400 waiting on PR decision
(CNS): The immigration chief has revealed that over 200 people who applied for permanent residency before the law changed are still waiting on a decision and another 200 or so applications have been received by the board since the law changed. Meanwhile, the relatively newly appointed board is also working through 300 applications for Caymanian status. During the Finance Committee meeting on Thursday, when legislators were dealing with the premier’s Home Affairs Ministry, Alden McLaughlin said that despite what appeared to be a significant backlog things had improved.
He said that the decision to allow people who held term limit exemption permits to remain with the change to the immigration law had nothing to do with the figures. McLaughlin said the 200 applications made after the law was changed regarding extension permit holders were not all TLEPS. The figure represents all permit holders who had passed seven years and were still in Cayman as a result of having been granted key employee status under the old system or a number of other circumstances.
Although the boards are working through some forty applications per week, which McLaughlin described as "pretty good going”, each one requires careful consideration as this isn’t just about a permit for a job but whether these people can stay in Cayman for the rest of their lives.
Acknowledging that it was not ideal, he said they were doing the best they could, but given that the backlog when the PPM government took office was over 1000, he said they had made pretty good progress.
Linda Evans, the chief immigration officer, explained that the board is currently working through the old applications and as yet none of the applications made since the application process became more stringent last October have been considered.
Category: Local News
Let's review some facts about what expats do or don't do to an economy.
Circa 2000 Bermuda starts it's insidious war on expats post rollover passing by Govt. Then a vibrant economy where rents for a 1 bdrm apartment hovered around $2000 to $2500 per mth and offices filled with high paid locals and expats.
Jump ahead to today…..Expats slowly disappeared and so did the corporations. They left and took the jobs with them…..Economy now on the brink of disaster…. Rollover removed, local businesses closing daily, highest unemployment since can be remembered, can't get a 1 bdrm apt rented for $1000 and too many to count for rent…….empty offices and whole floors of bldgs that once were filled to capacity.
Switch to the country in the world with the highest rate of Immigration. Provides 70% of the fruits and vegetables to Europe from what was desert, (they invented drip irrigation) more Havard Grads per capita than any country in the world, more drug patents and technology patents than any country in the world, the locals were the most enslaved race on earth being held captive for over 400 years yet never make it an excuse for failure……….lowest unemployment rate in the 34 countries in OECD…….envied for a huge GDP surplus….yet only 66 years old.
Do the math. Our family contributes a minimum of 2500 per mth to the local economy, times that x 200 expats to leave due to this uncertainty….and what surely is a modest estimate = $500,000 per mth gone from this economy. Notwithstanding the extras going to Airline tickets, buying cars and clothes, people who visit us who spend like tourists, etc, etc….
In our case there will be no Caymanian taking my job, no Caymanian taking up our community involvement, no Caymanian making up our tithing to the local Church, no Caymanian supporting our role to local charities. It's just all going elsewhere and gone from Cayman. Again a little math…1 -1 =0
You are playing with people's lives along with valuable contributions to this society and if you can't see that then go back and review the math………your killing your own economy and community spirit with the same stroke……….1 (society) divided by 2 (expats and locals) = 1/2………
So we should be hapy selling our soul to the expat.
I have no bad wishs for any of you but if it means that any of our caymanians are left without a job then the church and everything else you buttered up so nicely we can do with out.
And there are a lot of expats married to Caymanians that are there hiring people from their orginal country.
I for one have made jobs for Caymanians and in fact have sent them to US based Training to ensure no one can take their jobs. You're more than a job, you're a people and no one wants more than to see a Caymanian working in place of an expensive expat hire. My words are not meant to allure your soul or your job as to put them up for sale or to replace them with expats.
I spend 2 nights a week with the children and the unemployed of this country to ensure none of this will happen to them……….to either sell their soul or feel anything less than privileged and blessed and to be the best the were made to be so no one can one up them or take their job.
I have gone to the Government and asked for as little as Grade 12 graduates to train up for a great career coveted by many and easily enough pay to support and raise a family. They sent a total of 0.
We were told Caymanian students when surveyed as to what career they are aspiring to answered Banking no. 1…… Followed by an Immigration Officer…….
contact Passport for Success to confirm this.
