Helpers’ ‘certificate to stay’ now available
(CNS): Government officials announced Monday that the controversial special certificate allowing caregivers on work permits to stay in the Cayman Islands beyond the seven year workers term limit is now available. Employers of domestic workers who are long-term caregivers may from Tuesday apply for the new Specialist Caregiver certificate. This will allow those workers extended and uninterrupted periods of work time. Before the change in the law helpers were subject to rollover stipulations like all other foreign workers. The change in government policy and subsequent legislative amendments have made provision for foreign workers who care for the most vulnerable members of the community to stay beyond the normal seven year limit.
Government said that the amendment to the Immigration Law allows for greater continuity of care, especially for the benefit of elderly, sick and vulnerable persons. This newly-introduced certification will allow workers to remain with their employers indefinitely, provided medical and care requirements continue.
When applying, employers must provide supporting evidence that the people receiving care are elderly, sick or disabled. Employees must also have worked at the same job for the applicant at least three years immediately prior to applying for the caregiver certificate. This could have been as a domestic helper, nurse, nanny, or in another care-giving capacity.
Applicants for the Specialist Caregiver certificate will pay an administrative filing fee of $100, as well as an ’issue fee’ based on the employee’s previous work permit category. This amounts to whatever the previous work permit fee was, plus $100. For example, if the employee was previously employed as a domestic helper, the issue fee will be $250 ($150 plus $100). This fee is payable annually.
Application forms, along with requirement details and other guidance, will be available at the Department of Immigration, or on the department’s website: www.immigration.gov.ky.
Category: Local News
I’m glad! And why shouldn’t they be allowed the right to vote? For the seven years they are allowed to live here, they should have a right to say what they would like to have done.
When they care for OUR loved ones, they become part of our family. Would you deny someone in your family or community the right to speak their mind and give their opinion?
The expats will be the ONLY ones who will vote objectively and not justfor their friends or people they know.
That’s what’s wrong with Cayman, we need to start thinking of people as PEOPLE, as human beings, homo sapiens just like ourselves. And stop this territorial, animalistic mentality.
All of those who think that they will be able to vote with Status… you are wrong, youhave to be naturalized in order to vote! I personally think that it is a good thing since Caymanians themselves cannot find a good certified person to take care of their loved ones when they are elderly and disabled, they have to find an expat. The expats are well trained and become a part of the family when they take care of them. Sometimes people forget about the elderly and its time that we think about them also because we will be in their position sometime in our lives.
Excellent. All they need now is a ‘Certificate To be Paid Fairly And Treated Humanely’ by Their Caymanian employers. Oh and a pension contribution too.
This is a calculated scheme by the UDP. Today is what, October 26 2010?
Assuming that elections 2013 will take place in November , 2013. With the constitution and Bill of Rights in full force by that time. do Caymanians realise what the formula is here?
This UDP Formula is exactly what they have been trying to do with the rollover policy reducing it to 30 days.
ENSURING that x-pats are granted Cayman Status INCREASING THE X-PAT VOTING BLOC .
This is a subtle scheme designed for no other Reason than to RE-ELECT THE UDP AND ITS DICKTATOR all over again.
I’m surprised that those PPM and independent Ezzard Miller has nothing to say on this subject.
THE COW HAS GONE THROUGH THE GATE ALREADY.!
A speech by the opposition won’t bring him back. However an Injunction FILED IN THE COURTS to stop this may be quite inorder.
Just because someone has been granted status, does not automatically give them the right to vote – they would need to be natralised first.
Please remember that it was the Caymanian public who voted these people in, not the expats who seem to be getting the bad end of the stick because if it
Will this be like the Key employee status thing that no one who doesn’t "know" someone in power can never get? Once again thanks for pretending to care.
feel sorry for the kids and grannies when these helpers become Caymanian-they will move onto bigger opportunities
The kids grow old, and the elderly (as defined in the Amendment – Bill No.2 of the Immigration Law, are those aged 65+ grannies/grampies )won’t live forever, so the need for a specialist caregiver will become unnecessary then ….tada! they still need to go back to their place of origin for a year before the Immigration Chief Officer can approve another work permit application – effectively rolling-them-over.
Please refer to ‘Carers Cleared to Stay’ article of CNS posted on Sept. 09, 2010. To summarize, a Specialist Caregiver Certificate allows domestic workers looking after the sick, the elderly, and the handicapped to bypass rollover WITHOUT HAVING THE RIGHT TO CLAIM RESIDENCY – they and their dependants would not be able to apply for PR under the certificate.
Now, if you are not allowed to apply for PR under the Specialist Caregiver Certificate policy, how much more for Caymanian Status? So that takes care of your worry that your domestic worker, nanny, caregiver, nurse ‘become Caymanian’.
Besides, as your kids grow older, so does your helper, nanny, caregiver. Why would you want to keep her forever and a day – to wait for you to be elderly yourself? Why would you begrudge another human being to desire/to want to ‘move onto bigger opportunities’ – do you not desire the same thing?
Now, if what irks you is that your domestic helper, nanny, caregiver becomes your equal by ‘becoming Caymanian’ themselves, then why don’t you stay at home, clean your ownhouse, do your own laundry – as in washing, drying and ironing them, cook your own food, take care of your kids, elderly and handicapped yourself. Problem solved. Would that make you happier?
Just asking.
The Specialist Caregiver certificate is a good thing. It will greatly help those persons in the community who require special care without an interruption in service ie. The elderly, indigent and disabled. Families with children of multiple ages in the household from birth thru high school will also benefit if their Nanny’s are allowed to attain the certificate.
I trust there will be no abuse of the system and it will be monitored properly.
This is very good only if the premier can assure us that these nannys with the special certificate will NOT BE ABLE TO QUALIFY FOR CAYMAN STATUS AND VOTE THEM IN IN 2013.
7 +3 = 10 YEARS!
10 years is eligibility for Citizenship!
We have been screwed by the UD and Kurt and alden those two sorry you know whats looks on and gives them the nod that its OK
By November elections in 2013 it gives those here 7 years exactly enough time for status grant and VOTE THE UDP IN ALL OVER AGAIN WHILE EZZARD, ALDEN, KURT, TONY, ARDEN, AND ALL THE REST OF cowards look on ad DO NOTHING!
I think this is a very good thing!