Job seeker hurdles mount
(CNS): From pre-interview tests with absurdly difficult questions and the patronizing treatment of well qualified candidates, to job adverts in the press with no contact details at all, the local job hunter is faced with an ever-increasing number of hurdles in a still very tough employment market. CNS has been collating experiences from job seekers, which indicate that too many employers are trying to avoid taking on locals. In the latest noticeable issue, one offshore firm ran an advertisement for an office manager, and despite the rules regarding posts held by permit holders, the firm completely failed to include contact details. But a common theme seems to be random tests, exams or questions that are unrelated to the posts or absurdly difficult.
Sandra Catron who has had a lot of local job seking experience for herself as well as assisting other candidates, said that this latest advertisement was shocking and is part and parcel of a catalogue of tricks that employers, who must advertise work-permit holders' posts, are using to evade the requirements of the law.
Catron has taken to posting on Facebook, alerting local MLAs and the relevant authorities when she sees labour law infractions, and it seems the difficulties that she and other job-seekers who have contacted CNS recently are encountering are getting worse.
"It appears that people are being set up for failure," she told CNS after a number of demoralizing interviews where she was asked questions about the intricacies of certain legislationthat no one could be expected to have memorized and answer off the cuff.
"It would be useful for the employers to advise candidates as to what type of examination to expect when they come for an interview," she said, as she pointed to an incident where she had spoken with an IT manager who was asked to write an essay exam of which he had not be informed until he arrived. "There is no harm in allowing an individual to sufficiently prepare for an exam of this nature."
Her concern was that these things are sprung on candidates and in some cases appear to be made up on the spot to ensure the candidate is eliminated.
"It is a challenge even for highly qualified candidates in the job market. I have actively been assisting unemployed persons for several years and the various stories that I have heard makes me question the authenticity of the recruitment process for many," she said.
Concerned about the things employers are doing and their motivations, Catron said that employers should not be using tests as a "means of trickery" but as a way to assess candidates skills.
Catron is far from the only person to have contacted CNS over their job hunting challenges but most job-hunters are very reluctant to go on the record about their experiences as they point out it will undermine what already appears to be their slim chances of securing work. However, many are encountering similar problems.
Job seekers tell CNS that employers frequently simply do not respond to applications and if they do they are often rude or dismissive. Many other candidates have reported facing absurd questions ,which they say are clearly designed to create false barriers to Caymanians applying for posts held by permit holders.
One job seeker who experienced unexpected questions while looking for work in accounting said he has been asked everything but questions on "string theory" for a straight forward post in the financial sector, but when he approached the NWDA the tests there are exceptionally simple and often patronizing for candidates armed with academic and professional qualifications.
"There is a clear disconnect between what is needed in the job market and the NWDA, which does not seem to be equipped to assist qualified or experienced job seekers," he told CNS. With employers throwing up more and more barriers, he said, the difficulties that genuine job seekers face are not being taken seriously by the NWDA.
Another candidate who registered with the NWDA wrote to Employment Minister Tara Rivers as a result of what he described as a "frustrating" and "humiliating experience" at the NWDA. Despite being a PR professional he was offered work as a gardener or a hotel bus-boy.
"Going to a meeting for a so-called assessment, being handed a booklet of jobs and then told to pick the one I want boggles my mind at how simply unprofessional the process and treatment was," the candidate told the minister in his letter, as he described being handed a printout on how to dress for a job interview. "Every day I watch Caymanian employers advertise and hire unqualified expats in my field," he wrote. "I realize that work permits are far more lucrative business than placing Caymanian talent, but it’s disgraceful," he added.
While the National Workforce Development Agency is claiming to be upping its game in assisting those looking for work and communicating directly with the immigration boards so that they know where Caymanians are available for permit jobs, candidates tell CNS that there are a catalogue of problems with the government job agency's online portal as well. Employers are also reporting some difficulties using the new website and finding potential candidates.
As the issue of local unemployment remains a pressing problem, few politicians seem to be taking genuine complaints from qualified and experienced job seekers seriously. While government has promised to address the problems, so far the political rhetoric is slow to change into reality.
Category: Local News
I went onto CNS today and aposter was speaking narrow minded biggoted crap. Where is the need for that?
There are no new permits I know of 11 permits that were turned down in may and june
The saddest part is that no caymanians have shown up for the work its in the building industry
and the business is owned by a Caymanian talk about a messed up system.
Now my friend cant take on the new work he was offered.
That said.
How would any professional operation know it was a Caymanian applying for a Job if applyed for via mail?
Only a racist minded person thinks they were not hired because of there nationality
When I hire it is due to ability not the color of skin
To 15:54
I know more than one unemployed young Caymanians who are/do none of the above. Difficult times, many, many applicants for each position. The biggest problem seems to be gaining experience in their field after terciary education. Unless they are a teacher.
I went to LIME today, the sales person was speaking TAGALO on the phone to someone! where is the need for that ? All expats are required to take an English test, so all LIME local customers should be English speaking!
You need to relax. I mean it.
This might be a revolutionary discovery for you, but it is known that some people are able to speak 2 of more languages. With a Filipino speaking English and Tagalog being one such example.
I know, it is amazing isn't it? You might want to take a seat and dwell on this new and exciting piece of information.
And Caymanians don't turn up the local accent when they're talking on the phone? Please, if it is easier to solve a customers problem in their own language or dialect, then that's called customer service. The problem only arises when staff converse amongst each other in front of a customer, (which is rude) or where security is paramount, (which is sensible).
If it's a customer that's understandable but most of the time it's their friends. I don't know why people are putting down thumbs. That doesn't make you racist but does make them Filipino. It's annoying going to a business and having the cashier/sales person, etc talking another language to a customer that speaks English and they are talking non- job related matters. It's RUDE plain and simple. Respect the country you're in and talk it with your friends at home.
Monty Python applies here!? Anyone else feel like this in local interviews? (silly interview video) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dWMIuipn_c
The Civil Service is made up of mostly Caymanians. Being that the consensus is "all Caymanians are lazy" "all Caymanians feel like they are entitled" "all Caymanians make their own rules", etc… I wonder if the Civil Service has this to say as well? Or is it just Caymanians in the private sector behave this way that calls for them to be the last resort to hiring…
Also, if you as an employer has a reasonable, justified and legal reason for letting go of a Caymanian then you should not feel threatened or feel pressured to keep them. However, if you have no reason for wanting to let a Caymanian go, then yes, I can understand why you would thave fear of their "threats" .
I think the public has pretty much laid bare what we think of the civil service. You may want to use some other group for an example.
The company I work for has let go Caymanian employees. There were not a many. All i's were dotted and t's crossed, if the reasons are valid and you follow the law of course you can fire a Caymanian. In one case they put up with that person's behaviour for years giving them many chances.
As for Caymanians in Gov't, we have ALL had need to use one arm of the Gov't at one point or the other – and if the service you receive is an example of Caymanian work ethics – then let this be your guide!!!! Good or Bad.
As Caymanians we should take a close look at ourselves and be honest with what we see. Are some of us spoiling in for the others who work hard? Yes absolutely. BUT it is also up to us to prove the mindset of those who don't believe in us wrong. Work hard – NO MATTER WHAT – DON'T use sick days as an extension of vacation days – show up to work ON TIME – apply yourself at whatever task you get and when you are done don't just sit around, go ask if you can help someone or let them know you need more work. Companies don't want to hear your sob stories (those days are gone) they just want productive staff where they are getting value for money. They want staff that will give them more with less. Be creative, think for yourself, think outside of the box, be honest, WORK HARD – yes I said it again! Think about it if it were your company – won't you want the same?
People who do the above don' t have trouble getting jobs because the get great references. Unless a company is downsizing – they are not going to let go a capable, hard working person. Compare yourself to say that of a Pilipino working – who's coming in and just getting the job done! Why do you think they highly sought after – it's not just because they come in for cheap labour – look around they are in EVERY job. Nurses, Financial organizations – not just fast food places and grocery stores.
Open your eyes Caymanians – if you want to beat them at their game you have to be better at it!
If the government started fining companies then we can kiss all our jobs goodbye. Firms are downsizing and onshoring already. Do we really want to the one to put the nail in our own coffin. Cayman is no longer unique in today's world.
So you are effectively saying companies should be able to break the law without repercussion. What country are you from that has this policy?
If this is really what is happening, then it is appalling. The law is the law and must be upheld, otherwise chaos ensues. Sharp practice should be punished.
Having said that, CIG also needs to look at the employment laws again. Part of the fear of employing Caymanians, is that unlike with expats, you cannot fire them if they are useless, or decide which hours they wish to work, as opposed to the needs of the company. There are a great many Caymanians in my company who are brilliant, the best we have, and there are a few who frankly speaking should be fired, they really do nothing and threaten us with all kinds of boards if we let them go.
What use is that to Cayman? We are a business, not a charity.The work environment is a competitive place worldwide, and if Cayman wants the jobs here, it has to understand that and be ready to take responsbility for bad behaviour in the work place. Molly coddling those who are lazy just makes the issue worse, for they will never understand the real world. Some on here will argue they have a right to work-no one does anymore, anywhere-we have to compete to survive and be profitable.
In offhsore business we are up again Bermuda, an increasingly aggressive USA and other jurisdictions. Do you think they would let you do nothing at work?
of course you can fire caymanians, so long as they have done something to be fired for and that it is done within the relevant laws and not to just make way for an expat permit holder.
you don't need a reason you can just pay them off the amount they would get for an "unfair dismissal" and move on you don't even need to give a reason as once the company pays the statuary amount then there is nothing the unjustly terminated employee can do but try to get another job. you can also have an agreement which means they can't talk about it and stiill bad mouth them when a prospective employer calls for a reference. So no problem getting rid of either Caymanians or Expats. Only thing is Expats can go home and never need Cayman again where as locals do not have that option.
The laws here are woefully inept whem it comes to protecting workers..
If the laws not being enforced results in chaos, we already be in chaos bro.
The other trend that I am noticing are that Employers have such little regard for the Law and the repercussions, they are actually telling you point blank in the interview that the job is an actual work permit renewal. What recourse is available to the job seeker? Send a letter to Immigration? What does that accomplish – even if you get the job, which I am sure the Employer would for sure hire someone else out of spite or worse if you do get hired it will be an extremely hostile environment where you would be for sure forced out the door.
Until we become more self sufficient and united as a Country where a majority of our revenues are not earned through work permit fees and a Caymanian is a Caymanian period, I dont see this problem changing. There is no true political will to address this issue, so we will continue to keep having these same conversations ad nauseum.
I know most locals don't want to be bartenders or waiters because the don't leave TIPS when they go out. But guess what, most people do, and I know expat bartenders on this island making near $100,000.00 US a year……..tax free. You can buy plenty of breadfruit with that kind of dosh, and CUC is not such an issue. GET A JOB.
Really? With my University degree(s) and five years professional IT experience in Business Analysis and Operations (overseas in the USA) I am suppose to give up on my career and become a bartender so some expat can move into my profession? Don't you see that as a little wrong?
I don't think he was suggesting that.
Don't you see that over qualification can be the mill stone around your neck? Cayman has limited resources and you can be over qualified for the main stream employment market. Best thing for you to do is either do what expats do, and relocate, or, retrain in a career that has a wider employment need. These options are common place in the rest of the world, people have to make decisions based upon availability and opportunity.
You seemed to have no problem being an 'expat' in someone else's country, possibly denying a local person local employment. Tough isn't it when the shoe is on the other foot
You have trained and worked in a global market place and your career choice is in a global industry, get over it, stop whining and join the real world outside of Cayman.
XXXX here are a couple of questions worth asking yourself as well
how do you think the US citizen who didn't get the job because you did felt, should they not have been chosen over you? Did you get your training in the US? Did a native born multi-generational US citizen lose their spot in the college you went to because maybe you were willing to pay more or someone gave you a scholarship?
Fair questions to ask from one Caymanian to another
No. Not if employers consider you are not the best candidate for the job. But hey, look on the bright side, you'll be a whizz at working the tills. Now, can I have two rum and cokes please.
