How to Get a Job in the Cayman Islands

Share this post with others

The Cayman Islands is home to a lot of foreigners and is one of the best islands in the Caribbean. It encompasses three islands; the Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, and is renowned as an international financial and tourist centre. In this post, we’ll show you a step-by-step guide on how to get a job in the Cayman Islands. But before that, let’s get some background information about Cayman Island;

Table of Contents

The economy of the Cayman Islands

According to statistics, the Gross Per Capita of Cayman Island is estimated to be $2.507 billion. Financial and tourism services make up 71.5%, industry 28.2% while agriculture and other services make up the rest. The low agricultural activity results in a high rate of importation of major goods making the cost of living high.

Notwithstanding, getting a job in the Cayman Islands is a dream come through to many. One of the reasons is that there’s no direct tax placed on citizens or residents since its abolition in 1985. Secondly, the government encourages foreign investors and traders to invest in their country through their lucrative tax rates. Hence, foreigners continuously invest money into the country which in turn contributes to its development.

In terms of landmass, the total area of the Cayman Islands is 102 sq miles/ 164 sq km. With an estimated population of 64,958 of which 27,071 are foreigners. The Cayman Islands are small compared to the job opportunities available there.

Work Structure in the Cayman Islands

Due to the fast-growing economy, there are many employment opportunities in the Cayman Islands. According to statistics, foreigners make up about 49% of the workforce and they hail from different parts of the world.

As stated earlier; finance and tourism are the most lucrative sectors for job opportunities. Over 2 million families spend their holidays on the highland resulting in daily needs for tourists. But, there is a strict work permit that exists on the Island giving preferential treatment to the Caymanians. The spouses of the Caymanians and the permanent residents are considered for any position in this order.

Getting a job in the Cayman Islands is not easy, and a job permit from your employer takes 3 months to be processed. And even when your work permit is issued, it is issued for a specific position and employer. Once you get a new job, you’ll have to apply for another work permit.

Warning: Residing on the Island while your work permit is still being processed is highly prohibited even as a tourist.

Despite the difficulty to get a job in Cayman Island, if you succeed, you’ll enjoy the favourable tax rate that gives you high earning power. More so, you’ll get to enjoy the high quality of life in the country.

Ease of Getting a Job in Cayman Island

Unsurprisingly, it is not easy to get a job in the Cayman Islands. A lot of companies get overwhelmed with foreign applicants when they advertise their vacancies. Because of the strict employment policies in the country, locals are first considered for employment before foreigners. Any foreigner, who wishes to work as an expatriate in the Cayman Islands, should target opportunities in finance and tourism.

Owing to its high safety and government stability, Cayman Island is ranked the world’s 5^th best financial centre; so several organizations troop in to establish their offices in the country which in turn creates more jobs in the finance sector. While jobs in tourism are created due to the high tourist activities from individuals and families who come for a vacation in the seven-mile beaches of the Cayman Islands.

How to Get a job in the Cayman Islands

It is important to note that, one sure-fire way to get a job in Cayman either local or ex-pat is to register with an employment agency.

Step 1: How to Get a job in the Cayman Islands

When preparing to job hunt in the Cayman Islands, the first thing to do is about the same thing you do in any other economy – prepare a comprehensive CV.

A lot of people think the first step is to start looking for a job immediately; on the contrary, you need to prepare a good CV. The CV you produce should be tailored to the particular position or discipline that you’re expectant of getting a job in.

A lot of people miss out on work opportunities due to poorly written CVs. A well-written CV serves as your face and will improve your chances of making it to the interview stage.

If you need the assistance of a CV expert to write a good CV for you, go ahead and hire one. At Fasthire, we write career-focused CVs that will help you stand out from the competition. You can contact us today to get started.

Step 2: How to Get a job in the Cayman Islands

Leverage social media platforms, especially LinkedIn. Most recruiters are looking for ways to make their work easier, and social media platform is one place to identify targets, access their strengths based on the profile and conversations they have on their wall.

