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Non-Caymanians or people not legally
and not ordinarily resident in the
Cayman Islands are not allowed to
work in the Cayman Islands without a
work permit. Under the Immigration
Law (2003), a person or his/her
employer may apply for a work permit
to the Work Permit Board or the
Business Staffing Plan Board for
employment in Grand Cayman, or to
the Cayman Brac and Little Cayman
Immigration Board for employment in
the Sister Islands. In Grand Cayman,
all businesses employing fifteen or
more work permit holders must submit
their work permit application
through the Business Staffing Plan
Board as opposed to the Work Permit
Board. Businesses employing fewer
than fifteen work permit holders
have the option of applying to
either of these boards. The boards
may grant work permits for up to
three years. Five-year permits can
also be granted to holders of
certain positions that have been
approved under a business-staffing
plan. A work permit holder can work
continuously for no more than seven
years. After this, the board can’t
normally grant any further work
permits until that person has left
the Islands for at least two years.
The only exceptions to this would be
a worker designated an ‘exempted
employee’ in a business staffing
plan, or where there are exceptional
circumstances. In such cases, the
board may, at its discretion, grant
additional work permits to enable
the person to complete an aggregate
period of eight years, thus making
him or her eligible to apply for the
status of permanent residence.
Under the Labor Law (2001 Revision),
every employer who enters into a
contract of employment with an
employee shall within ten working
days of entering into such contract,
furnish the employee with a written
statement of his conditions of
employment. This statement covers,
amongst other things, job title,
responsibilities, special
requirements, regular working hours,
rate of remuneration, and period of
employment if any. Labor Tribunals
have been established under the Law
for the purpose of hearing
complaints from employers and
employees, though provision has also
been made for the complaints to
first go through a Conciliation and
Mediation process. In the event that
this process fails to resolve the
situation it is then referred to the
Labor Tribunal. There is currently
no National Minimum Wage in the
Cayman Islands. Under the Health
Insurance Law (2003 Revision), an
employer must pay the standard
premium of any standard health
insurance contract issued by an
approved insurer. Up to 50 per cent
of this premium can be recovered
directly or deducted from the
employee’s salary. Health insurance
coverage is also required for an
employee within the first fifteen
days of employment. Under the
National Pensions Law (2000
Revision), employers don’t have to
provide pension plans or contribute
to pension plans for employees who
do not have Caymanian status, or who
are not permanent residents in the
Cayman Islands during the first nine
months of their employment.
Employers are responsible for
providing a pension plan for
eligible employees, and for
maintaining current information with
the National Pensions Office.
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