If the Caymanian bar tender at a bar in Northside/Cayman Kai is anything to go by, I don't hold out too much chance of mass employment in this lucrative service sector.
This individual is lazy, sullen faced and uninterested in the extreme, spending more time hiding from CCTV cameras and their colleagues than doing what they're paid to do. This person is totally unsuited for service work and should use the BlackBerry, (that they spend so much time on) for applying for a less customer focused career.
But this is a prime example of employers being forced to employ a Caymanian, rather than the best person for the job. I am in no doubt that the employer is hamstrung and dare not fire this hopeless case for fear of being branded anti Caymanian. This cannot be right and should be resisted by employers before their business suffers as a result. But this example isn't unique, it is visible all over the Islands, both in the service and hospitality sector, the CS, CUC, the list goes on and on. Bad attitudes, poor attendance and almost non existent customer service.
I have no problem with geniune local applicants being offered parity in employment matters, how ever, I do have a problem with those who think that the world owes them a living due to their nationality. Far too many young Caymanians believe that they can bypass the established criteria for employment, this is not doing them or anyone else any favours. And judging by many of the comments below, this attitude is being handed down from the previous generations who have failed to instill a proper work ethic into their kids.
Ask yourself this, why would an employer rather employ a work permit holder and be subjected to so much criticism, cost and administration. Could it be that Caymanians expect to be paid beyond their experience level, that they have an appalling work ethic reputation and they fail to perform basic employer expectations.
Ringing any bells yet?
Yes, definitely ringing some bells because I can find examples like this in just about every country I've ever visited..which by the way is quite a high number for a lazy Caymanian with an appalling work ethic.
It sems that the only "perfect" expats are the ones that end up in Cayman. Boy aren't we lucky!
So with a HR masters degree with local bars hire me? I think not!
No, you need a made up crap degree in “mixology,” one of the methods used to keep Caymanians out of opportunity in the past.
Yeah, cuz those mixology degrees are REALLY hard to get.
If you can mix a drink, open a beer, and engage customers in conversation you can get a job as a bartender. Now would you take a job as a bartender, or with your degree do you just assume you are ENTITLED to a high paying, cushy, HR office job?
I got an idea kraken. You go open beers and talk to people.
Open your own business…Create your own firm..
I will, and you will stop lying to Immigration, right?
Just make your move and stop worrying about him bobo
Never, he is screwing up my country.
What does that even mean?
How can he screw up your country when he can not even vote. Give your head a shake only those in power can really screw things up. That is why your government loves expats since they have no say on what is happening. You are a voter…only you can stop the hurt happening to your country. Expats helped build your country and helped you rebuild after Ivan. If you let them they will also help you rebuild the economy but you need to start by helping yourselves.
This is just history repeating its self in the Caribbean, not to worry things will change but I pray that we won't have the same results as some of our counterparts. There is a new generation of Caymanians that are not as tolerant, patient and peaceful as the older generation. Remember the Berlin Wall and the Arab Spring, are we prepared to deal with the consequences of our inaction? It is much better to resolve the issue before we are forced to fix the problem.
The buzz word out on the street is "This is my house and if I cannot live in it, then no one will" I am pleading with the law makers to find a solution before all of us are forced to run, the writing is already on the wall too many of our people are selling out or just leaving, in less than two months ten natives have migrated.
I'll bet you those 10 natives who migrated are treated better where there are now than expats are here these days!
And now they're expats 🙂
This is a hate message and should be investigated by the Police.. Hate crimes are punishable in many civilized countries. CNS, you should know that before approving it. What kind of message does it sends to tourists, health city patients? They don't want to be the accidental victims to the hate on this island, just like Malaysian plane.
To the 7:31.
Just imagine, there are no expats or their businesses in the Cayman Islands. None. Population is the same, some of you are educated, some not. What do you do now? Probably search for a job someplace else. And noone to blame.
What expats and their businesses did for the CI, is to bring some jobs and money to the CI. No one in its right mind would demand more jobs that they are willing to give.
Hate message???? are you for real, read the post again and get some understanding of what you read 11:57. You are the kind of person that will shout out fire in a crowded room you are a danger to yourself and others. Judging from the content of your post you are one of those dangerous people that ran from elsewhere to come here. Walks all over the locals, believes that every Caymanian owe you the town clock, the library, post office, the fort and Emslie Memorial just because you came here got a job when you could not get one in your country of origin and got the best life here that you could never imagine from whence you came.
telling people what the reality of things are and might become, isnt a hate message. idiot.
The premise that a younger generation will somehow rise up and rebel against expat labour, forcing them to leave under duress is frankly laughable. Young Caymanians may have a dubious educational record and a lousy work ethic, but they're not completely stupid. The RCIPS would be all over them, as would the UK authorities who would not tolerate a descent into anarchy. And in any case, they'd have to get out of bed or the pattie shop first.
Have you not thought this through, if expats where threatened they could just stay at home and watch Cayman flounder in a sea of its own crap? No media or news, no stores open, no bars open, no liquor stores open, no restaurants open, no hotels open, no buses operating, no gas stations open, no airport open, no tourists, no money, no future. And that'll be just the start.
Think of life without your 'help', (see indentured slave) nanny, gardener, cleaner, pool guy, cable guy, teachers, and a multitude of other expats who keep this island afloat. And just for fun, let's bring in all the 'paper Caymanians' you seem to despise so much, after all they are former expats aren't they? For even more hilarity, let's ask all expat wives and girlfriends of Caymanians to withdraw their services and favours. Ezzard will be beside himself, literally.
Perhaps one day expats will have had enough of your BS and take the same day off work to go fishing or spend it at the beach, just like you do when you should be working. Perhaps they should all go sick at the sametime and see how you geniuses who espouse such crap get on without us. But hey, it might not come to that because the way things are going here, they'll be leaving anyway, along with their money, their skills, their work ethic and their pride.
17:09 So sad to see you go…. do you think we will crumble do you think we will lay down and die oh not us, we will survive, just go and prove us wrong.
There are no hurdles.
Where are the prosecutions? The entire legal system in Cayman has degenerated into a farce. Compliance with almost every law has become voluntary. No one is ever really penalized for even the most aggregious of breaches. The damage to individuals and society is becomming unquantifiable. Who the hell is responsible?
The Premier has some explaining to do.
Your "gow-ment".
Get a job, work hard, show up on time, and earn your pay.
That is what people do in successful countries. DO IT !
Even when it is raining?
String theory? It is hardly rocket science is it?
If the non English speaking person applies for a job then it should be in some area where there is no contact with the Public.
Vacant buildings equals opprotunity for all of you unemployed to start your own business
and create your own future
I just lost my $75,000 job for the 2nd time in 10 years (no fault of my own- company downsizing etc). I'm sorry, but I do not have time to whine. I have a mortgage to pay. I am up, dressed and ready to lower my pride and start hitting the pavement to take any and all jobs I can take so I can make ends meet. I am not happy. I already know that the jobs available currently will NOT be in my career field, but I can not worry about that right now.
I read these posts almost weekly. People can not complain if they are unemployed. This is the second time I have had to do this. It is not a good feeling, but if you want to make ends meet in today's society you have to take what is out there. I do not believe there is job security like there used to be, but there are jobs out there.
You are correct "I just lost my $75,000 job", more job losses are on the horizons, it just does not look good from what is going on globally due to many restrictions on citizens of the EU and USA . Many nationals of those countries are opting to keep their money invesed in their own country, as a result financial centers like Cayman are experiencing a lot of downsizing and the closing of business within the financial industry. If I was to seek employment now it would be in the tourism industry.
Just three days ago I read this on line, I would like for every Caymanian who is unemployed to try very hard to get a job and save as much as you can because waiting for and only wanting to accept cushy jobs in the financial industry is a thing of the past, grab something in tourism if you can and stay there.
http://www.moneynews.com/MKTNews/Stock-market-recession-alert/2014/02/03/id/550641/
Sounds good! With what start up money though? Only a fraction of unemployed people have access to funds much less to start a business. Which investor is going to take a chance on someone if they have no money of their own and can't even get a job?
Easier said than done.
Vacant building equals opportunity for all unemployed to start your own business and create your own future, you bet new business are going to pop up everywhere by the side of the road. I heard a group of unemployed locals making plans to erect stands and sell coconut and bottle water at every location where there are lots of people e.g. at the cruise ship pier, hospital, airport, football fields, beach, turtle farm and all public gatherings.
Nope, it is a sign that excessive permit fees and costs of government interference in staff security have driven many businesses away from Cayman that could have provided many direct and indirect employment opportunities for Caymanians
Govt and the locals messing everything up that was the point of the vacant building comment
Rip me apart an cuss me if you want but the fact is vacancy due to greed and red tape and unfriendly business climate is where Cayman is at and it is totally the fault of caymanians
as i have said also b4 you are unemployeed because of yourselves not wanting to do what you have to do.Those that need work can find it if they have any brains or desire to go get the work
But no its easier to complain and expect your failure govt run by people with no brains to fix what cant be fixed by you people
I am a little confused by this article. Is it supposed to be based on facts, or hearsay. If this is a opinion piece are should be marked clearly.
There are a lot of issues with Cayman immigration however the most important is there needs to be job growth in Cayman. This job replacement scheme has done nothing but chase away good companies and good paying jobs for our people.
Read this anywhat you want …
In all the fuss, think outside the box … remember, "necessity is the mother of invention", stop worrying about the things you will never fix in your lifetime, find something that you can do … you might just surprise yourself, STOP, THINK!
The energy you spend ranting about these social ills, which will never go away in your lifetime, would be better spent creating something, that will set you apart from "them."
Challenge yourself, you are Caymanian, you are proud, you are strong, prove it.
Be that change you want to see!
Agree! Now what are we supposed to do with the Accounting or Law degree we thought would be lucrative in our own homeland ? Start a chicken farm to pay off our student loans? Sorry, but degreed locals need a chance at our own profession in this small fish pond?
Imagine there are no foreign businesses on this island. And you have a degree and nowhere to use it. Who do you blame now? And what would you do?
If it ain't working bro, maybe you need to regroup. Just sayin. Yer on an island.
Thank you for sharing very positive advice. Michel Lemay
If the government would improve its balance sheet while balancing its annual budget and having its annual accounts audited with an unqualified opinion then that would send a strong message to the corporate community that there are significant numbers of qualified Caymanians.
If the Government??? WHO do you want to talk to within CI Govt? Anyone in middle management has an online MBA from UWI and is a Jamaican on a work permit. Sorry, but middle management hires in Govt are not local.
Wp renewals should be exempt from advertising. How can a candidate for a job be more qualified than the person who has performed that job for multiple years?
Scrutinize new work permits, no one can disagree, but do not disrupt my business by forcing me to fire my 4 year IT manager or the 6 year expat office manager who together know my business inside out. Do not force me to fire my child's current nanny or my child's grade 6 teacher. It just doesn't make sense.
This practice of advertising renewals contributes also to the low morale of unemployed Caymanians making them believe that there are genuine opportunities for them when in fact there aren't. False hopes while the only benefit is pulled in by the Caymanian compass.
Wow. It has been a long time since I heard an exec admit to the blatant law breaking. YOU ARE the problem! The LAW says to place a qualified Caymanian as your 4 year IT Manager, or 6 year office manager- why are you so horrid and anti local? Where is your succession planning? You are the problem…. Multiply by x 200 local companies and there lies the problem!! Not in my back yard & no locals need apply. Forget your scholarships and overseas experience young Caymanians – only Canadians, UK, or Americans welcome with you? You are the biggest offender and should be named and shamed! Show me your local white collar promote cayman plan?
A renewal is a vacancy according to the Law. That you can ignore the Law with impunity is the crux of the problem.
16;38 I have to agree with you on that, no one is going to swap their permit worker for someone they dont know will carry on the job in one's business.
Immigration needs to stop letting companies advertise. The policy makers only doing this to fool the people that are not capable of holding down a job.
