Up Front
Immigration Board releasesguidelines
The Immigration Board has released policyguidelines to assist the Secretariat in the speedy and efficientprocess of work permits, as follows:
Advertisement - persons/category of persons who are not requiredto advertise when making applications for work, permits are --
(a) spouses married to Caymanians
(b) domestic servants/nannies/janitorial workers
(c) unskilled workers, eg. gardeners, farm workers, labourers(including carpenter's helpers, and mason's helpers), handymen
(d) food & beverage servers (full-time only; part-time postsshould be advertlsed)
(e) self-employed persons
Foreign investors/part owners of local businesses are requiredto fulfill advertising requirements unless permission has beengiven under Regulation 4(2) of the Immigration Regulation (2000,R),for the waiver of such.
Police clearances/ Police records - are now required for Britishnationals. However, sworn affidavits, in lieu of, will still beaccepted in cases where police clearances are not available.
Members of the public are asked to make note of these requirementsas well as existing ones and, in order to ensure a speedy process,the Secretary of the Immigration Board further requests that allapplications be properly completed, with all supporting attachmentspresent.
The Immigration Board has also implemented a new policy relatingto a minimum salary level, primarily in the hospitality industry.Effective immediately, the Board will require a minimum base salarylevel of Cl$ 4.00 per hour, plus gratuities, for all unskilledand semi-skilled positions. The Immigration Board has implementedthis policy since previous concerns raised with some of the majorhotels in relation to unrealistically low salaries have gone unheeded.
It is not uncommon for salary levels for these positions to beas low as $2.00 hourly. The board feels that such sums are inconsistentwith Cayman's high cost of living and that it is difficult toimagine living a reasonable quality of life on such low incomes.
While salary levels have previously deterred Caymanians from seekingemployment in the hospitality industry, the Immigration Boardhopes that they will now be encouraged to reconsider that decision.