Many TLEPs fail to show

| 30/10/2013

(CNS): With mixed messages coming from the immigration department and the premier’s office yesterday regarding the more than 1,500 workers believed to still be in Cayman on Term Limit Exemption permits it is not clear exactly how many people have failed to regularize their immigration status but more than 600 people could now be here illegally. The chief immigration officer told the TV station yesterday afternoon that she was very concerned over the low turnout of TLEP holders at the immigration department to have their status updated. This would allow them to work by operation of law if they had jobs or get a visitor’s extension visa if they planned to leave. The premier’s office said around 870 people had been processed.

All TLEPs expired on 28 October, but with the new Immigration Amendment Bill gazetted into Law on Friday 25 October,holders who have not yet reached year nine can now re-enter the work permit regime. However, they had a very short window of opportunity to go to immigration to have their status here legalized and get either a Working by Operation of the Law (WOL) stamp or a visitor’s visa, depending on their working status. The window closed at 6pm Tuesday and it is understood that around 600 people did not show up to either the immigration headquarters in Elgin Avenue or to the special emergency processing centre which was set up at the Mary Miller Hall.

TLEP holders have been given the chance to have those permits extended for just 45 days, in which time their employers can go through the process of applying for a new work permit for them if they cannot find a suitably qualified Caymanian willing or able to fill the post. Government has said that the Department of Immigration will work closely with the National Workforce Development Agency to identify willing and able Caymanians to fill any position held by foreign workers, which includes those previously on a TLEP.

“Yesterday was a very busy day for immigration staff,” said Premier Alden McLaughlin. “While some people had to wait outside for a while at headquarters, the system was fair and efficient.”

Although those here for eight years can now apply for permanent residency, government is hoping that its new more stringent and robust application process will deter many from applying as most will not be eligible under the new points system.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Jobs for Caymanians, this is what this means, right?  All those pesky expats leaving and taking their pesky contributions tothe gross domestic product and the economy of Cayman, and their pesky spending on things in the Island and all their eating and drinking and buying stuff and paying for entertainment and hiring people and paying rent, and just getting the hell out of Cayman… That's gotta mean jobs for Caymanians, right?  It's nowhere but up, right?

    • Anonymous says:

      If you subscribe to Ezzard's voodoo-caveman economics it makes perfect sense.

  2. Knot S Smart says:

    Cayman made the list of the top ten countries that expats want to go:

    http://news.yahoo.com/photos/the-top-10-countries-for-expats-slideshow/

     

     

     

  3. Anonymous says:

    The Cayman Islands does not need any more permanent residents. We need temporary workers that will go home at the end of the agreed period; and workers that will stop pretending that they do not understand the terms of their work permits.

    The global recession has left many qualified people without jobs so there is no reason why the vast majority of these temporary workers can’t be replaced by equally or better qualified people. The sense of entitlement displayed by many of these temporary workers is very concerning and clearly demonstrates that they are the type of people that we do not want as permanent members of our community.

    • Anonymous says:

      The sense of entitlement displayed by many human beings on this earth is very concerning and clearly demonstrates that they are the type of people that we do not want as permanent members of our human race.

  4. Anonymous says:

    All of the hatred directed towards Caymanians is misplaced. The Cayman Islands has consistently ranked among the top five places in the world for expats.

    Where else in the world could you go and treat the local people like trash?

    • Anonymous says:

      Until they arrive and discover that it is a land untouched by culture.

      • Anonymous says:

        This post on Fri, 01/11/2013 – 15:15 brought to you by the uncultured cad.

  5. Anonymous says:

    We needed criteria heighten because we’re stuck with a lot of outsiders getting PR and then Appling for for social services & flooding our schools etc, with puts the burden on our govt=our $$$$! Caymanian

  6. Anonymous says:

    Note that there are no government contract expats in the TLEP lineups.

     

    The government has no stomach for eating its own dog food.

  7. Anonymous says:

    There seems to be a lot of comments on here from expats that feel their well being hasn't been considered. While I feel for all your pain I want to be blunt, By now you should know that no one in Government cares nor do the people that vote them into office. So please take my advice and consider this when planning your future, as an expat in Cayman your best bet is to work hard and save your money for the day you are forced back onto the plane. Investing and spending money locally hoping that you will one day be welcomed into Caymanian society is a waste or your vital resources. Unless you have plenty of money to throw around working and living in Cayman is no more than a temporary pleasure so you should treat it as such. Spend and invest the least amount you can locally and save for the day that you have to head home or to another place to start over. And then again even if you spend millions locally people will still hate you unless you just give money away asking nothing in return and the money never runs out.

