As your company grows, you may wish to hire individuals that don’t have citizenship in the Cayman Islands. If that’s the case, you’ll typically need to obtain work visas and permits before hiring. In the Cayman Islands, the only people who can work without a permit are citizens, permanent residents, refugees, and those who hold a Residency & Employment Rights Certificate. Learn more about the requirements for Cayman Islands work permits and visas.
Types of Cayman Islands work visas
Two general types of work permits are available in the Cayman Islands. If your company needs to hire people for six months or less, you can apply for a temporary work permit. Annual work permits are available for extended periods of employment. They can be renewed each year, although the maximum length an individual can work under a permit is nine years.
If your company wants to hire someone to work in the Cayman Islands for less than five days, you can apply for a BC5, or visitor’s work visa.
How to get a work visa in the Cayman Islands
How you obtain a Cayman Islands work visa depends on the type of permit you need. Employees or employers can apply for a temporary work permit, but only employers may apply for an annual permit. When applying for an annual work permit, companies must include:
- The application form
- A cover letter explaining why a particular employee needs to be hired
- Applicable fees
Before a company can apply for work permits, employers need to advertise their open positions in a local paper. Employers must include any responses they get from applicants with the visa application to demonstrate the need for an international hire.
The Cayman Islands has an English language requirement. If a potential work permit recipient’s native language isn’t English, they’ll need to take a test demonstrating their language proficiency.
Applicants who will work in the Cayman Islands for more than three months need to provide a medical questionnaire and undergo a medical examination when applying for the permit.
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