Cayman Islands Work Permits Are Increasing

The Cayman Islands has about 1,000 more people employed on work permits now than it did a year ago, according to records provided by the Immigration Department. 

As of 31st December 2012, immigration officers recorded a total of 20,823 people in the Cayman Islands employed on work permits, government contracts, or working as an operation of the law. Those figures do not include individuals who hold permanent residence or non-Caymanians who are married to Caymanians and therefore would not have to obtain a work permit for employment. 

Local laws require any foreign workers who are not married to Caymanians or who do not have permanent residence to obtain a work permit or government contract before taking a job here. 

On 31st December 2010, immigration records showed there were 20,564 work permit holders, government contract employees and foreigners working as an operation of the law in the Cayman Islands. A year later, 31st December 2011, that number was 19,816. 

The year-to-year increase for work permits between December 2011 and December 2012 is roughly 5 per cent. 

The figures provided by immigration are essentially a “snapshot” of what exists in the territory at a particular time. The work permit figures may change from week-to-week or even daily, but over time they can be used to determine trends. 

According to statistics, a low point for work permits was reached around late March 2011, when the overall numbers dropped to 18,828. Since then, overall permit numbers have continued to rise steadily.