    Just keeping it real.

    • UK Expat says:

      That's very good advice.  I am shortly to leave this place but I will be certainly giving the same advice to anyone I know who considers coming here.

    • Anonymous says:

      Even when you have spent the time, the money and everything else, receiving status just makes it worse!

    • Anonymous says:

      In the BVI you have to wait 20+ years before being "considered" for any type of basic residency. "Belonger" status which is equivalent to our Caymanian Status is even harder to acquire. They certainly know what they want and how to go about it. Yes its time for us to put the brakes on an screen.

    • Anonymous says:

      Get a good old school 5 year plan.  Stick to it.  Fly home. 

  8. geta posse says:

    I thought I saw some scurrying around in the undergrowth at the back of my yard. Grab some flaming torches and some dogs, we have to get them on the transports.

  9. Anonymous says:

    Anyone else noticed there is no Whodatis around?

    • Anonymous says:

      9.58..we live in hope…

    • Anonymous says:

      He is on a two month South American motorcycling homage to Che Guevara with Dr Frank. 

      • Anonymous says:

        In the company of Dr Che Guevara, that is very good, are you suggesting that we start the revolution? Che was instrumental in the movement in Cuba and most of Latin America.  Just wish that he did not leave so soon.  He took Cuba and Cubans from the same situation of being called lazy, uneducated good for nothing to 98% literacy on par with all the first world countries.  Like Cuba, hopefully under the leadership of a great leader (very soon ) Caymanians will obtain 98% literacy and an educated population that will be self sufficient, thereby reducing the need for expat workers.

        • Anonymous says:

          Your real friends would have the courage to tell you how dull you are.

    • Anonymous says:

      Looks like whodatis is really under your skin!

      • Anonymous says:

        No, it has been so refreshing not to have every thread hi-jacked by his crap and then his own responses to his crap.

    • Anonymous says:

      Yeah. Why dat is. He get rolled over?

    • Anonymous says:

      I was thinking the same thing because I enjoy trolling his/her comments.

    • Anonymous says:

      Hold their EMPLOYER {{{{{{{{{{{{{{ yes employer accountab, they choose to keep them around for 7 + years, never tried to hire a Caymanian and now they just dissapear or work without a permit.

      So much for, I cannot do without him/her, all convenience on their part. Now you see just how they fabricate and exploit the system for their own benefits. But we have no one to blame but ourselves,

      ENFORCE THE LAW/laws.

    • Anonymous says:

      I don't think the "New world order and colonial destabilization" summer camp is finished until next week.

       

    • Anonymous says:

      He has not gone anywhere.  Just taking a break. Miss him:(

  10. Anonymous says:

    I'm sure a lot left already. Ain't nobody got time for that (sitting round waiting)!

  11. Big Whopper says:

    Well kiss mi neck back….

  12. Anonymous says:

    Mrs. Evans said that there database has all the details; they know exactly who the culprits are. I bet she's going to send the dogs out after them!

     

  13. Anonymous says:

    well, are we really surprised here, I think not. I am a Caymanian borned but honestly our government is so good on messing up things and woking on their own agenda I really have no faith in the elected government, excutive arm of governmet , civil servants none no not one. We are doing a very good job of distroying our lives, and funture. We fail to admit that this little island needs investors, people people people . If we do not have this MLA's would not be making CI$10K plus a month and the speaker would not be making CI$167K per year after a pay cut to rasie the deputy Premier. Are we not getting this. Big homes, long vacations , fancey cars , AMX credit cards, Visa Gold etc….. are all made possible by outside MONEY, We just have to get along back in the day when work permit holders just kept working , they bought homes, etc and left when they wanted to no fear of being kick off as long as they did not break the laws they were okay. These people are not taking any jobs from Caymanians really .. just stop and think. may God Have Mercy on us

  14. Anny Omis says:

    CIG has historically treated expats unfairly. This is just another example. I wish someone would bring a human rights law suit, and stop the treatment of expats as sub-human serfs. We call ourselves a Christian country, then act like Philistines. Really. You mess with peoples lives, act like a cat with an expat mouse? Give these people who have worked and contributed to our country for 7 or more years just 48 hours to regularize their lives? Sick. Lets see what Karma has on store.