Why should i advertise for 3 masons when there are none available? we all know the younger caymanians dont want to work in the hot sun, much less lift a 40 lb building block.
Further more, government should not be chasing caymanians, to force them to work.
Finally the truth- False hopes when an upstanding qualified Caymanian (or person married to a Caymanian) sees their profession advertised and knows there is no hope due to an existing permit. I'm sorry about the 6th grade teacher, office manager, and nice IT personfrom overseas, but you see….the LAW is there for a good reason.
your 6th grade teacher CAN go back to Canada and get a job in a population of 50 million people, your office manager CAN go back to Australia, and your IT manager CAN go back to Texas and USA of 250 MILLION people….alas, my mortgage, aging parents and CI passport only allow ME (with my top ten U degree, great references, community efforts, overseas experience) to look here, MY homeland – you rent while I own, you can leave, I don't want to.
The problem with work permit renewals is that it is a 7-9 year lockout for a local.
Immigration simply has to do better with white collar mid-management work permit renewals. You said it, not me…but the worse areas are IT & Management!!
Guys just to upease all of you – my office mgr and it mgr are actually caymanian! However, I don't care which other caymanian applies for their jobs, I am not willing to can my current employees since they are more qualified than any other new potential employee whether caymanian, expat or from outer space. My guys are more qualified by virtue of being my managers for 6 and 4 years!
That was in case you misunderstood my point!
Um, er…. IF your IT Manager and Office Manager ARE Caymanian as you say (and thank you for saying they are "qualified and good") you would never have to advertise their jobs. Pleased to hear you are going to keep good local employees of 4 and 6 years.
My business suffered tremendously when I was forced to let go an excellent employee with a four year track record of excellence.
And no… I did not replace them. That job now no longer exists.
Sounds like you either saved money from paying for a position you didnt really need or you've decided that your rather "suffer" than rehire an expat or local.
Despite what I expect to be flabbergasted railing against my agreement to this post, I can unequivocally state that I have experienced similar frustrations from both sides of the divide – as a business manager recruiting qualified staff, and as a currently unemployed Caymanian hitting 'maxtrix like' steel walls erected in real-time to exclude me from a job I'm either adequately qualified for, or over-qualified for. As long as Immigration forces businesses to advertise positions that are truly not available, the level of disenfranchised job seekers will not decrease, and some businesses will certainly suffer when bonafied key employee expats are uprooted to be replaced by Caymanians with nobody to train them. Policy and legislative reform is long overdue in certain areas of Immigration and other relevant government agencies, such as the DLP and NWDA.
Did the term part of the work permits confuse or surprise you? These are the rules and your strategic plan should not be ignoring or circumventing the regulations. Perhaps you shouldn't be managing a business.
Ummm, I don't think the term is 4 years.
That constitutes quite an admission and it is what Caymanians have been saying all along – that the ads do not represent any real intention to recruit Caymanian employees and so these employers are erecting obstacles to theri employment.
Think small business people if you are 35 and over, train younger people for the jobs. Most of the business around now belong to expats who knew a good thing when they came here and saw it, the typical Caymanian were only interested in working in a bank or office job those days are long gone and the average Caymanian worker of the day did not prosper as they should have. Those that choose to work for themselves or government are those that have something to fall back on now. Others that choose to work in an office or the bank are finding it hard to survive as most banks and offices have relocated, took their profits and gave the poor employees a max of 12 weeks pay to live off until they can collect their pension at 65, this is why so many people are losing their homes they have no jobs and no prospect of employment as most employers refuse to employ employee who are over 35, just too close to retirement age. The way to go now is small business, the apartment rental business is over, the market is flooded, people can move from one apartment to the next in a matter of hours so those that invested in apartments are finding that this source of income is also going by the way side. The CIB need to get back into business because people need small business loans or someone needs to be creative and open a business that loans money to people on the strenght of their pension in that if someone is at retirement age and wants a loan the company will give the loan and whenthe pension is due it arrangments should be made that will allow the pension provider to give the cheque to the person/company that loaned the money. People are hurting without jobs and the government and financial industry are not helping. Caymanians don't want handout they want jobs or business opportunities. What is the sense in giving all these loans to students if they are not able to return home and find job, instead loan the money to small business so that they can create jobs.
So what you are saying is that goverment's idea of increasing fees to strangle the financial industry was short sighted and that the rollover policy was a disaster and caused companies to leave and jobs to decline.
" the apartment rental business is over, the market is flooded, people can move from one apartment to the next in a matter of hours so those that invested in apartments are finding that this source of income is also going by the way side"
As someone who was rent-gouged for many years before finally saving up enough to buy my own place, I have as much sympathy for landlords as I do for taxi-drivers, when the latter whine about their fare-fixing cartel slowly being dismantled.
Being required to pay market rates is not price gouging. All that has happened is that market rates have gone down.
Anyone on here actually applied for a work permit? Universally all business owners I know are saying how difficult it is to get them approved or converserly, hire a local!
The problem with hiring locals is that, without question, every Caymanian who can clearly be understood and demonstrates theat they understand instructions, has worked in the field of the position they are seeking, can write a letter using the correct grammar, can balance a check book, arrives to work on time in a proffesional manner dressed and ready to work, does not ask how many sick days they get at the interview, has not routinely used all of those days in past jobs, is healthy and height and weight apropriate, has not changed jobs every six months, has not made multiple complaints to the labour board…
IS ALREADYWORKING!
Tell that to all the recent grads with BA, BS, & MA degrees who have been looking diligently for employment.
The problem is we don't tell these employers that if they don't hire qualified Caymanians then there will be no more work permit renewals.
Then watch how quickly they start toeing the line. End of story!
End of story. Very accurate.
So now making complaints to regulators over unlawful treatment is now a ground to be refused employment in favour of an expat?
I have a question! Would any of you who own a business hire any of those in charge of the NWDA? Thumbs up Yes! Thumbs down No
In the next general elections I will encourage very young people to run for political office in all the districts and there will be a passing of the old guard and those who don't give a fly what happens to Caymanians young and old. Most seats in the LA will become vacant.
I find it very interesting that people talk about "local" unemployment and make sweeping statements about work ethic, education levels etc as though all local unemployed were the same type of people. As someone with 15 years experience in their field, a first degree and two postgraduate qualifications you would imagine that an employer would be happy to have me knocking on their door as a very hard worker who now has status? But no, I also send my details out and find that I get no responses – and even where I know that this is a new position and not a renewal I have not had the courtesy of a reply. I have taken the initiative to apply off island and been offered positions, but I cannot even get a reply from employers on island so this isn't a question of not cutting it in the real world!
Nothing ever changes, it seems. Way, way back in Decembeer 2010, when I had just begun my personal blog ("Barlow's Cayman") I posted an item called "Everybody's Cheating". Here is an exact copy-and-paste of one key paragraph:
The government (comprising FCO clerks, local Civil Servants, and Caymanian MLAs and their crony-committees) discriminates among businesses, denies Work Permits to foreign employees at will, and disallows the firing of Caymanian employees for any reason. That’s cheating. Local employers (company owners and managers) retaliate by not hiring Caymanians if they can possibly avoid it, promoting as few of them as they can, and by withholding genuine executive authority from those whom they are forced to promote. That’s cheating, too. Both of the contractual parties cheat.
Nothing has changed. Both parties are still cheating. Nothing is likely to change. It is government's responsibility to stop its cheating first, because it makes the running in this matter. BUT – that's highly unlikely to happen. Let's face it: nobody in government has the guts to discard the entitlement system, never mind how much damage it continues to do to our economy.
Gordon, with all due respect, it is simply not the case that Government does not allow the firing of Caymanians for any reason. Many Caymanians have lost their jobs for questionable reasons. I suspect you only injected that false claim to justify the cheating by employers.
Gordon,
No disrespect, but I think you have shown your bias ideology when it comes to advising your expat buddies find the best way to get jobs on "you know which" forum.
Lets not get into the debate of how you speak about Caymanians and their politics especially when you are reccomending the best methods on getting a job in cayman over caymanians.
From your writings, I have concluded that no matter how long you are here, you will never be a seen as a caymanian(paper or passport), but someone who thinks he and expats are better than the natives. Instead of offering solutions on how to equipt and give caymanians a fighting chance in a changing economy, you bash the government and the locals instead. No true caymanian, especially someone that has been here for the amount of years that you have and have reaped what rewards you could from these islands.
So please dont come on here, flaunting your peacock feathers, as if you are obi one kenobi. It is people like you, why expats come on this island and feel that they are superior to the locals.
Go back to your forum and keep up your good work of disenfranchising the local cayman people and aiding other to easily help put Caymanians out of the work force.
Your comments (23.09) serves but one purpose, which is to further exacerbate the increasing devide between Caymanians and expatriates. Your condescending attitude is indicative of the insiduous culture that is being introduced into our heretofore peaceful Caymanian community by certain individuals. Please, please, cool down the vitriolic and demeaning comments. It is very insulting and asinine for anyone to suggest that Caymanians, seeking employment, are not qualified and are victims of their own deficiencies…SHAME ON YOU, especially if you are a Caymanian showing such disrespect to your fellow Caymanians. Such comments reflect gross ignorance of the contributions made by Caymanians in the development of the Cayman Islands. Let us all endeavour to be respectful to each other!!
Peaceful caymanian community?
You had the highest murder rate in the world not so long ago!
Don't make me laugh.
This factoid is blatantly false. The CNS comment sections is full of misinformation.
Even in our worst year (16 per 100,000) we were no where near the highest murder rate in the world. In the same year Jamaica was at 50 per 100,000 http://jamaica-star.com/thestar/20140627/news/news5.html
Fair point however the Cayman Islands rate is higher than Iraq's current murder rate. In fact, at 8·0 it is double. Thanks for posting the link.
Small numbers distort statistics, you should know that. I am not happy about last year's murder rate of 8 per 100,000 but it represents just 4 murders.
Since Cayman's murder rate is higher than Iraq's current murder rate, why don't you go to Iraq where it is much safer and better, go…. go, good riddance and don't let the door knob hit you.
I did go and came back with a lot of money in the bank. Not particularly that great of a place but fine for a while to make cash. A bit like here although there is more to do here.
I think you need a reality check. Even at the peak of gang warfare in 2011 when 8 persons were murdered Cayman was not even remotely in the running for murder capital of the world. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/10/worlds-highest-murder-rates_n_5125188.html
Still way ahead of Sudan, Eritrea, Somalia, Mozambique, Angola, Russia, 3 x higher than North Korea and 15 x higher than Australia. Stay classy.
Why go so far abroad? Much lower than St. Kitts, Jamaica, Bahamas, Trinidad, U.S. Virgin Islands etc. etc. http://www.cbn4news.com/2014/01/16/bahamas-murder-rate-highest-region/
The point is that the poster was either very ignorant or telling a malicious lie.
So basically give the Caribbean a miss?
8 murders in a month, from a population of 30,000. That's an awfully high rate for such a small community, per capita that must be amongst the worst. If their were 8 murders in London, with a population of 10,000,000, the police would be out in force and people would protest on the streets.
Think again bobo, there are roughly the same number of expats on this island as Caymanians, how of them were killing each other that month?
You are a real idiot. No one calculates statistics by artificially selecting a period of peak criminal activity, annualising it and then calling that the crime rate. BTW the 8 murders in 2011 were not all in a month in any event. Real stupid.
1. Our population is about 56,000, not 30,000, and yes murders sometimes involve expats so we are fully justified in using that number as every country does.
2. At no time were there 8 murders in a month.
3. Murder rates are calculated on an annual basis not cherrypicking peak crime periods and saying that is the murder rate.
Where do we get these people from who are willing to lie, distort and fabricate to cast Cayman in a bad light?
56,000 population and less than 20,000 voters for 18 politicians to administer less than 100 square miles. Something doesn't add up.
Don't try to change the subject when you are on the ropes.
Hilarious that there are two thumbs downs to a purely factual post. Some people would prefer to believe a lie a guess.
I think you need to learn the meaning of "heretofore".
