(CMR) As of 11 March, the Cayman Islands has a record 36,972 work permit holders, an increase of 1,529 new permits since the start of the year, a freedom of information request made by a local law firm has revealed.
According to a Cayman News Service report, the FOI request by local attorneys HSM also revealed that 15,439 of the permit holders are Jamaican workers, the largest group of WP holders at 42% of the total. The Filipinos, with 6,219, the British, with 2,051, and Indians, with 2,032, are next.
HSM also revealed that there are currently 6,086 permanent residents in the Cayman Islands, with the largest groups of nationalities being Jamaicans, British Overseas Territory citizens, British citizens, Canadians, and Americans, CNS reported
The report stated that the growing population has led to an increase in the number of applications for permanent residency and Caymanian status.
According to the Labour Force Survey Report Spring 2023, the mid-year population of the Cayman Islands was estimated at 83,671 for the period ending June 2023. Between 2022 and 2023, the non-Caymanian population grew by 4,939, from 33,373 to 38,312.
A total of 21,615 Caymanians constituted 37.7 percent of the employed labor force. The employment counts for Non-Caymanians and PR-WRW were estimated at 31,749 and 3,902, respectively.
Last year, newly appointed Premier Julianna O'Connor Connolly promised that immigration reform would be a priority of her administration.
Speaking during the opening of Parliament O'Connor-Connolly said sensible immigration reform was needed in the Cayman Islands.
She said, “While we accept that foreign labor will be required to maintain our economy, we also do not accept that everyone who upon arrival should be on automatic pathway to citizenship.
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