Foreign workers to take English test before arrival
(CNS): Foreign workers coming to the Cayman Islands whose first language is not English will be required to take a more formal language test in their country of origin before they arrive here in order to be granted a work permit. Immigration official said the new requirement starts on 1 July and is designed to be more accommodating and convenient as it will be taken in an applicant’s home country at a designated testing centre. Overseas workers will need to take either the International English Language Test (IELTS) or the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) both of which have centres all over the world.
“Prior to arrival in the Islands, a prospective employee who has an ELT requirement placed as a condition of their temporary or full work permit, should arrange to be tested by one of the two recognized overseas English Testing Centres. These are the International English Language Test (IELTS) and Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC), each of which has test centres operating in multiple countries,” immigration officials stated in a release about the new language testing requirement.
Those taking an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) will need a Band Score Level 6 while those taking the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC): will be required to reach Band Score Level B2.
Prospective employees must now arrange to attend a relevant centre in their respective countries and only applicants from countries with neither of the testing centres will be able to take a test when they arrive in the Cayman Islands.
Local immigration staff will serve as administrators and will have test score viewing capabilities for both centres. Staff will also update workers’ information in the Immigration Management Support System (IMSS). The Board or CIO will communicate the results in writing to the prospective employer. Tests taken at these prescribed centres prior to 1 July 2014 will be accepted but the immigration department said that applicants may not use test results older than two years.
Officials also said that fees for testing are set by each centre and are the responsibility of the prospective employee prior toarrival in the Islands. Making appointments is the responsibility of the prospective employee who is expected to keep confirmed appointments with the relevant centre.
Overseas testing requirements are not applicable for work permit renewals in circumstances where ELT conditions are placed by the Work Permit Board or Chief Immigration Officer (CIO). In such cases on-Island testing will be facilitated, the immigration department added in the release.
For more information on the requirements visit the DOI website www.immigration.gov.ky
Details of the tests and centres can be found on the relevant websites: www.ets.org/epn_directory and www.ielts.org
Category: Local News
hw many marks u should get in the exam to pass..
Perhaps all of the expat employees should have at least passed high school
As I see it the uneducated dreck you let in to live in your community is the biggest drain on your community
But it makes master feel good that only he can read God forbid the master brings in an educated worker
But really this is why your children suck because they are being raised around people right out of the bush
Any foreign national who may have been selected as a potential employee by any company or institution in the Cayman Islands, "should" on their own or thru their prospective employer, assure themselves that they have met [prior to coming to the Island] at least, what is considered the minimum standards for english comprehension and usage by [IELTS] and [TOEIC]. They must be informed "officially" that if they do not meet these standards, and take it upon themselves to come here, [especially if this is done under the advice of their prospective employer] they will be returned, forthwith, to the country for which they have their return ticket. And! Any "employer" who may have assisted them in getting here, shall be fined for "violating the law" which would carry a fine amounting to the equivalent of three work-permit -fees for the position that was to be filled. And that employer shall be put on probation for a prescribed period of time, so that any other violation of the labor laws within that period, will incur more severe penalties.
If we implementstrict and "unambiguous" rules of this nature we may finally start to get a grip on closing some of the loop holes that are being used to employ unskilled and low paid foreign nationals. I say to our Government! If necessary, and I believe it is necessary, we must rewrite some of our antiquated and toothless laws, which were supposedly written to protect Caymanians.
This whole thing could be so simple, if we would take the time to study and rewrite some of the antiquated laws pertaining to labor and employment! All that is needed, is, for our Government to put together a group consisting of legal minds along with persons who are knowledgeable, in other aspects of our economic engine, who "really " want the best for Cayman and to see it grow in a sustainable manner, where everyone who lives here are able to work and live in harmony.
May God Bless Us All!
Try getting a job in France if you don't speak their language " NO parlez-vous français" No JOB.
One does not need to speak a word of French to work in France if you have an EU passport.
You, sir, have no clue what you're talking about. Having an EU passport allows you the freedom to live and work within the European Union, however, if you don't speak French you won't be getting any jobs in France – same goes for any other country. How, pray tell, would you be able to have a legitimate job in any country if you don't speak the native language, or are at least conversationably fluent? The EU passport will give you the right to apply to any job you want in the EU – but if you don't have the basic requirements for the filling of the position, you think you're gonna get the job?
"Conversationably fluent"???? Presumably you are not working?
There are some unique jobs where you don't necessarily have to speak the native language. For example, people who work for American firms in Hong Kong, for example. It benefits you to be able to be conversational, but business is conducted purely in the language of the home nation of said firm. I used to work in one such place, which is why I said what I said. There are always exceptions to generalisations, however, going back to the original argument – having an EU passport doesn't guarantee you employment in any country simply because they're members of the EU.