    • Anonymous says:

      @20:16 – "when in Rome, you abide by the Roman Laws" and that applies the world over.  The Laws cannot be amened each time someone wants it fixed to suit their situation.  Why is it so hard then to make alternative arrangements to move on and if you need to return to make another million $, then you can do that in accordance with the laws.  We cannot run to any other country and demand that they change their Laws to suit us, we have to abide by their laws!

      • Anonymous says:

        Yeah, right. My helper made a million $ in the 8.5 years she worked here.

        LMAO.

    • Anonymous says:
            Please stop spreading untruths.The truth is these people had at least nine years to regularize their lives;from the time of their first permit they knew that it was possible that they might have to leave when it expired.In fact they were blessed and were able to get permits renewed for a total of seven years.On top of that even after seven years when they were due to be rolled over (sent home to create a break in stay) they did not prepare and in fact were given a further 2 years .Now after nine years some are still not prepared.What they are guilty of is ignoring the law of the land and now you say they are only getting 48 hrs,wrong ,they were were given 9 years,Get it right.
    • Anonymous says:

      Especially the Jamaicans. With the horrible treatment/comments they recieve from Caymanians I'm surprised there are more than 5 J'cans left standing here.

      • Anonymous says:

        Jamaicans are far better treated by Caymanians than they are by their fellow Jamaicans. You've obviously not seen how helpers are treated in Jamaica or by Jamaicans here. Caymanians tend to treat their helpers like family members.   

    • Anonymous says:

      Anyone who feels upset about the laws of the land, should politely pack their traps an LEAVE.  I cannot go to any country and dictate or request what I want for myself, least of demand to stay.  Anywhere you go, you live within the confines of the law.  When you break the laws of the country, you put your going in your mouth.

    • Anonymous says:

      20:16***####  Why do'nt you, look on your employment contract and work permit, bet you will see an expirary date.

      That means you have to leave, I am sure you fully understand that. When we all go to a foreign land if we get admitted we all get told when to leave and we do unless you are one of those many law breakers.

  15. Anny Omis says:

    I know several TLEPS who are leaving the Island. Why would you spend your last few days in Cayman waiting all day in the hot sun in a crazy queue to pay a fee? If your not coming back, then WTF is the point? Are you going to waste a day and a dime for a country that throws you away like trash after 7 years? Probably not.

  16. Anonymous says:

    If the people know that their time would be up in October doesn't the people at the Immigration think that people have been making preparations to leave and some have already done so! Why would they stick around until the last minute? To see what solution the Government comes up with? These people don't realize that these are human beings they are dealing with, people with families. No one wants to invest in Cayman because there is too much uncertainty. Definitely not getting PR now, especially if you are a domestic helper or some other unskilled job. The new PR criteria will cater only to the rich and may I point out the bloddy obvious that the rich have choices, they don't have to live here. And what do the rich contribute to this island that boosts the economy? They spend maybe six months out of the year here, dine out a few times, buy groceries but what else do they contribute? The average joe on the street is the lifeblood of the expat contribution but them people is too narrow-minded to see that. The funny thing is a lot of the expats here are not interested in the precious PR that these people are guarding with thier life. People just want to be able to come here, work, make some money and leave. All this foolishness about taking away jobs from Caymanians, 3/4 of the jobs that expats have the Caymanians don't want because they consider that beneath them, and 1/8 of them they not qualified to have and if you consider the remainder of that equation as being equal to "expats taking away jobs" then it means Caymanians don't want any expats here at all then. What I realize is that Cayman was a very prosperous place and it made Caymanians snobbish with an entitlement attitude and when things get a little rough the first people they blame is the expats. You hear them talking about how expats should be grateful that they are allowed to live and work here, the islands should be grateful that expats chose to come and live and work here, sharing their knowledge, contributing to the economy and how are they repaid? "Thanks for your service now get the h*ll off the island." So expats will now come with an attitude that they are just going to work out their time and leave, they are reluctant to share their knowledge, they live as frugally as possible, they send their money home and then leave so Cayman has shot themselves in the foot!

    • Anonymous says:

      Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 30/10/2013 – 19:43.

      Standing ovation for you Ms or Mr. Well said.

