For the first time
in years, the Cayman Islands Immigration Department has released figures on the
number of key employee, permanent residence and Caymanian status grants.
in years, the Cayman Islands Immigration Department has released figures on the
number of key employee, permanent residence and Caymanian status grants.
The figures sent out
Thursday as part of a quarterly statistical report – the first of its kind in
the Cayman Islands – take an overall look at how many work permit grants have
been made, as well as key employee
awards over the past three years.
Thursday as part of a quarterly statistical report – the first of its kind in
the Cayman Islands – take an overall look at how many work permit grants have
been made, as well as key employee
awards over the past three years.
“A new level of
transparency has begun into the complex operations of the Department of
Immigration,” a press release from the department stated.
transparency has begun into the complex operations of the Department of
Immigration,” a press release from the department stated.
Previously, the
Caymanian Compass had been reporting work permit figures on a quarterly basis
via requests made through the Freedom of Information Law. However, key employee
and permanent residence grants were never included in those figures. The
newspaper still has an outstanding FOI request in regarding the specific number
of permanent residence grants made over the past three
years; a figure which is not included in the government report.
Caymanian Compass had been reporting work permit figures on a quarterly basis
via requests made through the Freedom of Information Law. However, key employee
and permanent residence grants were never included in those figures. The
newspaper still has an outstanding FOI request in regarding the specific number
of permanent residence grants made over the past three
years; a figure which is not included in the government report.
According to the
Immigration Department figures released Thursday, there have been 511 approvals
of key employee applications and 314 refusals of those applications; roughly a
62 per cent approval rate. Those figures include applications made since 1 January, 2009 through 30 September, 2011.
Immigration Department figures released Thursday, there have been 511 approvals
of key employee applications and 314 refusals of those applications; roughly a
62 per cent approval rate. Those figures include applications made since 1 January, 2009 through 30 September, 2011.
The vast majority of
those key employee approvals have gone to individuals from three countries;
Jamaica (113 approvals), the United Kingdom (102 approvals), and Canada (92
approvals).
those key employee approvals have gone to individuals from three countries;
Jamaica (113 approvals), the United Kingdom (102 approvals), and Canada (92
approvals).
The occupations granted key employee status most often were professional managers, domestic
helpers, accountants, teachers and lawyers. A variety of jobs that
are granted key employee approvals, more than half of the 511 key
employee approvals since January 2009, have been in “other” jobs categories which were not
defined in the immigration report.
helpers, accountants, teachers and lawyers. A variety of jobs that
are granted key employee approvals, more than half of the 511 key
employee approvals since January 2009, have been in “other” jobs categories which were not
defined in the immigration report.
Key employee
refusals occurred most often in the following categories: carpenters, domestic
helpers, labourers, gardeners and administrative
positions.
refusals occurred most often in the following categories: carpenters, domestic
helpers, labourers, gardeners and administrative
positions.
Key employee
status allows a foreign worker in the Cayman Islands to remain here two years
beyond the time they would normally reach their seven-year term limit on
residence. That extra two years allows the foreign worker enough time to apply
for permanent residence – the right to remain in Cayman for the rest of their
lives.
status allows a foreign worker in the Cayman Islands to remain here two years
beyond the time they would normally reach their seven-year term limit on
residence. That extra two years allows the foreign worker enough time to apply
for permanent residence – the right to remain in Cayman for the rest of their
lives.
The Immigration
Department figures also reviewed the number of permanent residence and Caymanian
status grants given since the beginning of 2011, but it did not break
down the difference between PR grants and status grants for all
months.
Department figures also reviewed the number of permanent residence and Caymanian
status grants given since the beginning of 2011, but it did not break
down the difference between PR grants and status grants for all
months.
Caymanian status is
tantamount to being granted citizenship in the Islands, which are a British
Overseas Territory. Technically, under the the law, there is no Caymanian
“nationality” because of its territory status. Those foreign-born workers who
receive Cayman Islands passports have obtained British Overseas Territories
citizenship and can separately apply to receive Caymanian status which confers
“the right to be Caymanian”.
tantamount to being granted citizenship in the Islands, which are a British
Overseas Territory. Technically, under the the law, there is no Caymanian
“nationality” because of its territory status. Those foreign-born workers who
receive Cayman Islands passports have obtained British Overseas Territories
citizenship and can separately apply to receive Caymanian status which confers
“the right to be Caymanian”.
According to
immigration figures, there were just shy of 2,000 grants of permanent residence
and Caymanian status “processed” within the first three quarters of 2011; some
645 applications were processed in the third quarter but the
government figures did not indicate how many grants were actually awarded.
immigration figures, there were just shy of 2,000 grants of permanent residence
and Caymanian status “processed” within the first three quarters of 2011; some
645 applications were processed in the third quarter but the
government figures did not indicate how many grants were actually awarded.