Depends on the job, and that will be an issue for the employer to determine rather than the imposition of a state backed test. And that is the point of this article, in case you forgot. The argument above seems to have been that there was a requirement to speak French to get a job in France. There is not.
No sir, you are the one who does not know what you are talking about. You need to update your views on the EU and visit some of the countries. There are many Romanians, Italians and Spaniards working in France doing work in the tourism / services and agricultural sector who speak limited or no French. As for England, one of the points that the right wing UK party UKIP has been advocating is English language tests for East Europeans working in England. Their view is if you do not speak English you don't get into the UK.
No sir, you are the one who does not know what you are talking about. You need to update your views on the EU and visit some of the countries. There are many Romanians, Italians and Spaniards working in France doing work in the tourism / services and agricultural sector who speak limited or no French. As for England, one of the points that the right wing UK party UKIP has been advocating is English language tests for East Europeans working in England. Their view is if you do not speak English you don't get into the UK.
By any chance will this test have a Comprehension quiz attached? i'm so sick of having to repeat myself on a daily basis, for example at KFC
ME: Hey goodafternoon, may i get a chicken sandwich with a small fries and small Pepsi please
THEM: OK…2 piece Spicy with large fries…oh sorry sir, no Sprite only Pepsi
ME: (Repeats order)
THEM: Ohhh, sorry sir no we dont have spicy chicken sandwich only Zinger
ME: (takes deep breath, regain composure. Repeats order)
THEM: oh sorry sir i can't hear you please drive through to window
Order comes with 3 peice bar-b-cue no fries and orange soda
you shouldn't be eating that garbage anyway.
I asked for a rum and coke and an ice water before- they brought me coconut water.
I'm going to state the obvious here, surely giving an individual the test overseas benefits the applicant? Imagine if you've packed all your belongings, travelled for umpteen hours, get to the immigration test, flunk the exam and get put back on the plane. Compared to being able to take the test locally (to you) and knowing that you won't get turned back if you pass it.
I don't know if the test is appropriate across all sectors, I would like to have a doctor or nurse having a better grip on the language than a gardener and maybe that's how it will play out, basic communications skills for certain grade permits and higher for others.
Having had a quick look the test appears to be of a higher difficulty than most and it would perhaps be unfair to require a guest worker to have a higher level of English (in the test form) than that can be achieved by an average person.
unna tyre usa ima domi a wheelie adraw
I work with locals all day and most of the time have no idea what dasayin
i just read this 3 times, and i have no clue what you're saying…
This is true. Prospects need to take an 'island English' test
I am not an english speaker and I had to take that IELTS for some other countries authorities, believe me even some native English speakers wouldn't pass!!
Costs a lot of money around 200$, takes 4 hours and has nothing to do if someone speaks English or not, just need to figure the right technic to pass.
So why should someone take that test toget a job on Cayman if the same paper is gonna open a door to any other country like Australia, New Zealand, Canada with much more possibilities then Cayman can offer!!
Thats why peoole wanna come here to avoid the hussle of all that!!
Wouldn't it be easier to take a Cayman version of test on the island and everyone who's not gonna pass has to go to an English class here?? I think that would be a much better way to find workers from all over the world and it would provide jobs for caymanians to.
i think that's what government should do instead of punishing people with spending money, time and troubles to get a job on the Cayman Islands!!
Pardon me! No one is punishing you to get a job in Cayman. You do not have to come here to work. You need to drop that attitude. Everybody wants to set their own rules for Cayman. If you don't like the soup then get out of the pot.
The article says they will set the pass mark to be equivalent to what the current English test, it'snot like everyone is going to need to get a super high mark just to qualify for entry to Cayman.
If there are other countries offering far more than Cayman, then head out bobo! We just want individuals here who have at least a working understanding of the English language.
As McKeeva Bush would say "this is all foo! foo!". Bye the way…did he pass the exam?? Before he became Premier?
01:33.Yes
It never ceases to amaze me how we continue to impress on the world how inept [or should I say stupid] we are. Are you telling me that we will now be paying someone from the "Pilipenes" or some other country, to determine if a prospective employee can or cannot speak, or have or have not a working knowledge of the english language?
How much will this cost us to implement? Is there any body left Government who thinks through and properly vets these things prior they implementation?
Do we for a minute think that those persons administering these tests overseas, will be totally honest about the results of these tests. If my knowledge of similar situations are a guideline, I'd venture to say we should stop being so naive, because we seem to be the easiest people in the world to scam. My prediction is, that this could become a very lucrative business for some of those who will be administering these tests. We have to start putting a little faith in our own people for a change! Hire a retired english teacher here on the Island. Give Caymanians this job.