    • Anonymous says:

      19.43 We are too willing to accept and assist persons, who turn around and stab us in the back.  

  17. Anonymous says:

    How about Caymanians start treating expats with some dignity. It was disgraceful how they made people feel.The governments handling of this makes Obamacare look good. Keep up the good work.

    • Anonymous says:

      Wish the expat bossees at work would do the same and treat everybody with some dignity and I am not a Caymanian!

    • Anonymous says:

      Ha! Expats are only being treated the same way they treat caymanians unintentionally. You people come here, spit on us, and expect to be treated with compassion when it is time for you all to leave. I and many others feel no pain for you and your families, just as much as you all feel for any local person or their families. Now, all we wait for is the replacement expat who will come in to replace the old one. A new one to spit at us locals.

      You all can click the thumbs down and the troll button, the truth will not change because of it. It’s a shame, that so many ill mannered, back stabbing, over inflated expats live here. You all have turned cayman into the dirt filled home you left behind. This place has become a cesspit for you all, until you all find some place else to go to, and kill off the natives.

      This Thanksgiving I want all locals to know, you will be set up as how the American indian was. You are being conned out of your own land and will lose it all to these inbreds that have come here as top class workers, when in reality they were at the bottom of the bucket in their own country. That is why they are upset they are leaving. Most of them will never live the life they lived in Cayman when they return home. They only care about milking the cow for as long as possible . They will scream wolf to stay here and open you up when they get a chance. Just like how they have generalized us caymanians for being lazy, I will generalize them for being wicked immoral pirates who could care less and hate seeing caymanians reach anywhere in our own country.

      • Anonymous says:

        Well now. Where to begin. You seem very bitter and emotional about this. I am not sure what you are proposing as a solution to the problem though. It seems that you feel the problem is quite simply expats who are pirates and do nothing but take away from you and yours. I guess the solution would be for all expats to leave then? Do you really think this will work? What exactly do you want to happen? What would make you have less hate towards those who come here? For there record, I am an expat on my 9th year. I would like to hear you express your hate to me in person, to my face. I would like you to see the people you are hating so much and then say that you have no compassion. I have never "spit" on anyone. I have tried hard to involve Caymanians in the industry and workplace that I participate in. There is nogenuine interest and my efforts ended in failure. That does not mean that all Caymanians are lazy. It does mean that a certain segment of the population has no interest in working hard or in doing whatever it takes to get work and do well in the workforce. I don't think pointing that out counts as spitting on Caymanians. Denying there is a problem with work ethic, training, experience and employability of a certain segment of the population serves no purpose but to play ignorant. Calling all expats the "bottom of the bucket" is just plain silly and unproductive. Wake up and accept the reality of your country. It's a country that needs outside labour to come enter the economy here in order for the country to survive and prosper. That's a fact. Get used to it and maybe if more people were excited about the opportunities available in this country there would be less employment problems. Stop blaming unemployment on prejudice and try taking advantage of the opportunities that abound in the Cayman Islands.

        • Anonymous says:

          Maybe you should read what the poster said. I read nothing about unemployment until you brought it up. He is expressing his view on how he is being treated, and the term “spitting on” means looked down on. Since you have been here for 9 years, I would have expected someone like yourself to know the expression, however, if he was physically spat on and feels belittle in his own country, should he not feel bitter and emotional?
          There are many caymanians who feel this way. To them, Cayman never changed like this until the large influx of expats started to come on the island. What you fail to see is that the caymanians who have gotten rich of off expat “money” are few. Go ahead and tell us which caymanian has now become rich from expats being here?? Name a dozen.. all the people who might name where probably quite wealthy already. The island has changed to accommodate the large influx of expats into the island, more apartments, bigger this and bigger that, while destroying the natural culture and look of cayman to accommodate people who sometimes have no respect for the native people who live here, because in truth they do not believe that locals are at the same level as them. I believe this is why people from the UK do get caught into this viewpoint as their class system is quite evident into their society and is rather obvious here now. Let’s not even get into the fact that locals have known for many years that they have been paid far less as what an expat is paid, even if they hold the same qualifications. This is a normal conversation piece which after 9 years of being on this island I would think you have heard before. I presume you will, if not already married to a local, be applying for PR (which you have all right to) yet you seem to lack the understanding of what a lot of locals are going through and the unfairness that they have to deal with in their own land.Hense the bitterness.
          I’m not sure where you are from, but I am sure that wherever you are from, you would feel robbed and very much emotional if you felt as if you are a second class citizen in the country of your birth.. then again maybe you don’t care.