13.19, please check the dictionary and you will find the meaning of "heretofore"… basically it refers to events in the past. Obviously people like yourself are not aware of the peaceful way of life that (heretofore) existed in the Cayman Islands [prior to bad influences beingintroduced here by certain undesirables]!!
OK people. Immigration workers would not have any jobs themselves if it was not for expats. You really think they are going to be turning down permits?? Really?
Why would they? They have jobs why would they care if Caymanians got jobs? They will continue to issue permits as long as they come in. Sorry Cayman but that is how it works.
The immigration dept would not exist if it was not for expats and permits !
AND I AM A CAYMANIAN!!
'AND I AM A CAYMANIAN!!' very true but what type of Caymanian? there are different variations of Caymanians….
doesnt matter anymore..their all in the same boat if they're from the caribbean. Going to find me a really white english name.. Might increase my chances. lol(its just a joke people..no need to have your panties in a bunch about this comment)
So true, there are the honest Caymanians who serve their people well and live their lives peacefully alongside their neighbours. Then, there are the bigoted, ignorant racists like yourself who adopt the 'master race' attitude when considering those who earned their right to call themselves Caymanian through hard work and time served building this country.
Caymanians by definition are all immigrants, you all came from somewhere. It started with British settlers and expanded with Jamaicans, followed by almost every country in this hemisphere.
Get over yourself Adolf.
I agree the Immigration Dept need to enforce the rules more when it comes to work permits and even PR. If someone is granted PR to work ina specific industry and they then break the rules and work in another industry theirPR status should be removed period!!!
How are we as Caymanians ever going to get ahead when all these employment hurdles are designed to make us fail? Even worse is that this government is doing nothing about it! Why is no one looking into the fact that certain immigration officials have blood ties to some of these employment agency owners too? What about those temping situations where companies are employing expats on permanent basis whilethe Caymanians are being hired on temporary contracts only working for half pay? So many injustices. Too much word out there of depressed and hopeless people talking of taking matters into their own hands. Why is the government not listening? I hope the people vote them all out?
I agree with 23:09. How has the one candidate mentioned in the article determined that unqualified expats are hired? Which company and what job was he applying for? There is simply not enough information in this article – it is one sided. What kind of tests are candidates given? I have have always had to go through tests when applying for jobs. The tests are mostly math, grammar, spelling, computer skill, drafting correspondence/writing and sometimes a "personality" test. It is standard testing that quite a few companies use in order to determine certain skills that a candidate has. I would fail to see how this would be "trickery". There is usually no preparation time for these kinds of tests and anyone who is applying for work should know that testing is part of the normal interviewing process. Candidates have to be proactive – be prepared at all times and if you know your stuff, there shouldn't be a problem when it comes to testing.
13.47, I am not surprised that you agree with 23.09…Is it the case that "birds of a feather flock together"?
I'm registered with the NWDA and find Leasa to be very helpful. I am highly, highly qualified for just about any management, sales amangement, sales, finance job, landed one interview which seemed to be bogus, was told by manager that it was a work permit renewal. Informed not successful. Had three "interviews" with another company, very casual over coffee or drinks, not professional at all, this is for a GM position for which I have 28 years successful exeperience, discovered the gentleman who flew to the island to interview me and whom does not have my level of experience, showed up performing the job himself on a work permit, conflict of interest, no protection from immigration of local, qualified, unemployed individuals. Applied for several jobs and never hear anything. I am professional, experienced and can bring added Entreprenurial value and credibility to any organization, yet I have been unemployed for a year now, just trying to keep CUC and water flowing and food on the table, family unit falling apart, about to lose my family's home, and my sanity, I am so discouraged with the my country, I'm a middle aged Caymanian and I have no future in my own country if I depend on finding a job here!
I agree Leasa at the NWDA is a godsend and very good at what she does! However I DO have to question WHO over there is hiding all of our university degrees and CVs from the Immigration Business Staffing Board!?! Tara said last week she will hire HR Managers, and IT support from overseas (if needed) to fill her own growing department – huh?!?
The Business Staffing Board and Immigration Boards are granting dozens of "waivers" weekly (approve any and all white collar application) The rubber stamping of work permit renewals for management positions is just sadly business s usual.
The NWDA will only work if a Tara Rivers & Dr Tasha, start looking at the Friday newspaper and taking these corporate offenders seriously. There needs to be an audit of the lawbreakers so far in 2014, steep fines applied (if a qualified Caymanian who passed the tests and has impeccable references was passed over) nothing short of this will do. We heard them on the radio, but are not hearing solid hardcore action plans or anything about working with enforcement. All the good intentions in the world are lovely (the carrot) but where is the Stick!?!
Tara, I hope your supporters are printing these comments and you read them daily. We have given you the "POWER to change" so please stop the radio shows lip service and call in all those qualified people that have been wronged since your election. Call a meeting and get these hard working white collar people back to work!!
Set up a "complaints email" so those who can prove they were wronged can be heard (and the situations rectified.) I know of 4 major banks, 2 law firms, and 2 accounting firms who ignored and flaunted this law in just the past 90 days. So which politician will stand up and make it right???
Middle aged Caymanian seeking a job forget it open a business selling food or bread kind at the side of the road this is how the government want Caymanians to live now. We have become the 14th Parish.
Under whose criteria are you highly qualified, the world according to you or the world according to Cayman?
Seriously, looking through your self appreciative and poorly structured submission to this blog, I'm not in the least bit surprised that you don't meet employers standards. Go back to school or sign up to a quality online education package. Stop blaming everyone else, get proactive and realise that this is a world market, not a Caymanian one.
Blessings. I pray that our gracious God makes a way for you.
13:43 you say you are "highly, highly qualified for just about any management, sales management, sales, finance job"
I've been hearing this a lot lately with a many people walking into my business saying that have "management experience" and want to "manage" people.
I'm always curious, if one has so much experience, why is it that they are currently unemployed. How many jobs have you had in the last 10 years? What happened? Did the companies go bust? Did you leave? Were you let go? Why? My guess is that you weren't always unemployed so how did you get to where you are now? Is there any fault on your part which you can change?
It is very easy to blame external circumstances but, with a little introspection, I wonder if you can figure out what you can change in yourself in order to shape your future. I'm a firm believer that we are all masters of our own destiny but we need to be honest with ourselves and be continually evolving by trying to learn new skills, changing old (bad) habits, trying to improve.
I have no doubt there is some biase towards hiring locals. But ask yourself why when a company is about profit would it turn down a perfectly qualified and tested caymanian for an "inferior" expat. I am sorry but its unlikely. Also add to the mix the difficulty of taking on a local and finding it is almost impossible to sack them when they prove incompetent. Its not racism but sound business sense to optimize the chances of hiring well qualified, experienced staff who if they turn out to be less than perfect can be repatriated.
Cheap imported labour, try it its cheap, works non-stop, easily maintained and hardly ever complains even when I dont pay pension and insurance for it!
Ya can't have it both ways. Are expats cheap labor, or are they paid more than a Caymanian at the same job. I keep hearing BOTH.
Because it is both, dumbo. There are the professional and managerial expats who are mostly white and then there are the masses of skilled and unskilled labour who are Jamaican and Filipino. They are all expats and so which one you are referring to depends on your situation and perspective.
Could you tell how many have been repatriated? Then why are you here? Everyone who sets foot on these shores are intended permanent fixtures. Why, they never want to leave?
All or nothing thinking. Some want to leave. I'll leave. But ya kinda got to look at human nature. It's a lot of work to up- root and resettle.
The reason companies prefer expats is that they are generally willing to do whatever they are asked/told (legall obviously) irrespective of the impact to Cayman and our people as they don't have any longterm ties to the country. The idea that you it is difficult to terminate employment of locals is absolute nonsence, I have had the unpleseant experience of having to terminate the employment of locals and expats and it was no more difficult to terminate locals than it was expats when you treat each with respect and compassion. Like any other country we do have a few bad apples but they are in the minority.
I think you mean biased "against" hiring locals. Certainly not toward.
People make decisions for all sorts of reasons including favouring people from their own background who they believe provide "a better fit" in the office, and whose accents they believe international clients would prefer to hear.
Let businesses hire who they want to hire.
Who is governmnt to dictate which candidates are better for the job? Businesses pay the salaries / take the risk, and so it should be them that decide who they want. If they are forced to hire candidates which are not best suited, you will find that businesses will simply move these positions to other jurisdictons and allow staff to work remotely. FYI – This is a common occurrence now, given current technology!
There are more requirements for a job than a couple of bullet points on a newspaper advertisement. Punctuality, respect, honesty and good work ethic is to name but a few.
Let's be real for a minute; if you are the best candidate for the job, you will be hired. I can't see a scenario where a company would hire the worse of two candidates (local & expat) just because they are an expat, unless of course some of the traits mentioned above for the local are lacking. But then this comes down to who is the best candidate at the end of the day…
Hiring locally resultsin no work permit fees, and less overall red tape / hassle with government authorities. The incentives are there. Yet the excuse from locals is constantly that businesses do not want to hire them because they are Caymanian.
Instead of making excuses, locals should be working to be better than their expat counterparts, not constantly complaining about how things are not fair.
Reality check: Caymanian students are given up to US$60,000 in grants from governmet per year; locals are by law required to own 51% of any company that operates within the island. Looking at just these two facts, there is not one local on this island that should not be doing well, and if you are not, be truly honest and ask yourself, "have I really put the effort in to be the best I can be?"
Lesson in life, success does not come to those who wait, or those who expect handouts! Success comes those that work their asses off, and even then its a struggle!
Can't agree more. However, some people do not own businesses (as I do) and so such people may have a difficulty understanding the impact on a business which is forced to hire a particular person. So to help such people-
Gov't policies forcing businesses to hire a particular person is not much different than your parents or government choosing your spouse.
For example – I would argue that most women are qualified to be women so is there really a need for:
– looking for a date (business – searching for a job)
– first date (bus. Job interview)
– buying going out clothes – buying business attire
Anyways you get the point now I hope! Should govt tell us who we would need to marry to ensure all Caymanians have a significant other?
Telling you whoto marry is the job of the church, not government.
Oh my god you deserve the Darwin Award for de-evolving! A Church should tell you who to marry??? What sort of whacked out thinking is that? I can indeed understand why you might not be employable! Are you seriously saying you walk in to a church and say hi I need a spouse and you will accept their choice for you? Man crazies around every corner!
We did not create a booming offhore industry and tourism industry to benefit expats! When the expats stop their practice of hiring their own (yes the HR Managers that sre hired overseas) and when Caymanian owned businesses stop relying on cheap exploited imported labour and instead make a real effort to find good Caymanians and hire them we will drop the entitlement attitude.
You did not create it. By default, you were lucky to receive it and can lose it just as quick.
Back in 60's and early 70's you'd be lucky to find a Caymanian that could read, write or do simple athrithmatic. Don't over state your importance, the UK really did rule in those days, and yes, it was precisely the point to benefit expat labour and money. Why do you think it's called 'offshore banking'?
With a population of approximately 10,000 in those days, who do you think supplied the money, the expertise and the motivation to build a financial and legal sector? Cayman has been built by expats and populated by the workers that were needed to expand the financial business, the infrastructure, tourism and yes, the Caymanian population. Without immigration and the skills and money that followed, this rock would be just that, a rock!
Sorry to burst your bubble but back in the 60s and 70s more Caymanians could read then than now. They were more educated than now because they owned most of their lands and everyone who wanted a job had one there was zero (0) unemployment. Please check your facts because fortunately for me I was around and many more, we can surely give you (newbie) a true history lesson void of what you have download from some site.
I got news for you, keep off that stuff it is turning your brain to mush, go to the National Archive and ask to see our life that did not exist before the 1960s and 70s. Very few expats lived here during the early 60s and even 70s because they were afraid of the mosquitos and those that stayed worked together with Caymanians to buid this society and no! they were not the elites of the financial industry. If memory serves me right there were about 10 or less from the financial industry back in the 60s please tell me what percentage that is out of 10,000.
