reply from the port dude then maybe you ask government to shut down and automate most civil servant jobs and re train them in clearing goods.
Or paying express for DHL and not getting express service. Government should be sued by all importers.
@Joseph Woods
Thank you for the explanation.
Why you didn’t explain all this when Compass run its article on selling unclaimed cargo goods?
Still the unique, pandemic related circumstances are not mentioned in your comment here because this part still doesn’t make sense:
..if we are unable to reach anyone with goods that they did not claim for whatever reason, and they wish to do so prior to the auction, they may gladly come and claim the them.”
If Port Authority is “unable to reach anyone with goods that they did not claim”, why is it automatically assumed they abandoned it?
No one wants to leave paradise.
except the thousands who have left this year….
You won’t talk about the thousands trying to return though. Lol grass ain’t so green on the other side.
Believe me. Thousands of people here are just waiting for travel to open up so they can easily get their belongings and themselves off of the island.
Well, you and them can keep going! 🙂 Safe Travels.
Travel has opened up for people wanting to leave…
Can someone answer this question!? If a person comes here as a visitor and doesn’t go back to their home country and remained here for several years and have a kid here would they be considered deportable or would they face jail time or some sort of prosecution?! Is the person an illegal immigrant?!…
The person is an illegal immigrant. There are many of them, including children born here and never declared to immigration. They go through our schools at our expense and are treated as Caymanian even if they are not. There is almost no enforcement, ever.
1.43 LOL! Asking for a friend?
1:43 having a child hear does not make that child directly Caymanian. If he was born to the father of a Caymanian then he might have the right to stay. Even kids born here have to apply for status in their own right.
Might??? MIGHT? Any child born to any naturalized or generational Caymanian is therefore… Caymanian and has the right to remain until they are 18 which then they’ll need to apply again.
Not true. It does not matter where they are born and the fact that a parent is Caymanian (whether or not in consequence of naturalization) only matters if the parent is settled in Cayman on the date of the child’s birth.
“If he was born to the father of a Caymanian” run that by me again?
“grampa papa” a well known expression in West Bay.
😂
Having a child hear makes them no longer audibly challenged…. there is that at least…
🤣 Good catch!!
Here*
The father IS Caymanian*
Did you go to public school here?
“Visit the CBC website to use the online system.”
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This page is under development.
ah yes…the caymankindness …..
Start with the criminals
considering the situation insanity as usual from management
Sounds like CBC and WORC are actually growing a pair. Believe it when I see it though.
Unfortuantely, this is the reality everywhere. Cayman can’t become the pity party nation, for others, while Caymanians and legal redidents pinch every penny to survive every month.
No valid reason to remind after October 31st, then you gots to go bobo. Now that is global reality.
In this situation, CaymanKind can’t apply bobo.
8:01 I agree. If people have lost their jobs we can’t bail people out indefinitely. We need to put our country and our people first. I know it sounds selfish and heartless but we have no idea how long we will have to live like this and we need to be cautious and watch our coffers. Every country in the world should be doing the same. Put your’s first or supporting poverty leads to more poverty. Bleeding hearts need to me staunched in this whole awful situation. If people disagree with this please give me a logical reason why.
10.20pm The bailing out consisted of a one time food voucher for $150 with around two or three hundred claimants, hardly enough to bankrupt the country.
10:20 pm
Didn’t those people stand in line at the money transfer agencies and sent their money home?
Can someone please tell CBC and WORC the airport is closed.
Not for repatriation flights dingbat.
Math certainly is not Caymanians strong point. I know people like you dont understand Covid percentages and the meaning of per capita but please tell me you know the population (number of people who live here) versus the number of repatriation flights taken into account middle seats are vacant.
And the cost to leave since they don’t get any money from the part of the permit fee that is meant to help with that!
You think a Filipino nanny can afford airfare on slave wages? You nah bright.
I be swimming.
Too many people here offer absolutely nothing at all to Cayman, simple.
They need to be rounded up and sent home wherever they are from.
A lot of Caymanians offer nothing as well.
So who laid the foundation you have come to enjoy? Ungrateful
Jamaicans
One more disciple leave de yaad….
Jamaican Masons.
Expats did
anonymous 9:57pm, unless you are about 200 years old, the foundation was laid by foreigners especially “slaves” from Jamaica. So there for your bright thoughts about foundation.
Slaves from Africa.
But they are already home
7.25pm A lot of Caymanians, like Elvis and his thumbs up offer ignorance in large quantities.
True, but those who are able to pay their way and are not competing with Caymanians should not only be allowed, but should be encouraged to stay!
8:18 you hit the nail on the head! This isn’t a move to ship off everyone who is not a caymaninan. Those with jobs and work permits are more than welcome to stay. It doesn’t make sense to continue to support people who have lost the right to work here and are relying on handouts. It sounds harsh but this is the reality. We don’t know how long this will go on for so we need to be sensible!
Agreed. And there are plenty of expats who own homes and can very comfortably contribute financially and otherwise to society. Particularly on Cayman Brac. As a Bracka myself, I run into them daily and am glad for their contributions.
Those people usually have valid work permits and would not be overstaying.
Nonsense. There are many wealthy people who are in effect here as visitors. They are renting apartments, eating in restaurants and bring substantial benefits to the Cayman economy without taking anything.
9:17 these are not the people that the government is wanting to leave. If they can afford to stay then they are welcome!
Then government needs to say so because right now they have read the headlines and are making plans to leave.
@ 25/09/2020 at 1:44 pm – then they’re foolish for not investigating the matter for themselves. You well know that if they can afford to stay they are not the ones this articles is directed towards. Don’t be pedantic.
What I know and you know is irrelevant. They do not know they are welcome to stay. Who is going to tell them?
There are many more who don’t have the means to sustain themselves unfortunately
And they should be required to leave.
How do they pay to do that?
Partially from the severance packages they would have received if anyone actually enforced the law around here.
Everyone that come here on a work permit, the employer has to pay Government 200 dollars for paying people way back home plus every time they change employment they have to pay the 200 ci dollars too. So the Government has lots of money to.pay their way back home
And they will provide it after the employer and the individual have both failed to meet their obligations.
Agree! People that are still making good money to support themselves are a different story.
The calls to “go home” should be aimed at the permit holders with no job or jobs reduced to levels that don’t provide a livable wage. They need to head to their home countries ASAP. When tourism and other industries are able to rebound, then they can re-apply for a job and another permit.