          Both arguments do have some validity, however I believe that the person who is born here and have nowhere else to go is priority. If everyone was treated like this in their own country, there wouldn’t be this problem of people wanting to stay in someone else country.

          My .two cents

          • Anonymous says:

            Yes.. I know what spit on means. Yes I know it doesn't mean physically. No, I won't be applying for PR. I am not welcome here and no longer enjoy living here. I am tired of the us versus them mentality. You presume to know who I am and what I think but you are wrong my friend. Everything you say I should know after 9 years of being here, I know. I also know that the people I tried to help take advantage of the opportunities here in their own country didn't appreciate or value my efforts or take advantage of the opportunities being provided so I find it hard sometimes to stomach the complaining about this or that. Considering what Cayman would be like without any expats, maybe people should think twice about complaining. The bottom line, this should be a community of people working towards a common good, not Caymanians constantly complaining about expats and vice versa. I will not miss this place. 

            • Anonymous says:

              Not to sound mean, but I think you are the emo one here. It is YOUR decision to leave. It is YOUR decision to not apply for PR. I think you fail to see that you wont be missed and I am sure you will be replaced once gone if you wrok for a company. Expats consist of more than 50% of the island. There are locals that are in need of jobs. Hard working ones at that. Yet they are struggling for jobs. How many CNS reports will it take for you to see that locals arent given a fair chance? Yet many expats complain that the CIG is just a hand out scheme. Where are the locals to go then, if that is the only place to get a job, as they are not "good enough" for the private sector? So caymanians must treat expats with respect, while the expats rally for them to lose their lively hood.. makes sense(sarcasm).

              You are the one complaining that you made the effort to "hand out" opportunities to locals and they didnt appreciate it. It seems as if you are looking for a pat on the back here in CNS. The reality is, there will be some that will not "appreciate" the good that is offered.Period.It is as if, because some are ungrateful, the rest of us must keep quite? Would you and all the expats prefer us locals to sit and keep quite while our homes are going into forclosure? While we see that we have been passed up for a job which was given to an expat?How about a lower salary while the other people who are expats are given higher pay and even relocation bonuses. Do you not see the unfairness with all of this? Yet, because you have been  here for 9 years, giving  "handouts" to some ungrateful people, the rest of us must shut up. Really? this is your take on equality? Lets hope when you return to your own country, you dont have to go through this same treatment. I wonder I you left in the first place.

              Another thing you have failed or just plained ignorant to see is that Caymanians werent always so negative to expats. We were friendly, hardworking, socialble people. Who would open our arms, homes and even our wallets to expats to help them through anything. What many expats have done is brought their blatant disrespect for other peoples culture to thisisland. The attitude of walking into work and not even having the simples manners to say good morining, and expecting locals to bend over backwards while you lay them off and speak down to them. The disrespect of telling locals and making them feel like second class citizens and the list goes on. Lets not get into the fact that we can not even dicipline our children anymore of some expat jumping up in arms about child cruelty. This is why your kids speak back to you and do as they please, and now some of ours have seen this stupid behaviour and is gladly following the bahaviour.

              You can complain that  we are hateful, but I assure you, we were never like that. the Expat community pushed it our way and now the locals have rebel and we are now the bad guys. Go figure.

               

              Have a safe trip when you leave bud. All the best for the future.

    • Anonymous says:

      How about expats start treating Caymanians with some dignity in the job market.

  18. bow n arrow says:

    i left too

    • Anonymous says:

      Yes, but what everyone wants to know is did you let the door hit you on the backside on the way out?

  19. Anonymous says:

    so 700+ jobs up for grab now or wha?

    • Anonymous says:

      No, but I think they'll need a lot more baggage handlers at the airport to deal with the exodus.

  20. Foreign Devil says:

    That's 6 hundred jobs Caymanians, rush in get them quick. 

    Yeah right.

    • Anonymous says:

      Drop the "hundred" and you might be in the right territory.

    • Anonymous says:

      I bet not a single Caymanian would apply for the jobs that have been vacated, they are 'too good' for that!

  21. Anonymous says:

    the mojority of them have no work and r just here rounding around robbing and selling numbers! please round them up asap and send them home soon and watch the crime go down.

