Topic: Immigration Department
Jail for changing date in passport
A man who changed a date in his passport was sentenced on Tuesday to four months’ imprisonment.
Bill paves way for workforce development agency
Government has released an Immigration (Transition) Bill, 2018, which would effectively repeal the current Immigration Law (2015 Revision) and create a new Workforce Opportunities Residency Cayman agency.
C3 plans challenge to Immigration Department raid, seizure of property
The telecommunications company C3 has filed for judicial review against an Immigration Department decision to execute a search warrant on its premises and seize some of the company’s property, including a laptop computer.
Vessel carrying 11 Cuban migrants lands in the Brac
The Immigration Department announced on Friday that 11 Cuban migrants are in the care of its Cayman Brac officers after being spotted near the Brac around 10 a.m. that morning.
Woman overstayed, ignored amnesty
A woman whose work permit was canceled in March was ordered this week to pay a fine or serve time in custody for the offense of overstaying.
Amnesty period nets 13-year overstayer
A total of 14 foreign nationals who stayed beyond the period of their legal residence in Cayman – including one who lived here illegally 13½ years – have turned themselves in to immigration authorities during this month’s amnesty period, the Immigration Department announced Wednesday.
Immigration taker overstayed 10 years
The first foreign national to take advantage of this month’s amnesty offered by the Immigration Department was a man who had overstayed by 10 years.
Work permit numbers: Cayman’s expatriate population changing
The number of Indian nationals holding work permits in the Cayman Islands has increased by 26 percent in just the past two years, according to Immigration Department data reviewed by the Cayman Compass.
Government earnings up, but immigration fees lag by $2.9 million
The Cayman Islands government earned $16.3 million more than it expected during the first three months of 2018, but it also recorded a surprising drop in immigration-related tax revenues.
American man on firearms charges fails to attend court
David Dean Meadors, charged last year with possessing unlicensed firearms in Cayman Brac, failed to attend Grand Court on Wednesday. Justice Marlene Carter issued a warrant for his arrest.
Immigration fraud charges adjourned
Six public officers and six civilians appeared in Grand Court on Friday, facing charges that relate to an English-language proficiency requirement for foreign workers.
Uproar over the ‘right to be Caymanian’
Legal difficulties in proving the right to be a Caymanian, identified in reports by the Cayman Compass more than two years ago, have left the local government trying to explain to multigenerational citizens why they might need to visit the Immigration Department.
Security council backs creation of Cayman coast guard service
Cayman’s National Security Council agreed on a number of measures Tuesday to boost border protection and marine patrols.
A dozen immigration fraud defendants in court dock
Twelve people – six suspended Immigration Department employees and six other Cayman Islands residents – stood in the Summary Court dock Tuesday facing various charges related to a scheme that anti-corruption cops said sought to cheat an English-language proficiency requirement for foreign workers.
Missing cruise ship staffer found in West Bay
Yusmaidys Ortiz Perez, the Cuban national who went missing from a cruise ship on March 22, has been located by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service.
More than 60 percent of residency denials appealed
More than 200 applicants for permanent residence who were denied that immigration status since 2017 have filed challenges to those decisions, according to records obtained by a Cayman Compass Freedom of Information request.
2 more charged in ‘English test’ fraud
Criminal charges filed against a dozen people this week were related to a scheme to cheat the Immigration Department’s English language test for work permit holders, according to the Cayman Islands Anti-Corruption Commission.
More immigration staffers charged in fraud case
Seven more people, including three immigration officials, were charged Tuesday and Wednesday in connection with an ongoing fraud investigation at the Immigration Department.
Woman to be deported after assault
A woman who pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm was sentenced on Thursday to seven weeks imprisonment. Magistrate Grace Donalds passed the sentence after hearing that the Immigration Department had revoked the defendant’s right to remain on island.
Employer faces possible prison time for work permit offenses
An employer who pleaded guilty to four sets of charges involving work permits was ordered to pay over $4,000 last week and given a prison sentence of three months, suspended for two years.
More than 1,000 cases of permanent residency decided
Cayman Islands immigration officials have dealt with more than 1,000 applications for permanent residence since last June, clearing most of the backlogged applicants who had been waiting years for a decision regarding their legal status.
Cayman closes in on 26,000 work permits
There were 25,870 work permits and government contracts for non-Caymanian workers active in the Cayman Islands as of Tuesday, according to records from the Immigration Department.
Premier: More than 800 residency bids decided, with 400 to go
With about two-thirds of Cayman’s backlogged permanent residency applications decided, government records show about 65 percent of those bids have been approved since last June.
Premier foreshadows more immigration changes
Although his annual speech to the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce Thursday was short on specifics, Premier Alden McLaughlin said further “radical” changes to local immigration and labor policies would be forthcoming during his national unity government’s term in office.
Four arrested in separate drug import cases
Four people have been arrested in the past week attempting to sneak illegal drugs past Cayman Islands customs officials, the agency reported Monday.
