Permanent Residence : Cayman Islands Immigration

Organization : Department of Immigration
Type of Facility : Permanent Residence
Country: Cayman Islands

Website : https://www.gov.ky/immigration

Permanent Residence:

Eligibility:
Any person who has been legally and ordinarily resident in the Cayman Islands for a period of at least eight years, but not more than nine years*, other than the holder of a:
** Residency Certificate for Persons of Independent Means;
** Residency Certificate for Retirees;

Related : Cayman Islands Immigration Annual Work Permit Renewal : www.statusin.org/9732.html

** the holder of a Certificate of Direct Investment or a Direct Investment Holder’s (Dependant’s) Certificate;
** Residency Holders (Dependant’s) Certificate;
** Certificate of Permanent Residence for persons of Independent Means;
** a person who was granted permanent residence previously in circumstances analogous to (i) and (ii) above

may apply to the Chief Immigration Officer / Caymanian Status & Permanent Residency Board for permission for himself, his spouse and his dependants, if any, to reside permanently in the Cayman Islands.

*Where on 25 October, 2013, a person has already been resident in the Cayman Islands in excess of nine years, he must apply for permanent residence within 90 days of that date.

How Much Does it Cost to Make an Application?:
At the time of making an application the applicant must pay a non-refundable filing fee of CI$1,000.00, an issue fee (based on annual earnings (see below)) , dependant(s) fees (CI$400 per dependant) and the annual fee in respect to the first year (equivalent to the annual fee payable by a work permit holder in the same occupation).

It should be noted that neither the Board, nor the Chief Immigration Officer, has any power in law to entertain an application for Permanent Residence where the prescribed fees have not been submitted.

Issue Fees:
$0.00 to $20,000 per annum $500
Between $20,001 and $40,000 per annum $1,250
Between $40,001 and $60,000 per annum $2,500
Between $60,001 and $80,000 per annum $3,750
Between $80,001 and $100,000 per annum $5,000
Between $100,001 and $150,000 per annum $9,000
$150,000 and above per annum $12,500

Annual Fees :
A Permanent Resident (other than the spouse of a Caymanian, the surviving spouse of a Caymanian who has not remarried a non-Caymanian, a contracted Government employee, a Cuban national who has been exempted from work permit requirements, an employee of the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority or a person working for a non-profit cultural, educational or charitable body) must pay an annual fee equivalent to that payable by a person authorized by a work permit to engage in the same occupation. The fee may be paid either by the Permanent Resident himself or his employer and is payable whether the person is employed or not.

Note: Where more than one occupation is applied for the annual fee payable is the equivalent to whichever occupation attracts the higher fee.

Variation of Residency & Employment Rights Certificate (RERC) to change Occupation:
Where a Certificate is varied to change occupation and the new occupation attracts a higher annual fee, the fee payable until the following anniversary date is the difference between what was payable for the former occupation and that of the new occupation. Thereafter, the fee payable is the fee for the new occupation.

Refusal of Application for Permanent Residence:
In the event that an application for Permanent Residence is refused, all fees submitted withe application, other than the application fee, will be refunded to the Applicant.

How an Application for Permanent Residence is Assessed:
Applications are assessed by reference to a points system. Points are awarded in relation to nine factors. Points may also be deducted where the applicant has a criminal conviction, has been fined administratively for a statutory offence, public health grounds or where other mitigating factors exist. To be approved, an application must score one hundred and ten out of a possible two hundred and fifteen points.

The nine factors are:
** Occupation;
** Education, Experience, and Training;
** Local Investments;
** Financial Stability;
** Community Minded/Integration into the Caymanian Community;
** Knowledge of Cayman Islands History and Culture*;
** Possessing Close Caymanian Connection;
** Demographic and Cultural Diversity;
** Age Distribution;
** Deductible Component

The questions on the History and Culture test have been taken from the following sources:
Founded Upon the Seas:
A History of the Cayman Islands and Their People (Michael Craton)
** The Cayman Islands in Transition (J.A. Bodden; Roy Bodden)
** Foundation – The Arts and Culture of the Cayman Islands Volumes 1-4 (Cayman National Cultural Foundation)

Caymanian Expressions:
A Collection of Sayings and Expressions Used in the Cayman Islands (Kevin M. Goring)
** Media
** Community and Cultural Events

As a Permanent Resident, what are my entitlements?:
When an application for permanent residence is approved, the Chief Immigration Officer or the Caymanian Status & Permanent Residency Board will issue the applicant a Residency and Employment Rights Certificate which entitles him or her
** to accept employment from any employer of his choice; and
** to have reside with him any dependants who were listed in his permanent residence application and who were approved by the Chief Immigration Officer or the Caymanian Status & Permanent Residency Board. The Certificate may also be varied subsequently to add or remove dependants or to change an occupation.

N.B.: The holder is restricted to working within the particular occupation or occupations specified by the Chief Immigration Officer or the Board. (These will normally be those specified by the applicant on the application form).