Immigration need to really give a comprehensive history test of these islands and its people to applicants for PR because from what I am reading from many on these blogs most expats believe that there was nothing in Cayman prior to 2003 and expats single handed developed Cayman. Sorry to burst your bubbles, "He hath found it upon the Seas" seafearers that travelled the globe, shaped this hey little rock into the financial gem that it has become, I will however give credit to the expats that came here and work with us to create this miracle that we have today. Caymanians know who these people many are on our wall of honour and those that are not there as yet will forever remain in our hearts.
I don't know where you were in the "early 60"s and 70's" but you certainly were not in Cayman looking for someone who could read.
Right-0. You didn't create it.
When it's the decision makers who are applying for their own permits then the incentives don't work. Also many companies like the indentured nature of cayman's work permit regulations….release letters, etc.
It is 60 not 51 and is never enforced anyway.
Wrong! The best candidate will not be hired. If there is no will to fill the position then the work permit holder will remain in the job simple. I recently went for an interview and clearly passed the exam given with high marks and met all the requirements for a second interview. I was told unfortunately it was a work permit renewal or they would have loved to have been able to hire me. It truly boggles the mind because I was most disappointed and offended as it was such a waste of my time because it was never truly a real opportunity in the first place. I could have done that job with my eyes closed AND saved them the high work permit fees but I was not even given a chance period!! It is not an excuse it is a reality Caymanians are not given a fair chance and we are all painted with the lazy brush and other useless excuses to simply justify keeping the expat in place.
I would say you got a bad break. I will also say don't give up.
Quote:
"But a common theme seems to be random tests, exams or questions that are unrelated to the posts or absurdly difficult."
"It appears that people are being set up for failure."
Unquote
Could the employers have learnt this tactics from how the government has framed the new PR law and the absured History Test questions? Government made it difficult for businesses to run by trying to send away expats, business owners now seem to be using the same tactics to reciprocate?
Employers have been doing that for years, long before the PR rules were revised. You are quick to criticise one and use that as an excuse to defend the other. Very hypocritical.
AGREED……+1
It is overdue, for the unemployed to reciprocate. Wake up unemployed and do what you are supposed to do.
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Did the govenment think they can get away with their "actions" and the people affected would be just "audience"?
Commonsense dictates that if government can act, so can others. Businesses owners would do what they need to do to keep their business running with efficiency and for a profit.
Simple explanation is that less expats mean less revenue for the CIG to spend..
I truly hope that is not the truth however a $30k per year for higher level position could be incentive. And please don't reply with that amount of money means companies would love to hire suitably qualified caymanians….at that level the decision makers are often the permit applicants and at any level employers like the indentured nature of permits (release, etc.).
This is a good thing, the expats should keep the government on a starvation diet, they need to be lean and effective, so i would suggest poster 12:14 we get rid of 90% of expats that make government fat and ineffective.
Hummm, fat and ineffective. Just saying!
The employers are also being coached by companies specializing in immigration services. Recently oneof these companies ran an ad for what turned out to be a work permit renewal for an executive position in the financial services. When a very qualified Caymanian applied they removed name of company, changed the title, requirements (including addition of complicated testing) and ran in an obscure publication (cayman reporter?). Application was not questioned. So really there are a few ladies at fault here including company circumventing our countries immigration policies and immigration specialist consulting and assisting with the circumvention. Our premier recently indicated our current policies were not working and an incentive policy would be introduced. Perhaps the fault is not with policy but it's application.
Apology to ladies for predictive text acceptance error … "ladies" should have been "parties".
There is no magic formula.for getting a job other than education and hard work. Who really wants a job that that the government has forced some business to give them? Qualified people all over the world complain about not being able to get the jobs they want. Cayman cannot exempt its people from the real world no matter how much you may want to.
Every country in the world has immigration policies and in most cases theyinclude regulations designed to provide citizens of their countries the best standard of living they can including employment security. The argument is about whether companies in cayman circumvent our country's rules when suitably qualified Caymanians are looking for positions.
Try selling that crap in the country where you came here from.
"From whence you came" would be more elegant.
But keep the crap. It's edgy
We will bro, we will. I guess in about ten years (sooner if another Ivan strikes or sea level data comes up scary) the cayman first folks will have their way. Sit tight bro, your dreams will come true.
I don't think they do it for the only reason that one is a Caymanian. They have a business to run and make a profit. One example- a professional firm had hired a Caymanian who was pursuing a professional qualification, but had no experience in the field. She had to work for up to 50-60hr a week,just like all expats in the office. She lasted only one "busy" season and quickly found another, not so "busy" job.
Cayman is a member of the capitalist western world.
Therefore, the mantra of the day for employers is; secure as much power as possible over your employees and the lowest price possible.
There is nothing unique about what is taking place in Cayman in respect to local unemployment. Every western country is experiencing similar "challenges" and every informed and honest reader is aware of this fact.( However, many that are still pretend otherwise.)
The aforementioned mantra is the fundamental catalyst for this particular phenomenon. Of course, adding to the struggle is the sense of entitlement that plagues the MAJORITY of western young people today – Caymanians included.
Interestingly, over the last 2 decades we have been pumping the concept of exceptionalism, freedoms, rights and the (American / Anglo / European) dream into the hearts and minds of our people. However, at the same time, our governments and wealthy business owners have been busy tweaking and perfecting the economy-sucking parasite of globalisation and the masses are stifling. Manufacturing, manual, service and "starter" jobs have long been outsourced to Asia and the "developing world" without sparing a thought for those that are coming behind us in our own communities. Along with those economic functions goes a stable middle class. (E.g. How many of us, regardless of where we come from, can speak of a grandparent of parent that raised his or her family doing a job that is wholly disregarded by today's standards? Remember the famous "grocer's daughter" that went on to become the Iron Lady?) However, a supermarket worker or food store owner can barely afford to sustain himself much less a family in modern day Cayman.
(I can recall personally seeing and stuffing WEEKLY paycheques of construction workers amounting to $700 – $900 back in the early 90's. Today they are lucky if they make half that – and the cost of living has easily doubled in many respects by now.)
The short-sighted ones in the room will surely dismiss such concerns and retort that the onus is on EVERY western citizen to be "educated" and trained to a level above where one will be personally impacted by our new reality. This is a mistake, for blue collar, starter and manual labourers have ALWAYS outnumbered the educated and professionally skilled in western society.
Furthermore, one cannot discuss such issues without taking into consideration "inflation", currency and related topics but there is not enough hours in the day.
The unique circumstances of Cayman (history, industries, cost of living, population size) makes us even more susceptible to all of the above and a broad perspective on the issues will go a long way in helping us to understand our dilemna.
At the end of the day, I hope my fellow Caymanians are seeing a clearer picture of the challenges facing us – and I trust that our immigrant ("expat" for certain groups) residents also understand that their presence here is not necessarily indicative of their skills, education or standards. Instead, it could simply be because a system exists where you are a convenient pawn for the masters.
* What are my solutions?
Wishing everyone a good day.
– Whodatis
What a knob, a prime example of someone who spends too long on the internet and learns long words to impress the masses.
While I don't agree with everything in initial post, it does appear to be written with thoughtful intellihence. Now your posting seems to be pompous and effortless crap. When you don't understand something do "the masses" a favour and shut your face you ignorant knob.
Your opinion of course, but not necessarily true. Whodatis is full of self righteous pomposity at the best of times and irritates thehell out of those who actually know better. He makes observations and criticises liberally across many subjects, but does he have first hand experience of the subject matter he preaches, no, so he regularly refers to online trash or personal bile to make his point. His diatribes are usually nationalistic, racially provocative and based upon his own twisted views of history and social reform.
To claim that his rants are in any manner intelligent or thoughtful is to miss the point. He obviously spends too much time in front of a computer screen reading inaccurate and biased garbage. Perhaps next time he has a rant it will contain less big words, more proven facts and offer solutions instead of problems.
Until then, he's a knob!
… and maybe next time you will actually contribute to the news story in question instead of trolling against an anonymous poster?
Anyway, you started your last post on the issue of opinions. That old saying regarding opinions and assholes sprang to mind. However, you take it a step farther as, in your case, the former clearly comes from the latter.
Sincerely,
Whodatis
P.S. I love all my fans.
Ok, so you are criticising Whodatis for being informed and possessing a vocabulary broader than the average person’s?
You do realize how ignorant this makes you look right?
I sincerely hope you are even more embarrassed for yourself than I am for you.
Yours faithfully,
Whodatis
😉
Recruite CLM, Baraud and Stepping Stones to find employment for Caymanians, close down the useless office of the NWDA, it is nothing more than a joke. The Labour office of the 1980 and 1990 were able to find jobs for any Caymanian that needed and wanted ajob and was very effective in doing their job now these fat cats in the NWDA are useless and should not be there. Make their jobs redundant and give theposition to the employment agencies and see if in less than a week the unemployment situation in Cayman would be nil.
Government will continue to play politics with peoples lives until the situation esclade and turn into what they don't want when people can't get jobs in their country look at the outcome. All MLA's take heed and do the right thing for the country and your people listen and make the proper decisions in regards to employment because if you continue to ignore the problem it will only get worst.
Why would you hire the very companies who keep Caymanians down as they make more money doing the HR for companies why hire a caymanian and only make money for the find 1 time when you can push for an expat manipulate the local applicants and then get the money every year for processing the permits, whilst telling the Caymanians the job is a permit renewal and you are looking out for a good job for them as they would not qualify.
It is time immigration stood up and took notice, time to look at the "managers" and other "senior staff" who have permits for a lesser job i.e IT administrator when they are actually the defacto IT Manager I know its cheaper but its fraud ($3.5k vs $15K). The worst part is if a Caymanian who works for one of these cheating companies says anything then they will be pushed out and black listed.
Wait a minute! Shoudnt all unemployed be registering themselves with nwda, Baraud, stepping stones cml etc? Why does govt need to recruit these firms? If I became unemployed tomorrow that would be my first step the same day.
These firms already have databases of people and it wouldn't cost them much to list all unemployed. Better yet why can't nwda force all unemployed to submit their resume (or no further benefits!) and post them online on their site or even on ecay? Why is it optional for someone who collects benefits from govt to register with the agency?
NWDA, how many unemployed Caymanians are listed with you?
There needs to be accountability at all levels, the unemployed, the govt and the business community. Let's start with unemployed accountability as that would be easy to achieve,
All CVs or resumes in with NWDA by end of month or no more unemployment benefits!
Better yet – if Gov't wants to really trim the fat have them work for those benefits. I'm sure if they looked hard enough they could find work within all of Gov't for these people to do (answering phones, road side clean-ups, trimming trees, cutting grass, covering people's vacation (for themore qualified), building security, etc.
Do the work – pick up your check. Simple…. I mean since it's a job you want and not a hand out.
Some countries call this "Workfare" vs "Wellfare."
Worst is the superlative. I think you mean worse, the comparative.
Unfortunately these agencies only encourage companies to take on Caymanians on a temporary basis so that they practically become indentured servants but yet expats get all the permanent jobs.
This will fix the problems plain and simple, government department and our immigration just follow your fellow island counterpart in the Atlantic begin ASAP and see the positive changes. If you are not willing to do this go sit in your cornor and stop complaining, or ask for help from your counterpart.
Here I have information for you in black and white read it and learn
http://www.bermuda-online.org/employwp.htm
Three thoughts pop to mind:
1) Sandra Catron is no ordinary job seeker. I hardly think her experiences are indicative of the average job seekers'
2) More significant than finding out that employers are creating hurdles for job seekers is the question why. Why would employers create these hurdles only to keep a permit holder that costs thousands of dollars, sometimes tens of thousands? Why would employers go to such great lengths to avoid perfectly qualified Caymanians? I think this is a topic that requires some discussion.
3) The employment market isn't a zero sum game. Government interference does not guarantee higher employment rates for Caymanians (clearly). If firms that have relocated here to do business find the business climate to no longer be conducive to conducting business in an economical and competetive manner, they will leave and take those jobs with them. Other jurisdictions offer firms environments that DO allow them to compete and we have to be careful not to run off the very industries that make the pillars of this economy. Generally speaking, most businesses will hire on the basis of wages demanded and quality of work performed. The employee who is most productive at the least cost generally works out to be the best. If governmentinterference prevents firms from choosing their employees then at some point those firms will simply relocate and the economy here will suffer and less Caymanians will be employed.