Holiday closures
Many government offices will be closing early Friday in preparation for the Christmas holidays and will remain closed until Wednesday, Dec. 27. Below are the closing times for several offices.
Workers waiting weeks for English language testing
Workers from non-English speaking countries are facing a delay of up to several weeks in some cases before they can take a required English language test to obtain a Cayman Islands work permit.
Cayman seeks new work permit regime
The Cayman Islands government is taking its first tangible step toward creating a new “human resources” agency that will take over some of the work permit services now provided by the Immigration Department.
Immigration halfway through permanent residence backlog
Cayman Islands immigration authorities have dealt with just more than half of all outstanding applications for permanent residence, according to figures released Tuesday by the Immigration Department.
Cuban migrants wreck boat, land on Brac
A small group of Cuban migrants came ashore Monday in Cayman Brac after their vessel crashed and was destroyed, Immigration Department officials reported.
900 arrested for immigration offenses
More than 900 arrests have been made since July for various immigration violations related to staying or working illegally in the Cayman Islands, Immigration Department officials confirmed Tuesday.
Government eyes $209 million in immigration revenues
The Cayman Islands government expects to collect more than $100 million per year in the next two years from immigration-related fees charged for work permits, permanent residence applications, visitor work visas, Caymanian status fees and other permits, according to budget documents reviewed by the Cayman Compass.
Backlog of permanent residency cases grows by nearly 10 percent
The number of backlogged applications for permanent residence in the Cayman Islands grew by 9.2 percent over a two-week period in late September and early October, despite the efforts of immigration officials to reduce that number, the Cayman Compass has learned.
Cayman Airways fined for flying undocumented passengers
Cayman Airways did not pay more than $450,000 in government fines and fees levied against it in 2016, some of which were imposed on the airline for bringing in passengers who boarded without valid entry documents.
Denied PR applicants start filing appeals
At least five people who were denied permanent resident status within the past two months have filed appeals against those decisions, the Cayman Compass can reveal.
277 residency applications decided over last two months
Within the last two months, Cayman Islands government officials have made decisions on 277 applications for permanent residence.
Cayman cuts permit fees for hurricane evacuees
Hurricane evacuees who have come to Cayman from the British Virgin Islands and other eastern Caribbean financial services centers can receive reduced-price or even free temporary work permits, after their initial permission to stay on island has expired.
Civil servants hand out Meals on Wheels
Twenty-eight civil servants set out on 14 routes Monday, from George Town to West Bay, to deliver 100 meals to the elderly, disabled and housebound.
Cayman takes in 170 hurricane evacuees, more may come
A total of 170 evacuees have arrived in Cayman in the wake of Hurricane Irma and more are anticipated as a result of Hurricane Maria which this week pounded a number of eastern Caribbean Islands, territories that were already reeling from catastrophic storm damage.
Cayman schools taking in hurricane evacuees
British Overseas Territories residents who have evacuated from the eastern Caribbean to Cayman in the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Maria will be able to send their children to local schools.
Immigration demonstrates ‘blatant lack of respect’ for FOI law
A “blatant lack of respect for the laws of the Cayman Islands” was revealed in the Immigration Department’s response to an open records request for documents that took more than a year to process.
Legal action leads to more permanent residency grants
Five more permanent residence applicants who challenged years-long delays in the processing of their cases have been granted the right to remain in Cayman for the rest of their life, according to their attorneys.
Senior immigration officer’s trial resumes for 2013 traffic charges
Trial resumed on Tuesday for senior immigration officer Garfield Wong, who has pleaded not guilty to charges arising from a traffic accident in December 2013.
Residency delays may clear up by mid-2018
A backlog of more than 1,100 permanent residence applications – some of which have been in limbo for three or four years – could be cleared by mid-2018 if immigration officials continue the pace they set in August for hearing those applications.
Caymanian status troubles affect permanent residence applicants
A long-standing problem that involves significant difficulty in proving whether a person is Caymanian has affected a number of applicants for permanent residence in recent weeks.
Immigration swamped with over 18,000 work permit applications
A much larger number of work permit applications than a year ago are being handled by a reduced Immigration Department staff, leading to longer-than-usual delays in acquiring permission to work for non-Caymanians.
Two more permanent residency challenges filed in July
A teacher and a commodities trader are the latest permanent residence-seekers to challenge government’s delays in hearing their applications to remain in the territory for the rest of their lives. Applications for judicial review were filed last month on behalf of Samantha Shields and Justin Colgan.
Work permits rise 22 percent in 3 years
The Cayman Islands has seen a sharp rise in work permits within the past three years, according to figures released to the Cayman Compass by the Immigration Department under the Freedom of Information Law.
More than 1,100 applicants await residency hearings
Before the Cayman Islands government began hearing backlogged permanent residence applications last month, more than 1,100 people had applied for that status, according to figures obtained via open records.