Dear God in Heaven Help Us!
That isn't actually how this system will work, and if you do some online research like I did you may change your opinion. We're not paying anything and these tests are certified and standardised across the world so you can trust the results, similar to the SAT. I think this policy change is a really, really good move by Government.
1. "Someone from the Philippines" will not be determining if a prospective employee can or cannot speak English. A trained grader who is most likely based in New Jersey grades written tests (and there is no grey area – the answers are either right or wrong) and the computer is graded automatically. These tests are available in almost every country in the world, they are well respected and used by businesses all over the world who seek to ensure their prospective employees have the required level of English.
2. Government isn't paying anyone for prospective work permit holders to take the IELTS/TOEIC. Immigration will just receive a report directly from the testing centre (the article says they will have online access to test scores) and if a person can't take the exam in their home country they take it here on a computer and all the Immigration staff would need to do is watch them, everything is calculated online. Instead of administering our own test to each person, it looks like this will SAVE money. I imagine the only cost will be fees to maintan Immigration as a testing centre and have access to the online system. It doesnt' say in the article whether any cost to administer this test locally would probably be passed on to the applicant, but that seems the most fair.
3. Rather than Government bearing the cost of allowing work permit applicants to prove they speak sufficient English, the burden is now on the applicant/employer to do so – where it should be. They need to arrange for the medical, police clearance, etc, why not the proof of English capability?
The only problem I can potentially see is if people scam the system by sending someone else to take the test for them. However, I've taken the SAT before and many of my friends in college took tests for graduate school applications (e.g. GMAT, LSAT, GRE) and other international students had to take the TOEFL to enter college (an English proficiency test almost exactly like the ones being implemented here, except it is focused on academic language instead of business language). I imagine IELTS/TOEIC examiners are similarly strict to those exam boards and require the person taking the test proves their identity.
Read the article! How does this cost us? It is costing the employee who want to seek a permit in Cayman or perhaps the employee can negotiate with the employer to cover the expense.
Jeez – one minute everyone rows about all these people who are on Island who can't even speak a lick of English, next minute everyone whines when Government finally puts in some regulations which are not out of the ordinary.
in Cuba these centers do not exist
That is why they stated, and I quote: "and only applicants from countries with neither of the testing centers will be able to take a test when they arrive in the Cayman Islands" so you dont have to worry about that. Funny thing though, my wife is Cuban, she lived here 7 years on a work permit and came back with another one and they asked her to take an english test, again. we laughted about it and she took it, 100% right of course.
aint that a waste of time? I understand the english test if you are a newcomer but if you have been there and done that? save some money CIG.
Your wife came back with another Cuban wife? How modern and exciting.
This is a welcome change! A couple of years ago I remember reading that this was going to happen and I am glad that it finally has. It is a disgrace the many people working on this island who cannot speak or comprehend English. Just last week I went to a drive through and ended up with a cinnamon role when in fact I'd orderd cinnamon sticks. Glad this is happening.
Everyone remember something ENGLISH TESTS ARE BEING DONE HERE IN THE CAYMAN ISLANDS BY OUR OWN IMMIGRATION OFFICERS UPON ENTRY AT THE AIRPORT!!!! So hence are we saying they are inept at doing their job? Why do we have to have someone overseas to do it now. I thought this was being done???????
As a potential work permit holder, wouldn't you rather want to know BEFORE you leave your country that you didn't meet the criteria, rather than paying a boatload of money for a ticket and arrive after gosh knows how long of a trip to find out that you didn't meet the entrance criteria??? WE don't pay anyone to take this test – it is the person seeking the permit who has to cover the cost.
Or even a cinnamon roll! "It is a disgrace the many people working on this island who cannot speak or comprehend English" – or grammar, for that matter.
Says the person who makes numerous grammatical
errors in their post.
First world problems. Wants his cinnamon straight, gets it round. Oh dear.
If a Caymanian fails the test will they be forced to leave the Islands ?
please note, this will only apply to the peons (a person who does hard or boring work for very little money). It is a feeble attempt by the government to open up jobs for un-employed caymanian peons. smh.
Maybe we should test the government school leavers so we can get a basline.
I suspect testing school leavers would mean that some them get booted off the island.
14:16.Based on your spelling of baseline (basline),I hope that you are planning to take the test as well.
It never ceases to amaze me how ignorant many "1st world" citizens are regarding standard requirements for immigrants the world over.
You've left your protective little shells folks … please act accordingly.