    • Anonymous says:

      Crime will go down because there will be no-one left for the locals to rob!

    • Anonymous says:

      If that's true why is northward full of Caymanians

      • Anonymous says:

        A. That's not true. Many of them called "Caymanians" are in fact "BOTCs" or "status holders", and even then the percentage is only about 70%.

        B. The Northward population reflects only those who have been caught and convicted of crimes. Most crimes in Cayman are unsolved. Those who are able to leave the Islands after committing crimes are less likely to be caught.    

      • Anonymous says:

        5Jamaicans were just convicted of the CNB robbery and yet it is reported as 2 Jamaicans and 3 Caymanians. That is how you get the statistics you love so much. Lies and damned lies.

    • Anonymous says:

      I am glad you know about "numbers" because it is clear that "letters" are not your strength.

  22. Anonymous says:

    I’m leaving November 28, but didn’t get my passport stamped- do I still have to???

    • Anonymous says:

      If you are working Yes, but if you are not working just a visitors stamp I believe.

    • Anonymous says:

      yes. unless you get a visitors stamp to replace it.

  23. Lock, Stock says:

    Blind Freddy knew that there were not 1500 TELP holders on island!! Why do we lurch from incomptence to incompetence on the immigration issue!

     

    • Anonymous says:

      I don't know who Freddy is, and I'm sorry that he's blind, but an old boss of mine used to say 'You can't blame stupid on stupid people". Or as Forest Gump would say, "Stupid is as stupid does." I think both sayings work well with incompetence, too.

  24. Knot S Smart says:

    I personally advise the TLEP's who wish to stay here that this Halloween they need to dress like a Caymanian, Walk like a Caymanian, and talk like a Caymanian…

    • Anonymous says:

      But then they'd get fired!

    • Anonymous says:

      Necessary comment….?

    • Anonymous says:

      My costume this year was "activist".  I bought the clothes for $4 at a yard sale, shoved pillows in my jeans and up my shirt for a fat suit and misspelled everything on my protest board.  I just could not get the "festering anger and resentment" look though.

    • Anonymous says:

      now that would be scary!

  25. Anonymous says:

    Get them all off our islands & get our people back to work ppm! Bahamas have a rule all business are run by locals! We need that here! Please Caymanians look out for your own people first! Together we stand as one! Ppm supporter

    • Anonymous says:

      13.14, that is exactly the rule that stopped the Bahamas growing. Closed to outside investment means no interest in investing in anything, and where you going to get the money from? All expats leave, no money in banks, no shops left…dark ages for Cayman

    • Anonymous says:

      All businesses on island already require a local as the majority owner.

      You guys just want people to hand you money for playing dominoes that's the problem!

    • Anonymous says:

    • Diogenes says:

      What an excellent idea – lets follow the lead set by the Bahamas, because its worked so well for them, right? – GDP per capita 30% lower than Cayman, and the Bahamian government granting 8000 work permits to Chinese labourers despite local unemployment (way higher than Cayman).

  26. Anonymous says:

    I personally know several who have left already, from the cleaner working in our office to someone working at a law firm. Some were asked to leave by their employers after the new requirements for PR were made public and their employers understood there was no way many people are getting that. Others left on their own accord, just tired of the uncertainty. Many of these positions haven't been replaced and instead made redundant.  The office cleaner has been replaced by another expat.

    The reason Immigration doesn't know this is because often businesses don't let them know when someone has left  because the there's no real point in it. Good luck trying to get a refund on a permit already paid.

    Ultimately, the change in the Immigration Law was largely unnecessary with regard to the TLEPs, but it will succeed in slowing the number of people who get PR to just a handful a year.

     

     

    • Anonymous says:

      Save that it is a criminal offence for the employer of an expat not to inform Immigration when the expat leaves before their permit expires (Regulation 9).

      • Anon says:

        But most of the TLEP's permits have or are about to expire.  So why bother queuing up for an extension when you know you'll never get PR?  Just leave godammit, no need to inform anyone.

      • Anonymous says:

        The government doesn't enforce the law when employers steal pension and health insurance contributions from their employees. Do you really think that if Joe left the island in August before his TLEP expired in October that the government would prosecute the offender?  

      • Diogenes says:

        And that's really scary, because of all the people who have been convicted for failure to notify in the past!  If we have over 1100 employers taking employees pension contributions and trousering them, what makes you think they give a damn about fail;ure to notify offences. 