Survey asks public how to fix immigration
The Cayman Islands government is asking everyone in the islands to provide feedback on how to improve customer service and operations at the local Immigration Department.
Residency cases from 2013 ready for hearings
Cayman Islands residents who applied to live in the British territory permanently nearly four years ago were advised this week that their applications would soon be reviewed.
Premier: We must ‘sort out’ immigration
Premier Alden McLaughlin said Tuesday that the Cayman Islands must "sort out" the British territory’s immigration problems during his second term as the government’s leader.
Ministers’ plan splits law enforcement roles
The Progressives-led coalition government has divided responsibilities for law enforcement agencies among government ministries, one led by the premier and the other by Minister Tara Rivers.
Two more arrests from corruption investigation
Two more people were arrested this week in connection with a corruption investigation at the Cayman Islands Immigration Department, bringing the total number of detentions in the case to nine.
Election candidates split over immigration restructure
Three candidates in Wednesday’s general election took deeply divided positions on immigration reform, with some favoring a work permit moratorium and others seeking to take the granting of work permits away from the Immigration Department entirely.
Immigration to schedule dates for PR applications
Although no specific dates were provided as of press time Monday, the Cayman Islands Immigration Department indicated it is setting a staggered schedule to begin hearing more than 900 applications for permanent residence.
Police ‘not able to substantiate’ MLAs’ claim they were followed
The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service has not been able to substantiate claims that private investigators have been following opposition members of the Legislative Assembly.
More arrested in immigration bribery probe
Two more people were arrested last week in connection with an ongoing bribery scandal at the Cayman Islands Immigration Department. The suspects, who are not public officers in the Cayman Islands government, represent the sixth and seventh arrests in the investigation since mid-January.
NEW: Two more arrests in immigration bribery case
Two more people were arrested this week in connection with an ongoing bribery scandal at the Cayman Islands Immigration Department.
Immigration: ‘Zero tolerance’ for employee misconduct
Following the arrest of three immigration employees in connection with a bribery investigation last week, the department attempted to ease public concerns with the release of a lengthy public statement. The Immigration Department said the three arrests demonstrated a “zero tolerance” policy.
Immigration staff arrested in bribe case
Five people, including three Immigration Department employees, were arrested Thursday by the Cayman Islands Anti-Corruption Commission investigators in connection with a bribery investigation.
Ceremony honors Cayman Brac’s 3 new immigration officers
Deanira Brown, Adam Clyne and Steven Scott, new immigration officers on Cayman Brac, were celebrated by family, friends and government officials at a ceremony at Immigration Department headquarters in George Town this month.
Public departments closing for holidays
Government offices and services will be closing throughout the Christmas and new year period.
Work permit numbers stabilize at about 24,000
The number of foreign workers on work permits in the Cayman Islands leveled off during the latter part of 2016, with just less than 24,000 non-Caymanians employed here as of early December.
Immigration officer, teen charged after police raid
A senior immigration officer and a teenager appeared in Summary Court on Tuesday morning, charged with various offenses in connection with an August police raid on the officer’s Savannah home.
Three-year immigration delay in residency case could cost government
The Cayman Islands government could be forced to pay damages following an immigration challenge filed by a local accountant who waited three years for his permanent residence application to be heard.
Seven Cubans land at Barkers after bad weather
Seven migrants from Cuba landed at Barkers in West Bay over the weekend. The Immigration Department said the six men and one woman ran out of fuel and supplies after “bad weather pushed them severely off course.”
Cuban boat lands at Barkers
A boat from Cuba landed in Barkers over the weekend. The Immigration Department did not respond to questions about the migrants who landed on the West Bay beach.
Government collects $9.5 million per year in PR fees
The Cayman Islands Immigration Department collected an estimated $67.2 million in permanent residency fees between mid-2009 and last month, with fee collections averaging about $9.5 million per year from those who legally maintained that immigration status. The current unpaid residency fees – about $2.7 million – represents less than five percent of the fees paid to government over the past seven years.
Cuban migrant boat remains where it ran aground in January
Twenty-five people from Cuba landed at Beach Bay on Jan. 31 aboard El Arca. The migrants were traveling to Honduras when their boat ran into trouble and landed on the beach in Bodden Town. Those men and women have all since been taken back to Cuba, but their boat remains grounded on the rocks and sand in Beach Bay.
Payers believed Cayman status scheme was legitimate, jury hears
The first Crown witness completed her evidence on Friday in the trial of Paul Anthony Hume Ebanks, who has pleaded not guilty to obtaining property – over $167,000 – by falsely representing that various sums were required payments for legitimate grants of status or permanent residence or, in one case, the award of a government contract.
Top immigration staffers face litany of legal accusations
Allegations of crime, drunk driving, other traffic-related charges and accusations of administrative wrongdoing have been made against several staffers – most of them in senior positions – in the Cayman Islands Immigration Department, with some cases dragging on for years.