Even I was required to take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) upon my admission at university … go figure!
Oh the irony as the school official administering the test had the strongest Indian accent I had ever heard. My initial thought was; "Damn, are you taking the test as well??"
🙂
Thank you!! I was also told I needed to take the TOEFL but thankfully they took it back after I told them what time it was. These tests will be more rigorous and fair than the ones we currently administer and will save government money. Why the hell are people complaining?
Well I knew it was easy to get into some redbricks, but I never knew all you needed was to pass an English test.
Accent has nothing to do with speaking English. You must have been top of your class at university.
Oh dear.
You and your fellow anti-Whodatis-at-all-costs friends are so very sad.
Marvelous. Now they won't get my #1 and #2's mixed up when I go in the drive thru. I cannot stress how annoying it is to end up with chicken nuggets and dipping sauce, when I really ordered a nice healthy 1/4lb cheese burger, kilo of fries and a bucket of coke.
It's an outrage!
Oh please this only go for some, common sense would tell the smallest school child in China that don’t go so here on our Islands. It pains our hearts when we go to some places & u try asking for something & Ur not been understand the employer it bun mi u see. And just imagine it’s so much unemployed Caymanians here could have that position but yet it’s been fill by an none english speaking person. Smfh!
English Language
Mark: F-
100% Caymanian must try harder and improve his attendance if he is to pass his 11+.
Unfortunately he is currently bottom of his class and is in urgent need of remedial sessions.
13:28.You do realize that you are responding to a commenter pretending to be Caymanian,don't you? In other words you are responding to another expat and pointing out his failures.
How many Caymanians you know applying for the jobs that these foreign workers hold? I know no Caymanian's applying at Burger King, Wendy's, to garden or anything else they consider "low" – many would rather smoke a draw a' weed and cuss bout how hard "tings is"
15:10……..Says the prejudiced expat ,in response to a comment postedby another expat pretending to be a Caymanian.WOW.
Presumably Jamaicans also fall into the non-English speaking group.
It looks like you yourself could do with some English lessons!!!!!!
Say whAt?
Well given your response… Maybe you should take the test too. That made absolutely no sense.
18:14. It was obviously never intended to make sense,but rather to mock Caymanians.
hahaha, please check your grammar and proper use of words, that is why you cannot get a job!
Sarcasm is not well understood here.
09:34. You are 100% fake Caymanian.
Why???? So if a Brazilian bank sets up a Cayman subsidiary, and desires to put a few employees here who will predominantly corresponding with Brazilian clients, and speak perfect Portuguese but moderate English, we will deny them entry?
If their English is proficient it will be reflected in their test score. As an English-speaking country we need to ensure all guest workers can communicate effectively.
No, if they can speak English well enough they won't be denied. What is wrong with that?
Because the Brazilians should learn to speak Caymunian. If these foreigners are going to use Cayman's financial services it is important that they understand the culture and heritage.
How do you speak 'Caymunian? Must be part of an ancient culture.
You would think, but you would be wrong.
22:06. You make a mocking post like this and then you wonder why some Caymanians resent expats.This is condescending and inflamatory.
09:26 Do you think that a Caymanian could go to Brazil and get a jo?
Well, is there a business need for them to speak fluent Caymanian?
I'm Brazilian and I can assure you, once an Expat apply for any job in Brazil, the expat will get priority.
That is how we are, we are very welcoming people and we love to hear and meet new people from other countries.
Over there, a Caymanian would be trated like a King, that is just our way of living life, we enjoy every moment and we would never say things like we expats hear from Caymanians.
The same with expats in Cayman – they get priority and are treated like kings (regardless of what the Law says).
Oh, the irony of your last sentence. Just read the expat blogs and the typical post on CNS to see the nasty things expats say about Caymanians. And then they wonder why people are resentful.
I suspect it is a matter of perspective. An expat in Brazil will no doubt have a different perspective from you, even as I as a Caymanian in Cayman have a different perspective from you.
Acually most expats are just responding to to the daily insults they recieve, from notes on their dashboard or under their doors telling them to get out, etc. We are constantly blamed for every woe in Cayman. We even get abuse for sending money home so our children can eat, which is exactly the same thing Caymanian forefathers did when working the ships. Caymanians 50 years ago could not have survived without foreign remittances from their overseas relatives. Mistakes made by Caymanian governments are not expats fault you voted the money grabbers in.
Not here, here we are treated like animals.
I love Cayman like I said, I have my Paper's and that doesn't means I will be going around and telling people I'm Caymanian, I'm Brazilian till the day I die. I know if I say I'm Caymanian to a Caymanian, They will laugh on my face.