If government interference prevents firms from choosing their employee then at some point those firms will simply relocate and the economy here will suffer and less Caymanians will be employed. I agree with you in theory but the facts are there are less than 200 Caymanians left.
Let's not forget that the biggest industry in our country is highly mobile. Financialservices can be performed from any jurisdiction. It is very easy for a firms in this industry to close shop and move the services to another profitable jurisdiction.
Admiral – moved most opps to canada
Goldman – toronto
PWC – consolidating hr and other functions with carribbean
Citco – usa
butterfield – Bermuda and canada
ey – using India and other caribbean islands for certain audit processes
How much employment is being lost through high fees on financial industry? How many more financial businesses will move if they lose the ability to select the best person for the job opening?
Also think of the impact of their employees leaving with the knowledge they have acquired in cayman to other jurisdictions and using that knowledge to compete against us?
We are not running factories here which are difficult to relocate. We are running financial services which can be moved to another jurisdiction in a matter of days (especially when the financial services firms we have here are multinational with established offices worldwide).
Govt interference in human resources functions of financial services firms is not the answer.
Poster 15:59 I agree with you that our financial industry is very mobile thus the ability to leave the jurisdiction in a matter of days if government interference in their human resources function becomes too intrusive.
You indicated that
Admiral – moved most opps to canada
Goldman – toronto
PWC – consolidating hr and other functions with carribbean
Citco – usa
butterfield – Bermuda and canada
ey – using India and other caribbean islands for certain audit processes
You are wrong. Caymans problems are high cost compared to other places. Government interference. Financial and operational.
Then why is it that the City of London, (and the UK economy which is largely driven by it) is out of recession and growing faster than any other G7 economy ?
The truth is that whilst a company is registered here, it doesn't necessarily do business from here, it's just a brass plaque on a wall. This is a global marketplace that can operate from any speck of land it chooses from Dubai, the Maldives, Jersey or Dublin. Cayman doesn't hold a monopoly on favourable tax regulations anymore, the world has moved on and Cayman is becoming yesterday's player. Those days of dodgy cash arriving here in private jets have long gone, banks can operate online with call centres operating in India. Soon the world will have no need for financial safe havens as national tax loopholes are closed and offshore tax avoidance schemes become more difficult to justify, especially to honest, tax paying citizens.
No, Cayman's future is in the service and hospitality sector. Tourism should be your focus, investment in hotel and resort stock should be a priority.
C'mon Now! The CIG has been choking the life out of the golden goose for an extended period now. Take a look at where the cost of permits and licence fees has gone over the past 10 years. There is a concept called price elasticity and the CIG has clearly misjudged it, to the detriment of the financial services industry and local economy.
The entities below are all downsizing and moving all or some of their operations due to the financial markets and the ill fated passage of H.R. 2847 bill that came into effect in the USA on 1 July 2014. H.R. 2847 section that deals with the banking requirements for US Citizen have the potential of becoming a nightmare for banks world wide that deals with US Citizens due to their reporting requirements. Please don't blame these moves on the Cayman Islands government they have nothing to do with this.
Admiral – moved most opps to canada
Goldman – toronto
PWC – consolidating hr and other functions with carribbean
Citco – usa
butterfield – Bermuda and canada
ey – using India and other caribbean islands for certain audit processes
I don't mean to be rude, but that is incredibly incorrect.
First, many of these moves happened well before the FATCA legislation was even a mentioned let along passed or enacted. Second, I know head people at many of those firms and I can definitively tell you FATCA had zero influence on the decisions. The decisions basically came down to two things.
#1 – Cayman is an expensive place to have a business. That comes from a large number of factors. Work permit fees are a part of it, but in the larger picture not the biggest part.
#2 – Gettng access to the best talent is difficult. Again work permits play a role in that, but not the biggest issue. Cayman simply has a very shallow talent pool (simple math based on its size) and believe it or not, not everyone wants to move here (kids in school they don't want to move, family they don't want to move away from, etc). So work permits or not, it is a challenge to get the best talent in Cayman.
Now don't get me wrong. Cayman also has a lot going in its favor and I'd agree knowing the reasons these firms left/downsized the majority of the reasons really are things the CIG don't have much control over. However, blaming it on FATCA is just incorrect. Where the work is done has know bearing on FATCA, where your employees are (with a minor possible exception to cases where the employee is also a partner in the firm) has no impact on FATCA.
No doubt FATCA is a pain in the butt, however, because of good work done by CIG and Cayman industry I'm seeing no real negative impact to Cayman. If anything more work is required so there is the chance for more jobs. Because of #1 & #2 above, much of that additional work may be done in other parts of the world, but thus far I'm seeing most firms taking a more split approach (there is more work being done in Cayman as well as other countries).
If you are qualified or over qualified for a position, get offered a job and are currently unemployeed; it stands to reason that you should take the employment and continue looking for a job that you feel matches your qualification. Some money is better than no money, get over yourself.
Except employers are using "over qualified" as another hurdle when they have no intentions of hiring. I've been on an interviews and why I wanted this job that was not mentally challenging was the only question I was asked. Does that sound like someone who wishes to hire an over qualified person?
Lets get real here!
The jobs advertised in the local press are generally done to comply with work permit applications requirements. FULL STOP!
Oh no, so people are following the requirements of job advertisements to remain in compliance with the law? Shame on them.
Thats right. And when qualified Caymanians apply for these advertised jobs that are really for work permit renewals, they are a real pain in you know where!!!!
And the Immigration dept/ work permit Board are NOT made aware that qualified Caymanians applied.
A list of all JOBS by date and employer that work permits are being applied for, should be published on the Immigration website, there for all to see.
The employer should not object to this as if they are applying for a work permit the job advert should have already appeared in the media, so it is not a company secret.
PUBLISH the list of work permit jobs and employer on the Immigration Website. Minister Tara take note, these jobs careers will also be instructive for educational and career paths and scholarships that should be encouraged and prioritized.
Great headline! I was thinking I would probably hire someone with that much enthusiasm, depending on which mount it was they had hurdled.
Caymanian now living and working in England. For my fellow Caymanians in Cayman……leave!
After graduate school I couldn't find a job in Cayman; just two months in England I landed a great job with a small firm. During my interview, they were really happy to know I had a graduate degree. On the contracy in Cayman, employers insulted me and found every excuse not to hire a Caymanian who had just finished graduate school.
Move to England!
Well said, and if you can't find a job in the UK, then apply for unemployment benefits which are double the slave wages offered in Cayman!
Right thing for all young Caymanian to do, can't get a job move to England, enroll in school find a job gain experience and move back when you have the required knowledge/experience then close the door.
I did the same – stopped looking in Cayman, where people couldn't be bothered to answer my applications and I wasn't called in even for interviews where I, on paper, had everything they were asking for. A few years in England with a much bigger company, gaining a bigger view of the world. Unfortunately, it is Cayman that loses out when this is the country that has educated and trained people.
If you don't mind being with less attractive types then Wales is not bad either.
Tell Whodatis that, he seems to think that the UK is a dark and sinister place. The fact is that it is the fastest growing economy in the world and a place of growth, not stagnation. Welcome to all Caymanians who want to come and work hard to improve their future, the UK welcomes you and your heritage.
Unlike some in Cayman, who live in a bubble of envy, bigotry and self flagellation. Get out there people, travel, experience and appreciate a country that welcomes people from the four corners of the earth. Ignore the sad isolationists and self interested nationalists, get away from the small minded and expand your own.
Welcome British people, this is your future.
fastest growing economy? HA what a crock.. where are you from ? Mars? Go and sit down. If that was true, UK nationals wouldnt be leaving their country in boat loads to find work in many other countries.
As in caymanians travelling and experiencing other countries. I agree. Go and explore the mess that the UK has put itself in with poor immigration standards and low salaries. A country filled with old people on welfare and young people with degrees packing shelves at your local asda. There is a reason why the UK has made it this far in the world and history shows how that set of people see something that others have, want it and do what ever disgusting thing it needs to, to aquire it. Cayman is in its sights and these people dont take no for an answer.
Caymanians, go and educate yourself, get experience and come back home,build your country and stop the foolish spending. These people are trying to take your home, like what they have done to many other countries and will not stop unless you put your foot down.
You are relying on old news. Get up to date. The UK is booming.
reading that old faax news I see. I've yet to read a credible news paper here in Jolly ole England. Just too gullable
To 28/07/14 – 23:09 in answer to your question of "who are those unqualified expats?". There are many unqualified expats employed in the Cayman Islands. From personal experience I can say this unequivocally, having encountered many such persons in the service industry. I recently had a jaw dropping experience with a server at a restaurant – her waitress skills were severely wanting and her unfamiliarity with correctly processing my credit card left me most uncomfortable. It took her three attempts including two voids to correctly process my purchase. Unqualified staff in the service industry is more common than reported and no doubt that extends throughout other industries.
However, I do not necessarily blame the employee. People all over the world travel to other destinations in order to better their lives and those of their families. That is a human right. Perhaps they cannnot be blamed if they are hired with substandard skills, if employers demonstrate double standards or if public administrative and regulatory systems allow such breaches in labour ethics. However, it is discouraging that some employers in Cayman choose to hire underskilled expat workers rather than underskilled locals (as is a favourite excuse). It clearly shows something other than recognizing professional inabilities.
In Cayman, the system is inherently flawed in that Government depends on work permit revenues and Caymanians will never be protected as long as that remains the case. Until other viable public revenue streams are implemented, Caymanians will be disadvantaged in the search for employment. Even skilled Caymanians will be secondary choices for employers (if at all) but it is a bitter pill when we have to be subjected to underskilled expats not correctly doing simple jobs. Might as well hire the underskilled local!
Anyway, not wanting to be a prophet of doom but does anyone in successive Governments not recognize the powder keg that has already been ignited by ignoring, or indeed facilitating, this practice?? Sadly, many of the younger generation throughout the world are not as tolerant as their fathers and Cayman is no different. When these angry youth get enough it will be a sad situation. Unfortunately, the expat who just wants to make a living may be the target of these frustrations. God forbid.
Every time I see a Caymanian bus boy, taxi driver, bellhop, valet parking staff, waiter, pizza delivery person etc and I am satisfied with the service received I tip very generously.
Unfortunately I wish there were more unskilled unemployed Caymanians taking up these jobs while working to further their skills and careers.
I am also impressed with the young kids taking employment at fosters and helping cashiers bag groceries for customers. Those kids always get a dollar in my books as they are the role models of our young youth.
8:51 I am patiently waiting for the younger generation to take thing in their hands and deal with the matter. It can't happen quick enough.
It appears that close to one hundred percent of the ads in the newspaper are work permit renewals and companies are working tirelessly to invent schemes to ensure that Caymanians, no matter how qualified, are eliminated in process. It is a waste of time to go to the interview. Companies know that they can shelter under the umbrella of impunity.
"It is a waste of time to go to the interview. "
That's the winning spirit. Well done.
When I was growing up I had to get off my ass and look for a job! There were no agencies around.
My father always said "there is no such thing as unemployment even if it's cleaning toilets or cleaning windows"
so you unemployed out there (that want work)LOOK for a job. It won't look for you.
You are obviously an ignorant person.
Not sure why anyone would thumb down that unless…. You are expecting the job to come look for you.
The companies are actually the ones to blame they know they can get away with it and they will do just that. A lot of it has to do with ensuring they bring down friends or someone that was highly recommended from abroad. I have no issues with expats coming but it needs to be fair.
I left my job of almost 15 years because I was tired of the "good old boys club" and just wanted change. I applied to a company who posted an ad with requiring only 3 years experience etc in the field I've been in for the past 15 years. I applied, got called for the interview and even stated that I was willing to step down and take a lesser salary. Well, it all went fine and dandy until they gave me a random test that had nothing to do with the position. I brought it up to the HR attentions and her only explanation was that this is the way they do things. So, right there and then I knew it was just a formality. The sad thing is I'm not Caymanian per say, I just have papers so I feel it for the Caymanian's seeking employment because it is not a fair playing field.