“With a total of 645
applications processed in the third quarter [of 2011], applications for
residency and employment rights certificate as the spouse of a Caymanian
accounted for 30.4 per cent of the total applications processed,” the report
stated.
applications processed in the third quarter [of 2011], applications for
residency and employment rights certificate as the spouse of a Caymanian
accounted for 30.4 per cent of the total applications processed,” the report
stated.
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and these figures do not include the contracted government workers who continue to gain experience and claim ‘ENTITLEMENT’ to remain because they keep gaining the experience, until they get status or end up with a Caymanian spouse
it really is time for our MLAs to make the labour laws applicable to the civil service and churches……the majority will be eligible for permanent residence or status and there is no planning to account for this natural growth
Well Ezzard and Alden, you better pursue One Man One vote more aggressively
than ever. Because big Mac and his Work Permit Chairman and Imigration Board has their apparently 3,000 or more status grants already done right under our nose and it was not done transparently. As a matter of fact the public was not even notified.
The Governor must ensure that the one Man One Vote provided in the Cayman Islands constitution is enacted ASAP before elections 2013. Big Mac and his fries have their numbers in place to win big again.
this is NOT fair to Caymanians and governor Duncan Taylor must honor the Independent Meember and Opposition Leader’s request for the One Man One Vote aspects of the law to be enforced immediately. It is the duty of the governor to ensure the constitution law is enforced fully.What is he waiting for.
seems like really low numbers, this won’t help the economy at all. Immigration needs to be realaxed and permit fees lowered to get things going. Maybe an open door policy should be implimented for overseas professionals with incentives for them to come to Cayman
So a few hundred people have gained key employee status over a period of about 2.5 years. That doesn’t seem like a lot to me, at least when compared to the decline in work permits issued. The decline in work permits numbers in the few thousands, but not over the same time period.
Those people with key employee status will have the right to apply for permanent residency, but no guarantee they’ll get it. It’s interesting that Immigration will quote the numbers of permanent residency applications processed, but so far do not make public the numbers of applications approved, or which category the application was approved under.
@The Compass Editors: Do you have the numbers of work permits in force as of the end of the quarter? My guess is that the number is still falling.
Editor’s note: We hate to be this way, but there is other information on PR and work permits not included in this report that the Compass has received. It is our hope this information will be published in next week’s editions of the paper.
@confused…..in my opinion there is now an ‘open door’ policy for professionals, don’t hear of too many of those work permits being turned down, as a matter of fact, quite a few have even managed to claim having a doctorate degree and be employed by public servants
@OldDriver….sorry to say but chances of a key employee NOT getting permanent residency is higher than an educated woman being married to a local politician, very slim chance of that! anyways, if they are refused the first time, they simply submit and our oh-so busy boards and immigration department leave those applications on a shelf allowing few years to pass and then guess what my friend, status application or law suit on some of their rights of entitlement.
All I can say is what a mess! if it wasn’t so sad I’d have a good laugh. Then again, will have a laugh since the current leaders think they will continue to hold the reins of this ship.
Old Diver – I believe you may be confusing Immigration Permissions and how they operate.
The stats appear to clearly show an increase of foreign nationals in the Cayman Islands. Try adding all the people that are being awarded PR or RERC’s or the Right to be Caymanian back in to the work permit figures (where they used to be) and the result is clearly different from that which I understand you to be espousing. I accept we do not yet have all the data – but you can extrapolate now from what has been provided.
You may also note that no expatriate dependants (children, non working spouses etc.) are included at all in the figures, and so in relation that category alone there are many hundred more foreign nationals living here.
Some expats have indeed left and not been replaced by other expats (or Caymanians) in their former roles. Whilst that is regrettable that is a result primarily of a decrease in construction activity and tourism coinciding with global belt-tightening (do you eat out as much as you used to?).
Persons without jobs leaving is not a bad thing in our economy overall. If those persons did not leave when the work which brought them here was no longer available then we would likely have even greater social problems and unemployment issues than we have now.
Striker, let’s wait for the numbers. As for my knowledge and experience with Immigration, lets just say that I know the routine.
I’ve been there, done that, and still have the T-shirt.
Was there any word on how many people purchased residency or status? Wasn’t there a million dollar deal available to those interested in paying for rights?
so ya say ya wanna a revolution…..?
I say yes cuz as I see it we have several hundred Key Employees graduating every year from our goverment high schools
oh but wait a minute forget about da revolution cuz these Caymanian graduates can always go to any one of the over 100 different countries represented here in cayman find employment then ask those goverments for Key Employee Status !!!!!