But if you are an expat and you got your "Paper's" in Brazil, you can scream to everyone you are Brazilian and nobody will ever contest you!
We love to have expats and we don't really care if an expate have preference there, all i'm saying is, If an expat is more capable of doing a job, let him do it.
I beg to differ. Expats in Cayman, particularly if you come from anglophone first world countries, aretreated like kings.
You have an amusingly simplistic view of things: Brazil=expat heaven; Cayman = expat hell.
Since when Brazil is a 1st world country?
When I first came here, It was very hard to get accepted by Caymanians and I still feel difficult on that matter.
Let's be honest to each other, forget where we are from, Caymanians generally doesn't like expats at all, do you agree with that?
Go to Brazil and I can assure you one thing, you are gonna be loved there, it doesn't matter what country are you coming from.
Yes.
Yes, if you are qualified with the required experience.
Other english speaking countries have this as a requirement for entry. The ignorance has to stop, I see nothing wrong with Cayman trying to be a country of quality and not quantity.
Agreed. Have you ever gone to the airport when there is a Honduran flight or a Cuban? Its redicilous. Miami is an example of what can happen to Cayman. They demand you as an American resident to learn Spanish. Then the folks that we get coming here from the Spanish Countrys so many of them just chew up that language. They need to learn to speak better.
I think this is a step in the right direction and it shouldn't be the concern of the Cayman Government to determine how far the work permit seekers have to travel to take such a language test. As a country, we are entitled to have certain requirements in place when it comes to obtaining a work permit. One minute everyone complains about the obstacles they experience when they are dealing with people on Island who can't even speak English, next moment people moan that this requirement is ridiculous. You can't have it both ways people!
I will support this requirement if it applies to everyone, not just the Filipinosor East Asians. How about testing the Spanish people who come to work here? Their command of the english language is abysmal. We are becoming another Miami, where no one speaks English, or wants to.
The answeres to the ets will be posted online July 2cd. No need to worry…….aking mabuting kaibign at maaarng mayroon kaming higi pang lakas!!!
Once again we are going backward. It is so expensive and complicated to do business in Cayman. Why the hell does government continue to add red tape after red tape to doing business here. We don't have the population to support the lifestyle that we all want and we can't afford it and they keep,adding road block after road block. Cha
I get it – you are probably one of those employers who makes a killing of employing foreigners by giving them a crap pay, don't pay any medical insurance and don't even mention pension. Obviously if you would have a worker who is fluent in English, chances are that they would actually speak for themselves. Is that why you are concerned about language tests?
Que?
This is a very funny story. Did the govt. PR dept. come up with this? Is it code for there are no more English tests for a permit. I was born at night, but not last night. Bravo, bravo!
The Immigration website has not been updated on English language testing since 2007. Whoever came up with this should probably be immediately fired anyway. I could hardly conceive of a more obstructive or expensive mechanism to determine whether or not someone speaks adequate English. The distances many applicants will have to travel alone will be prohibitive. Did the authors of this not realize there is a much bigger world out there?
Are you suggesting we have them come here first before taking the test then? Only to find out that they fail the English test and don't get the permit? How will that be better for the Applicant?
Of course the authors have no idea of the world out there. You can never underestimate the myopia of a little islander.
Where does my Harvard educated Brazilian banker resident in Kuala Lumpur but on assignment for the World Bank to Lagos have to do the test? How come my Honduran bride and her 17 children from a prior marriage are exempt?
You, whoever you are, are a moron.
In three languages, fluently. And you have some realities to face if you expect us to be able to attract world class specialists to our shores if lining up in down-town Lagos just became a requirement.
Shy, my friend from Cuba speaks nine languages is a MD, went to the UK to study Law and Economics at Oxford and still had to take an English test. Now how does that compare to three languages? Cayman is doing the right thing, we need to implement fingerprinting and background checks in their home country, country of birth if different and the FBI and Interpol.
Was she disappointed when she discovered Oxford does not have a degree in Law and Economics or were you just making this all up?
Hey FYI – your Harvard educated Brazilian banker would have been required by Harvard to have his TOEIC, IELTS or TOEFL exam results prior to being admitted to Harvard. Do your research. Tired of the cheap seats comments.
Not True. He got A-Level English at a Boarding school in Singapore before studying classics at Oxford. Only after deciding Academia was not for him did he apply to Harvard. No one ever even asked if he spoke English.
What about my McGill educated Brazilian banker?
Your banker can do the test in Lagos since they have a testing center there – although if they didn't then they would be eligible to take it in Cayman (as it says in the article). Your bride is obviously exempt because they have family ties to Cayman