    • WillYaListen! says:

      … businesses don't let them (Immigration) know when someon has left because there's no point"

      Actually there is a point. It is a legal requirement for an employer to inform the Immigration Department of someone leaving their employment. Of course since there seems to be little enforcement it doesn't worry them. 

      As to your point to slowing down the PR recipients? Well they just look on that as a bonus. 

       

       

       

    • Batter says:

      Unfortunaley it will also result in the loss of a lot of high end professionals as well, who will take their contacts and what was potential future cayman business with them. The new rules are so restrictive that it will only worsen Cayman's decline as even the top professionals will struggle to get PR. 

    • Anon says:

      We are leaving in droves, TLEP or not – who can blame us?  I'm no TLEPer but I've certainly had enough of the uncertainty and the uncessary racial divide that this whole Immigration debacle has caused over successive years in a once harmonious country.   I'm off to another jurisdicition where I have rights and can be treated like a human being once again.

      In any event is anyone surprised?  I don't know why they expected so many.  It was obvious from the list provided that the majority on TLEP would never qualify for residency under the new system, so those that haven't already left, are going to, and won't be wasting money on a PR app that is bound to fail.  Sorry CIG but as a revenue-generating idea (as this is all I can see this whole TLEPs applying for PR within 45 days is), it was one flipping HUGE fail!  But at least you've made the majority of voters happy.  Expats Exodus has begun.

      • Anonymous says:

        Goodbye.  See you in a year guaranteed.

        • Anon says:

          I can guarantee you won't, have already secured a better contract in a better jurisdiction?  Enjoy the mess that is sure to come.  I'm glad to be getting out.

          • Anonymous says:

            Cool, also think about the taxes I won't be paying.  The higher levels of income which you cannot match anywhere else, beautiful beaches and even better people.  If you have stopped complaining about how bad it was you would have enjoyed the above whilst you had it.  Anyway, best of luck to you my friend.

            Sipping a Cayman rum punch on the beach.

      • Anonymous says:

        Why are you still here posting comments?

      • Anonymous says:

        bye… it's been swell. not!

    • Anonymous says:

      Agreed. I also work at a multi-national company. Guess what? They asked the expats affected to transferto another office. Surprise !!In today's environment, most of those expats easily left Cayman and continue to service the same clients from a location outside of Cayman. This job is never returning to Cayman nor is a Caymanian being hired to replace the expat. The company wins as they lower costs due to no work permit fees and realise how easy it is to transfer jobs out of Cayman with little effect on client service and operations. Cayman loses as an entire family is no longer here to spend money on rent, food, schools etc and there is no income for the government from work permit fees. Others that did not transfer simply left the island on their own as they move to other more attractive jurisdications. Those jobs were also not replaced as the companies moved the workload to another lower cost office.

      • Anonymous says:

        Everywhere I go I run into people that want to do business in the Cayman Islands. I am also constantly asked by very qualified people if there is any work for them in the Cayman Islands as their dream is to live and work in the Cayman Islands.

         

        There is a recent article that ranks Cayman among the top five destinations for expat workers. Do a Google search and you should find the article. 

        • UK Expat says:

          Oh so that makes it all alright does it?  Articles written by folk who have not lived here and experienced it mean nothing to me.  Yes its great to think you could work here and everyone wants to come and work here and stay here… until they get here.  And don't bother to tell me to go home if I don't like it – I already am.

          • Anonymous says:

            So why are you referring to Cayman as "here" in that case?

            • UK Expat says:

              Because I haven't caught my plane out yet – but the ticket is booked be assured, and delight in knowing another of us is to leave your shores. 

  27. Anonymous says:

    Perhaps before any data is given to the public. We first need to know how many TLEPS had already left the Cayman Islands

  28. Anonymous says:

    The ones that didn’t show up paid someone to drop their stuff off. Those are the fat cats that made PPM pass the law.

    • Anonymous says:

      Since it looks like 6-700 expats have taken leave of the Islands without letting the door hit them in the behind (as they are so often invited to do on these pages), it gives us the opportunity to observe the relationship, if any, between expat employment and Caymanian unemployment. There is a good chance Caymanian unemployment is going to go up, not down, after these departures. Maybe the slack will be taken up by Shetty or Dart or something else if you're lucky.

