Cayman Immigration Bill Amendment Seeks To Restrict Granting Of Caymanian Status

by Amanda Banks, Tax-News.com, London

26 July 2005

An amendment to the Immigration Bill introduced to the Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly last week would significantly restrict the powers of future Cabinets to grant Caymanian status.

One of the principal objectives of the amendment is to ensure that the Cabinet can only grant Caymanian status if the grant has been recommended by the Immigration Board and subsequently approved by the Legislative Assembly. The amendment would also limit the number of such grants to four per year.

The move comes after the previous government, which was voted out of office in May 2005, gained a reputation for granting Caymanian status to individuals at its own discretion, apparently without paying heed to rules concerning the person's suitability to become a legal resident of the Cayman Islands.

The amendment will also mean that those seeking employment in the Caymans will no longer be able to reside in the country while their applications for a work permit are being considered, although this restriction could be waived by the Chief Immigration Officer in exceptional circumstances.

Another change proposed by the amendment would mean that temporary work permit holders could continue to work for the same employer whilst their applications for one-year work permits are being assessed.

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