The Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly agreed to some small adjustments in the frequently debated Immigration Law last week.
None of the amendments approved in LA will affect the main provisions of the law which include a seven-year term limit or roll-over policy for foreign workers, the establishment of a process for key employee applications, and various requirements for those seeking Caymanian status or citizenship.
‘Many of the…amendments are technical rather than substantive in nature,’ Leader of Government Business Kurt Tibbetts said while introducing the proposal last week.
Mr. Tibbetts said the amendments re-word the Immigration Law slightly to make it clear that people who leave after their term limit is reached cannot use subsequent visits to the island to count towards qualifying for permanent residency.
Under current Immigration Law, a person must have lived in Cayman for at least eight years before applying for a permanent residency grant.
There were a few changes made to the law regarding the spouses of Caymanian citizens who work in the islands.
Spouses of Caymanians who apply for Residency and Employment Rights Certificates, who have previously held a work permit or who worked for the local or UK government, should have their applications approved automatically unless there are exceptional circumstances.
The amended law also allows spouses of Caymanians seeking those certificates to continue working if their application is refused until an appeal of that decision is made to the Immigration Appeals Tribunal.
Companies in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman that employ 15 or more people on work permits will also be required to turn in business staffing plans to the government before the sister island’s Immigration Board can entertain further work permit applications from those businesses.
The deadline to turn in business staffing plans is Saturday.
The amended law also specifies that the Chief Immigration Officer must use the same criteria when deciding to revoke a temporary work permit as he does when granting or denying the initial application for that permit.
Mr. Tibbetts did not rule out future changes to the Immigration Law, and said government would consider them on a case-by-case basis.
‘However, I remain of the view that…our immigration legislation protects Caymanians, provides clarity and certainty for employers and work permit holders, and promotes inward investment better than before,’ he said.
Mr. Tibbets
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