Sorry but I think you must be mistaking me for someone else…………I was here to help……..no buttering intended.
You don't have to worry about selling your soul……….or your house, or your car, or your groceries, or your gas, or your job for that matter…….there will soon be no one here with any money to buy them.
Less immigration means less jobs and poorer economies………fact ……. Why do you think there is so much competition for the companies that are setup here by other jurisdictions trying to lure them in. They want there economies to grow………..and btw….They will leave………and they should if they are polite……after all you asked them to.
Let's see how many of these people can read and write english correctly.
I am wondering is this part of the plan.
1. Gov is happy to except your money and application.
2. Wait for your permit to run out.
3. You no longer have a job in Cayman so no chance for PR now. Guess we can throw that application out.
4. You do your same or similar job from another international office. Job leaves with you.
5. Concerned this was the plan all along with the exceptional delays, however they did not intend for the job to leave too.
Please lets concerntrate on expanding the economy and creating "NEW JOBS" not focusing on replacing people in existing jobs.
Here let me help: DENIED. I can have them all rubber stamped by the end of the day.
You sound like a nice person.
40 a week……if you have 400 applications thats still only around 10 weeks…2.5 months give or take…the law changed when exactly? My guess is the figure is more like 4 a week if the general speed of any Govt department is an average measurement.
Like it or not Cayman is a third world country and that is why things are so messed up
How many more should be added to CFS? Stop cluttering up the infrastructure, depriving the natives of jobs and piece of mind. It shows they found a better life in this part of hell than where they came from. Yet they are fighting to marginalise the natives like the aborigines.
When are the natives going to apply for their permits to get a job? Has the law changed yet? Every change made, benefits the expat and sidelines the native. Has the road been paved to the Reservation? Or that change in the law is next on the Agenda?
It's a shame that you don't understand just how much benefit the expats bring to this economy and therefore you. Where do you think the government gets the money from? Duties. The higher the population, the greater the duties. Drain on the infrastructure and social services? Expats don't have access to half the services due to being expats. In other words, our money ends up paying for things we can't even use. But still you complain. Do some online reading in economics and you'll understand why an influx of workers from low to high skilled is very important to the economy here. Not being happy about it doesn't change the fact. Think about it, you were born into a country that has a large immigrant population. It could have been worse, you could have been born into a country that is impoverished, with no natural resources or "economic pillars" to build upon. Count your blessings and take advantage of the tremendous opportunties here instead of complaining all the time. Take charge of your own future.
Really? you are a fool!
Fine, but you omit to acknowledge a substantial number of expats who are doing nothing to benefit the economy and despite legal protections to the contrary are overwhelming social services and other elements of government recources. Others are also lying on their applications and disparaging and underming Caymanians in the process. It is not as simple as you portray.
It is not illegal to disparage.
Show me an example. You think this is all going on but I have yet to be shown an example of it. btw…. even the poorest expat still has to buy food and some electricity. That also contributes to the economy albeit less so than I might. I still don't buy your argument.
Ask anyone at social services.
Have you got air conditioning in your cave?
Only people from a third world country would want permanent residency in a place like Cayman. Lets face it Cayman is better than haiti/jamaica, but not much better than anywhere else .
We really need to stop this go-slow-operation and give the people their PR or Cayman Status before they all die of old age while waiting…
13:29 We dont have to give anything. This Country are being drained.
Wow all the jobs!!
Typical anti-expat ploy from the PPM when it comes to PR/Status – delay and defer in hopes that people get so disgusted they just leave.
Why does a Permit turn into PR and Status when, a permit is supposed be for a specific period? Every fly that pitch on a glass becomes anchoured and stays on these islands, yet they complain that they are given a hard time, and they should get everything, so what must the Caymanian get? The scraps from the table? Or less? Not even a job?
I await the day when the tide is going to turn and our people see the Elephant in the room. Time and tide waits for no man. Stop wanting to ride on the high waves, remember they too fall.
My permit didn't bobo. I just got to stay 8 years and contribute to your people's money burning government and help your mammy in her declining years, and them I was booted. You see, there are happy things on the world after all ; )