Ensure that your social platforms are not just for posting hot pictures, you should be deliberate about selling your skills and expertise through your social space.

Step 3: How to Get a job in the Cayman Islands

Register with an employment agency to get job updates. Most employment agencies make it free to sign up on their platform. Follow them on social media, and also connect with some of their hiring managers. By doing this, you’ll stay in the entire available loop where information about vacancies will be publicized.

Here are some reliable recruitment agencies in the Cayman Islands to connect with;

Step 4: How to Get a job in the Cayman Islands

Take your job search a step further; reach out to your desired company physically or online.

Physically;

You could decide to visit the office of your preferred recruitment agency or company in the Cayman Islands and register your interest to join their talent pool/workforce.

Online;

This method is effective if you don’t have direct contact with recruitment agencies or employers. Feel free to send a mail to the company or submit your CV and wait for their reply or direction on how to join their organization.

To work in Cayman Island as a foreigner, there are certain important documents that is required of you to posses. one of them and the most important is your work permit. We did not include visa because it is attached with this. In the next section, we will explain all you need to know, and the process of getting a work permit visa in Cayman Island.

Cayman Island Work Permit for foreigners

To live and work in Cayman Island as a foreigner, you’ll need to posses a work permit. However, this is usually provided by the employer, with the employee’s contribution of course.

Hence, before the employee arrives in the Cayman Islands, their employer must submit an application to the Cayman Islands Government Department of Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman (WORC) to obtain a work permit on their behalf.

WORC is responsible for evaluating all applications from both individuals and companies who wish to work in the Cayman Islands. The Work Permit is an official document that grants the holder permission to work and reside in the Cayman Islands for a specific period, which is determined by WORC based on the nature of the work and other relevant factors.

Additionally, as the prospective employee, you are obliged to provide certain documentation for the application to be successful. However, the financial obligation for this process, including immigration related fees are handled by the employer.

There are basically two types of work permit: the temporary work permit (TWP) and the yearly work permit.

The Temporary Work Permit

The Temporary work permit can only be issued for a maximum of six months, and the processing time ranges from five to ten working days. Throughout this process, the applicant cannot reside in the Cayman Islands.

The documentations required for a (TWP) are listed below;

TWP documentation requirements:

Application Form: Fill out the employer and employee sections of the application form with wo recent passport.
An original, stamped, and signed police clearance certificate from the previous country of residence (valid for six months).
Complete medical examination, including a chest x-ray and a VDRL blood test (valid for six months),

Yearly Work Permit Grant – Gainful Occupation Licence (GOL)

The yearly work permit Grants may be given for up to three years. However, processing a (Gainfully occupation license) GOL could take up to two months.

All accompanying dependents must be listed on the permission application, and those who are older than 18 must also submit a medical questionnaire, a divorce document (if applicable), and proof of their good standing with the police.

To get the full list of the documentation requirement and process to receive the Gainful Occupation License (GOL). visit the the AffinityCayman.com website.

Top Websites to Get a job in the Cayman Islands as Local

Below are some websites with legit vacancies for Caymanians;

Cayman Resident
Caribbean Jobs·
CML jobs
Caribbean jobs.
CML jobs.
Simply hired.

Top Websites to Find Jobs in Cayman for Foreigners

We understand that it is not easy to get a job in the Cayman Islands due to the large number of professionals who want to work in the country. Nevertheless, we have selected the best websites to source for Cayman jobs if you’re a foreigner;

SimplyHired
Wexpatjobs
Jooble
Indeed
LinkedIn
Wexpat.
Jooble.
GoAbroad.

Conclusion

The Cayman Islands is a nice place with a friendly economic policy for both job seekers and investors. Although they have a relatively small population, the country is endowed with opportunities. Locals are always at an advantage when it comes to recruitment. But, you should count yourself lucky if you get past their strict regulations and get a job as a foreigner. So, it is advisable to your employment letter before applying for a visa to the Cayman Islands.