I was so disgusted I took them to the Labour Board and Business Board – yeah waste of time. NOTHING happened and not that I wanted the posiiton but at least make it fair for a Caymanian with the qualifications to get it. BTW, I found out it was filled by a work permit holder – isn't that just peachy.
Luckily for me I do not need to work so I bascially retired myself but the Government seriously needs to look at the process and the down right ignoring of the laws.
I know many hard working Caymanians and I know a few lazy ones but just like any other country there will be good and there will be bad. Companies just need to stop judging and expats need to stop labeling.
Let's make it an equal and level playing field for all.
For any job here, all applicants should undergo –
Police check, employment history and reference check, financial means test, possess a valid passport, English test, two references from a bank, five years checkable work experience, copies of education certificates, chest xray, HIV and STD testing, blood tests and fingerprint taken,
We expect expats to complete all this so let's extend it across all employment to make things fair and equal.
If you don't pass it, don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out.
I am Caymanian and I've had to do that for a govt position before. Except it was a full medical and blood work examination. It is up to the employer to require it.
Why should an HIV or STD exam be relevant to any job application? Sure, it may be relevant for immigration purposes, but not employment.
Yeah let's even the playing field – let's have employers post job ads tailored to the Caymanian's experience giving expats hope that there is a genuine job available, only to go through the application process for nothing.
The point is that is it not fair. Employers are NOT always posting required qualifications for the job but for the person they have in mind and this should stop.
So I agree – let’s make it fair. Companies should be required to submit a business plan to Gov’t as part of their business license which outlines the company's positions and the qualifications of each (therefore making it standardized). This of course can be updated as more positions are created, etc. The point is that they have their standard requirements on record and can’t “make up” qualifications based on the person they have in mind for a job.
As part of the work permit application process companies should have to submit their interviewing notes from their short listing criteria to the interviews themselves, showing evidence (including each test and the results) as to WHY they selected the candidate they chose.
Yep – let’s even the playing field!
It's not just job-hunters who are reluctant to go on the record. It's also businesses, public and private, who have had to deal with some nightmare employees who misrepresent their employment history, misuse their employer's stationery, pursue vendettas, rumor-monger, hijack computer systems for their own purposes, internet bully, use threatening behavior and pretend to have qualifications they don't possess.
No doubt there are some abuses, and they need to be dealt with. But those who are persistentlyturned down for jobs need to look at themselves and ask "is it me?" Sometimes it most definitely is. And what they forget, or choose to ignore, is that given the choice every employer on island prefers to employ a qualified Caymanian to an expat. Why? For all the obvious business reasons: no work permit fees, no-hassle engagement, etc etc. But "qualified" doesn't just mean educationally; it means putting the job first and being reliable, trustworthy and an asset to the business – not simply using it as a platform to be disruptive and further your own ends.
If CNS really wants to examine this subject in full, it should canvass the experiences of employers as well as job-seekers. They'll have stories that'll make your hair stand on end.
Expats do the same thing! FYI
There are other reasons for hiring someone aside from qualifications. Frankly personality and how well they will fit in are a big part of it.
Ms Catron would be well suited for a watchdog board or overseeing the implementation of the whisteblowing legislation.
As a business owner, I wouldn't hire her for love nor money, her reputation preceeds her. I don't want that type of discord in my office.
Government need to appoint Ms. Catron, Chairman of the Immigration and Work Permit board there would be a good clean up of Immigration and qualified Caymanians would once again stand a chance at employment in their country of origin/birth.
Sandra Catron for Complaints Commissioner OR next Premier!
How can you say that if you have never worked with Sandra Catron? I worked with her many moons ago at a local law firm and in fact she was an EXCELLENT worker and very personable. Not the type of person you have envisioned here at all.
Sad that speaking out at the community levels and bringing issues to the forefront will get you labeled in such a way!
Where did it say I haven't worked with Sandra? hmmm
You know what they say. If you run into problem people all day, maybe they are not the problem. Words changed for clean language.
What discord? I've never heard of any discord in the workplace. In fact quite the opposite.
It seems to me that the civils service may be using same strategies and or same HR consultants because they're using the same hurdles and until they stop and clean up their stinking mess there will never be changes in the private sector.
For example, few years ago talk of having jobs for 'Caymanians' yet any Tom Dick or Mary can get off a plane marry a native or status holder and be completely equal under the law. Makes me wonder when people will learn from history…….America trained Bin Laden too and see what he did? we keep increasing the number of people who hate Caymanians so much it's scary that we have such pathetic leaders.
You are a racist idiot!
I am a British Citizen who is highly qualified and experienced for a CIG CS job, but guess what, I can't qualify because I'm not Caymanian. I have 30 years experience in the UK CS and a high skill level, but that accounts for nothing.
But hey, it's your loss, so bye bye, I'll enjoy my pension in the Med where experience and skills are appreciated and beer is cheaper.
Just saying.
bye
Already gone, thanks anyway.
How mollycoddled does one have to be to believe there are any "hurdles"?
I believe that government is more interested in the amount of work permit fees they can collect than being concerned with how many Caymanians are unemployed. I have no idea what purpose the NWDA serves. To me it is a waste of time. I believe that companies have no intention to hire Caymanians. They are only interested in renewing work permits for their friends and will employ every trick in the book to eliminate Caymanians.
Last year I applied for a job with the NWDA,they sent off my details to the agency screening candidates. I Donny normally apply unless I am fully qualified as I think it's a waste of time. So, I hear nothing from anyone until I get a call from immigration asking if I had applied for this position as the apparently had a work permit request in hand. I said no. When we asked the agency what happened to the position, the NWDA was told that the company withdrew the position. Clearly, that wasn't the case but nothing more was done. Who is responsible to the Caymanians? No one.
Here is an exert of what happened in Bermuda when it relates to finding jobs for their nationals and creating employment opportunities.
The first phase of revised work permit policies, with a series of changes to work permit fees, went into effect on April 1, 2013 under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Legislation modifying the cost of fees was passed in the House of Assembly, applying to all businesses and organizations that employ guest workers.As a result of the changes:
One-year work permit fees have increased from $721 to $800. This lower-rate increase is hoped to encourage businesses to seek shorter permits and increase the frequency of jobs being advertised — giving Bermudians an opportunity to apply for the post.
Two-year work permit fees have increased from $1,442 to $2,000.
Three-year work permit fees have increased from $2,163 to $3,000.
Four-year work permit fees have increased from $2,884 to $4,000.
Ten-year work permit fees have decreased from $20,000 to $15,000.
The changes also establish new ‘special categories’ of work permits including the global work permit and the new business work permit, which will be the regular rate, but with an additional $750 processing fee. Home Affairs Minister Michael Fahy stressed that the changes are the first in a broader revision of the policies, with the second phase commencing following a wholesale review of the current policy by the Work Permit Stakeholder Group. “We are working very hard to grow the Bermuda economy so that there is opportunity for all. It that regard, preserving, protecting and providing jobs for Bermudians is our top priority. And we see these reforms in the work permit policy as key in protecting Bermudian jobs. As I’ve said previously, ensuring social and economic equity for everyone is a critical goal for this Government. We understand that the amendments to the Work Permit Policies will not solve all of our current unemployment issues, but we genuinely believe it is a step in the right direction.”
Until people like the Jordanian are allowed to run for political office nothing in immigration and the employment of Caymanians will change.
NWDA and immigration seem to be ineffective when it comes to work permit, take employment out of their hands and create a department of Labour and hire Sandra Catron to structure and run that department I will guarantee the country will see positive results within a day.
I am a Caymanian in HR and everyday I am looking for candidates to fill roles but I do not think it is government's role to determine how our organization assesses a candidate. In my instance depending on the role I have standard tests across the board for every candidate does not matter what the person's work situation is Caymanian or otherwise and almost every day I get local applicants who don't feel they should have to be subject to such things. If I ask for a resume, police clearance, references provide them! Stop making my job so hard where I have to reach out to you multiple times to get the basic info that is required for all applicants. If I call you to schedule assessment testing and I give you at least three different time options don't tellme they are all inconvenient for you, work with me and meet me half way. If I have said there are minimum requirements for the post that are reasonable then have those minimums. If I interview you please participate in the interview and actually show up and be on time. And please do not bother to tell me you are close friends with an MLA or you are the cousin of the aunt of a high profile local that has no bearing on whether you can do the job.
Finally stop bashing HR Managers almost all of us are Caymanian and we bust our backsides and try interviewing us and ask us about the nightmare candidates we see both ex-pat and local on a daily basis we couldwrite multiple books that would be hilarious if it weren't so frustrating and pathetic.
I don't feel that an applicant should have to provide a Police Clearance until you are ready to offer him/her a position. This can can be a condition of the offer. Normally, job offers are conditional, pending a medical clearance, a police clearance, and any other documentation required. Most people who are job seeking don't have the money to provide an original police clearance to every place they make an application to. It is ridiculous to expect this.
Politicians need to keep out of the pockets of big enterprise and allow the laws of the land to be enforced. When decisions made by the immigration board can be easily overturned because an employer can call Mr or Mrs Politician and bend their ear to get a approval for a work permit or give their favourite employee status you know that something is wrong with the system which happens far too often in Cayman. The UK Home Office needs to send some of their officers with international relations and law to Cayman to sit on every board just as an oversight.
Since there is so much problem getting a job, my thoughts are the robberies will continue.
The robberies have never been related to unemployment and have always been related to drug usage.
String theory? It is hardly rocket science is it?
The immigration boards are simply not doing their job. It is not all their fault. There has been no effective enforcement for almost a generation. Made up barriers are a fraud on the immigration authorities, but since no one ever gets prosecuted it has become a free for all. If you can lie to the boards with impunity, what is the point in telling the truth?
Until work permit is taken out of the hand of the immigration department nothing will change. There should be a Manpower agency set up for the purpose of processing work permits. The ease and speed in which permits are granted needs to stop and the following adopted:
1. All applicants for work permits must be finger printed and a background check made through all criminal database including their home country. Most employers insist that Caymanians now require a police record even before they are employed.
2. An official transcript and the copies of all certificate(s) must be produced (certificate returned upon approval of the permit) all transcripts/certificates must be verified.
3. All character reference/work references should be checked and verified.
4. Since some employers insist that their business cannot function without permit holders because there are no trained, able and qualified Caymanians for the job (which might well be the case). There is a simple solution government should increase the fee by 100% on workpermits for clerical, administrative and semi skilled positions. Monies derived from the increase should be set aside to open a trade school on island similiar to what they have Barbados, Jamaica and the UK. When young people are trained at the trade school government should try to employ each one on a temporary basis for three to six months so that they can gain the necessary experience and then when each work permit is granted there must be an attachment to the permit which states that they should have employed a Caymanian understudy. The Manpower agency should be allowed to arrive at the work placed unannounced inorder to see what happens in any work environment on a daily basis.
5. The Manpower agency should be made up of members of the community, the identity of every member should be kept confidential and the board should be changed every month.
Immigration will not stop the big people from getting work permits its only the little people, they will mess with
There definitely is a bias against Caymanians. I know a very well qualified young Caymanian who came home and applied for a job — doing what he was trained in — and who met with unnecessary resistance from the expat employers (even though it is a national institution). He was actually replacing an expat who failed at the job. He had to fight — with the aid of insiders — to get the job — and even though he has been widely regarded as being successful, he wassingularly meticulously watched and drawn over the coals frequently. And there was really nothing in the targeted behaviour that was so different from many other employees who were not similarly reprimanded.
So Caymanians do have much bias and differentiated treatment to contend with. In my own organisation, where there are numerous expats, what could be regarded as misjudgements by expats are usually overlooked, while they are usually highlighted among Caymanians.