      • Anonymous says:

        For every expat that leaves there are about 5 -10 waiting and queing to come so don't think or expect that the Cayman Islands will sink or those that choose to leave it will even make much of a difference.

    • Diogenes says:

      Sigh!  The stats don't deal with the number physically there but the number of WOLs issued, irrespective whether people were there in person or not.  But hey, don't let facts interfere with your preconceptions.   

      But dealing with your comment – why would the fat cats be there anyway – would already had key employee (cause they are fat cats, right? – or they are so influential as to make government change the law but not influential enough to get key employee?).  TLEPS covered the fat cats worker bees – but guess what – the fat cats had already replaced them anyway. 

      Bottom line is Immigration doesn't even know how many people are still on the island on work permits , WOLs or TLEPS, because they do not reconcile the entry/departure records with the work permit records.  The whole TLEPS "armageddon" panic comes down to that essential fact – knee jerk legislation rushed through based on wholly unreliable statistics. 

      • Anonymous says:

        Lol! Love the use of the term "fat cats" as a term for people who worked so hard all of their life that they have achieved enough to be considered a key worker to a business. 

  29. Anonymous says:

    Yeah right. PPMPR Machine at work.

    • Diogenes says:

      Some PR machine – argument was always that 1500 would leave; only having 870 turn up makes CIG look like they have no idea who is actually here on island, and had overstated the problem by 70%.  

  30. Anonymous says:

    Well you created this problem yourselves, passing a law on Friday making people illegal on Monday. What did you expect?

     

    • Anonymous says:

      No, they didn't. The inherited this problem and there was no earlier opportunity to pass the law.

    • Anonymous says:

      I agree that the time period for persons toregularise is particularly short. Two working weeks should have been more reasonable.

  31. anonymous says:

    Did the rest of the folks even know what was going on??…this thing kinda jumped up fairly quickly.

  32. Anonymous says:

    It's pretty obvious they are voting with their feet. Sayonara, BoBo. (the alternative is 600+ people defying Immigaration–good luck with rounding them up for deportation or incarceration.)

  33. Anonymous says:

    And, pray tell, who are the employers of these 600? Enforcement is a joke. 

    • Anonymous says:

      enforcement is too busy chilling on the party boats every sunday.

    • Anonymous says:

      I am sorry so see the Chief Immigration officer begging foreigners to come in an get their passports in order after the New Immigration was russed through to please them. I some time have to wonder if this is the Cayman Islands  that people like Ms Annie Huldah Bodden and the rest of that era was in, when they would stand up for the people of these Islands and let their voices be heard for what they believed. Sometime we have to wonder what is behind all of this begging, I don't hear anyone talking about the collection of PR fees that are owed to this country. I would like to know  if there is any way  the people of Island can knowing who owe us PR, we should know these people who living amongst us. 

    • Cayman Concern says:

      Hear hear! Employers have to face the music!! I'm tired of fat cat employers using their local ties and cousins working at immigration for special treatment.

      my neighbor is a lowly lousy slumlord and he has treated his employees poorly but always got his permits pushed through. I know people who sadly work for him and have no idea the outcome, but if this is the type of employer we have I am very sorry for anyone who works for him. Enforcement please make these people stand up and pay stiff fines and do jail time set a precedence.

      The New York mayor who had zero tolerance and turned an entire city around had it right. Start with the chewing gum litter on the street, the slumlords, then the gangs will fall in the line in the crime will fall

      • Anonymous says:

        But then is this the fatcat's fault, or the fault of the immigration department for taking these people's cases to the front of the queue for money or favours?!

  34. Anonymous says:

    They have left island! This is what I always wanted to know. CNS- was 1500 the total number of TLEP issued? As I know of about 15 persons that left in July, as who would want to ride out hurricane season and the hotest months around only to be sent away in October. I would bet this figure is correct and the balance had left island before hand, as people can not be left in limbo waiting.

  35. Anonymous says:

    Did they think to check with their cohorts at the airport immigration department?  I personally know several that simply left!

    • Well says:

      Well is it any wonder? You had Arden and Ezzard trying to wrap them up in the Cayman flag and burn them at the airport. I would have left in a hurry too if I was a TLEP.

    • Anonymous says:

      They don’t have to check with their cohorts at airport- they only ahve to check the data. Unless they caught a canoe, they had to pass through immigration. Some of you are so hopin this to fail that you are not being rational.