I really hate this expat versus local focus, even in my own reflection above, but it does exist. The only way to overcome this is for Caymanians to rise to the challenge and continue to educate themselves and to hold their nose to the grind stone to eventually take the helm of companies, as is happening at companies such as Ernst & Young (proud of you, Dan).
It swells my heart with pride when I go to the hospital and I am treated by Dr. Darian McField, son of local lawyer Steve McField.
This is what we Caymanians need to do — get qualified and take our places andwork hard. And the day will come when this bias will eventually of necessity disappear.
By the way, CNS, when individuals become contentious public figures, they will appear to be risky employment material. I am sorry for anyone who may appear thus and who may suffer the consequences — but if your reputation goes before you it is a little difficult to blame employees.
Far too many employment agencies, all jobs should first be advertised in the local newspaper and registered with government before any work permits are given. Time to restrict certain jobs and mandate that they are not available to non nationals, this happens everywhere else in the world , why not here in Cayman?
If a MLA job is "reserved" and only Caymanians are allowed to apply for this job then why are they so afraid to apply the same standards across the board for all Caymanians. If this double standards continue then people should insist that the MLA job be opened to all members of the EU or everyone who is a legal resident of 15 or more years.
Should have been done a long time ago.
They should all also have to be posted continuously on line for a set period of time. There is no reason why the newspaper should be the only source (or the only place benefitting from the revenue of placing the advertisements).
Until the government get serious in relation to the employment for Caymanians as they were in the 1970, 80s and early 90s current and future opportunities for Caymanians will continue to diminish. Bermuda has it right in mandating a "Closed" or "proscribed" or "restricted" categories for their nationals. This is one idea that Cayman should adopt from them as it has served them well through the years unlike the adoption of their ill fated roll over policy.
It is high time that the Caymanian voting public hold the policy makers accountable for their actions and the way that successive governments have ignored the matter of employment and unemployment. Caymanians need to get rid of the "give me a fish for a day" mentality and adopt the "teach me to fish so that I can eat for a lifetime" mentality. Caymanians need jobs not handout, Jobs create independence and wealth while handouts creates dependency and poverty.
Here have a read, it would do this country and its citizens well if government would have the backbone to adopt a similar policy.
http://www.bermuda-online.org/employwp.htm
Thank you CNS for bringing this problem to the forefront, this is why you are simply the best!
Our government can only listen and implement polcies from other countries when they are told by others what needs to be done, what thehuman rights implications are if changes are not made but when it comes to using policy that will protect locals (natives especially) oh that cant be done
"Bermuda has it right"???? Are you serious? Bermuda is a mess – top businesses have left, hotels closing everywhere. They are doing it all wrong and are now realizing the mistakes they've made and are trying desperately to get 'expats' to come back because they are going broke! Wake up. Expats are not taking your jobs, you are giving them away by not showing up to work on time, calling in sick on Mondays and Fridays or when it rains, and getting stomach flus after long weekends. Get off the 'entitlement train ' and start doing what every other hard working, employed person is doing and show up for work, act professional, go above and beyond, try to stay past 5:00 and assist your team members with a smile.
I'm Caymanian by the way – CHA!
8:23 Last time that I checked Bermuda was in a good position in fact they are doing better than Cayman when it comes to their citizens being employed. For one they have less expats on permits and more of their native have ownership of their island. Bermuda have changed very few if any laws in regards to expats work, citizenship, voting rights or employment situations.
Get your facts straight more international business have left Cayman than those that have left Bermuda.
As for you being Caymanian, every cat and church mouse is now a 'caymanian' however, there are few natives – CHA, tek dat!
I agree with you, this is why people in Bermuda are knocking are rushing to leave there, oh I did not read the article right sorry, they don't want to leave but I will let you be the judge of that read this http://www.expatsblog.com/news/0805122836/hull-man-deported-from-bermuda
Damn right.
Bermuda has seen a crash in its tourism and business sector due to its arrogance.
Cayman, do not follow their example or believe the hype,
When the unemployed Caymaniians take the matter in their own hands, only then will the employers realize it is not the game play for work permit holders. Stand up and be counted, group together, and act now, not later.
Let the employers shut up or close down. They wouldn't try that stunt in other countries and sit back and have a big laugh.
actually employers give pre interview tests everywhere. I know tests appear to be another barrier to entry, just like having to bother applying for the job
.So the Caymanian take on this is hire (the unemployable) Caymanians or close down? The business take on this is if they have to hire (the unemployable)Caymanians they might as well close down. In most non third world countries if your unemployable thats your problem and no one elses. In this third world country the unemployable are voters where the employed are not so thanks to third world government policies a business here has little chance of being successful and could be forced to close anytime a Bushit needs a job/paycheck and tells his honorable for life to get him one. This is Grand Cayman islands right now.
Now when and how are the unemployed Caymaniians going to take matters in their own hands? Are they going to get training and attitude adjustments so they can be good employees? Is there any other way this can work? Will they bite the bullet and take responsibility for not getting a good education and not learning a marketable skill set or just whine about it?
Perhaps you should read the experiences people are writing about rather than assuming that all Caymanians looking for jobs are unemployable! I am so sick of reading those stereotypical BS from people like you
Companies are closing down. Don't you get it? No companies, no jobs!
Its interesting you say they wouldn't try that stunt in other countries. It implies the companies can operate in other countries. Would those other countries also perhaps be cheaper to operate in and / or have better education systems? Cutting your nose to spite your face is never a good idea. The fact is the vast majority of Caymanians lives extremely well, especially when comparied to other Caribbean countries. I once had a client say "If my secretary in x country had a new car, I would have the police investigate her for stealing." I'm not saying we have it perfect, but education and gratitude will take us a long way.
People here will have a new car and then go hungry – priorities here are upside down!
I am married to a Caymanian, have my status, and have been passed over by my own fellow "expats" even though I was the more qualified candidate! You would be shocked and horrified if the "name & shame" names actually came out as to WHO in our community plays this dispicable game.
We are talking about middle management here. Degreed jobs with good experience. Don't be fooled to think it is only entry level positions. The higher up you to in the salary range the more unbelievable the shut-out is!!!
How do we get in touch with Ms Catron? Maybe if we all send her our stories (and FOI findings from Immigration permit applications PROVING the Employer broke the law) perhaps she can work with Govt enforcement to apply the fines and get our dignity back.
I worked hard for my North American university degree and my solid career references. I THOUGHT it would help when I applied as a "Caymanian" but it has been just the opposite.
@ 14:12 – I bet you thought being married to a Caymanian would have made things much easier huh? Ha !!!
Don't Worry folks, there is help coming.
It's not an answer to all, but it will be to many.
Keep your eyes open for new and better ways to find work!
90 Days right?
We already heard that one.
Sooner!, You haven't heard this one before.
I'm not a politician!
There is no need for a better way to find work.
1/ Knock on a door. Every door. "since you dont have anything right now, please keep me in mind, anyone else you know hiring? moving? expanding? can you give me a lead?"
What there is a need for is new jobs, new industries. Ask your MLA what they are doing to stimulate Job Creation in their jurisdiction.
I have to disagree.
The most dangerous phrase in the language is" We've always done it this way"!
There are always better ways to do things, we just have to thinkoutside the box.
I agree with you, we need to knock on doors, but what if I could show you what doors to knock on that the answer was always “Yes I have work, come in and let's see if you’re the right person"?
This is what my goal and dream that I have been working on personally and it will be available very soon and with no boundaries.
Keep your eyes out there, you'll see.
Thanks.
I wonder how NWDA will handle these situations??A strong message should be sent to those establishments who try such tricks, and slapped with a fine, or placed under restrictions with the Immigration Department.. One way to deal with them is to block their Work Permits. This I believe will let them know the Cayman Islands has helped their pockets for a long time, and it is their turn to give back something to our people or the country.
At the end of the day, a firm should be able to choose the candidate that would best fit the job, irrespective if their Caymanian or not.
That is completely true but if there are qualified Caymanians they should not be excluded simply because they are Caymanians.
That would be insanity. There are better qualified expats in India willing to do almost any job here if the opportunity were communicated to them. That would result in 99 percent unemployment of existing residents of every nationality.
A firm should follow the Immigration Law or face prosecution.
If the only issue was the quality of the candidates there would be no need to put up artificial roadblocks.
Exactly, government should not be telling businesses who they can and cannot hire.
Every country in the world has immigration restrictions and tries to some extent to protect the jobs of people of the country. While I agree to a certain extent with your comment regarding freedom to hire the best, the companies must also comply with the laws and regulations of their country of operations. Recently I noted it also fails when the company decision makers are conflicted as they themselves are the subject of application.
Let's be honest here…….We all know that many managers do the hiring for international firms and therefore they do not have a direct interest in the company as they are not owners. Many do not hire the best qualified candidate but hire based on personal likes or to to accomodate a favour. Based on my experience in the Financial Industry over the last 16 years, the hiring of the best suited candidate is a myth, especially considering that many are hired via skype and phone…..I have seen many who turned out to not nearly have the experience and knowledge they claimed to have……
I have a question! Would any of you who own a business hire any of those in charge of the NWDA? Thumbs up Yes! Thumbs down No
UMMMM, Just as I thought!
You mean there are only 5 people working at the NWDA!
"Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing…" – Shakespeare
A lot of speculation and conjecture in this article. The one person was "asked everything but questions on "string theory" for a straight forward post" – What questions exactly? Provide examples, samples, you know…journalistic facts and research. Didn't see one example yet in this article.
For the one worried about a handout on how to dress, well yes, that's extremely important. Do you know what color of tie works best to increase your odds? Do you know what colors portray you as credible and what colors portray you as incompetent? Everything about you sells you. Every detail is important.
There's a lot of "opinion" from job seekers here. "Every day I watch Caymanian employers advertise and hire unqualified expats in my field." Really? Which Cayman employers? Who are these unqualified expats? How do you know that they are "unqualified"? What makes them "unqualified"? Why aren't you asking yourself what is making you "unqualified", since you've yet to gain employment?
Blaming others is an easy game for those that can't take responsibility for their own lives or try to explain away their own deficiencies. Take a hard look in the mirror, lose the ego, take the brochures and paperwork on how to dress, use an open mind and stop focusing on everyone else. Focus on improving what you have to offer and don't expect things. Sad.
Also, for those Caymanians who claim to be "qualified", have a look at your university degree; is it from an accredited university? If not, you are not really "qualified".
Poster 23:09 "Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing…" – Shakespeare – well said, your long winded post is a perfect example.
for a job interview in the UK, I was asked approximately what is the mass of mount everest and how many tablespoons is that. Expect any question in a preinterview test or an interview, they are looking for how you go about solving the problem and how you handle the situation. the key is not to run out crying its too hard, it's too hard.
was it a strip mining job?
Absolutely agree, CNS is failing to report facts time and time again. Rumour, opinion and conjecture do not amount to unbiased and accurate journalism. Leave the opinion to the bloggers, after all that is the point, isn't it?
In regard to the lady who whines about interview testing, well smarten up, learn about the job for which you apply and any current legislation relevant to it. To say that you should be warned of examination content prior to an interview is to miss the point of testing prospective candidates.
This sounds like just another whinge about the failure of many Caymanians to prepare adequately for recruitment procedures. It also identifies the nasty green eyed monster of bigotry and envy that is so prevelant on these Islands. Just because you weren't good enough to compete in an open employment market doesn't mean that everyone else wasn't either. Many of those on work permits, and yes that includes those 'dumb' Philipinos, Jamaicans and Spaniards are far more qualified than the local population. Just because someone cleans up your shit, doesn't make them stupid, it demonstrates a work ethic and willingness to do what it takes to get a living. An example you would do well to emulate and a quality many employers seek.
It is for Caymanians to get themselves in the position to compete, not for others to lower standards so that you have a nationalistic edge.
Was Shakespeare speaking about Ezzard?
Great post! You forgot, "I realize that work permits are far more lucrative business than placing Caymanian talent…" If they mean more lucrative for the Caymanian Government, then this is a valid point. If they are implying it is more lucrative for the business owners to pay for work permits, i'm not sure that makes sense.