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Work Permits

This section has information to help you if you want to find out more about applying for a work permit.

Anyone wishing to work in the Cayman Islands must first obtain a work permit, unless they are exempt.  Please review the complete list of Exemptions for persons who do not require a work permit.

The following persons are exempt from the requirement to pay work permit fees:

  1. Spouse of a Caymanian
  2. Surviving spouse of a Caymanian who has not remarried a non-Caymanian
  3. Contracted Government employees
  4. Exempt Cubans
  5. Cayman Islands Monetary Authority employees
  6. Persons working for a non-profit cultural, educational or charitable body

In addition to being exempt from the requirement to pay work permit fees the following persons are exempt from the requirement to pay non-refundable repatriation fees or work permit dependant fees:

  1. Teachers (licensed by the Cayman Islands Education Council)
  2. Ministers of Religion
  3. Cayman Islands Monetary Authority employees
  4. Contracted Government employees

 Categories of Work Permit

A work permit may be issued for any occupation for periods of up to six months (Temporary Work Permit), or longer (Annual Work Permit). Temporary work permits are issued by the Chief Immigration Officer; annual work permits are issued by either Chief Immigration Officer (or Work Permit Administrators designated by him), the Work Permit Board or the Business Staffing Plan Board depending on whether the employer in question is required to possess a Business Staffing Plan. For further information on Business Staffing Plans, click here. The maximum period that a person may remain in the Cayman Islands on a work permit is nine years. 

For information on the requirements for applying for a Temporary Work Permit and to download an application form, click here.

For information on the requirements for applying for the grant of an Annual Work Permit and to download application forms, click here.

For information on the renewal of an Annual Work Permit click here

Language Requirements

If a prospective employee is not a national of an English speaking country and they are already in the Cayman Islands they will be required to come to the Department of Immigration Headquarters to take an English test. Where such an employee is not yet in the Cayman Islands they will be required to take an English test upon arrival at the airport. If they are found not to possess a sufficient knowledge of the English language, they will be refused entry or, if they are resident here, may have their permission to remain or work permit revoked. For further information on the English language test, click here.

 Medical Requirements

Where the person concerned will be working in the Cayman Islands for more than three months they will be required to undertake a medical examination (including HIV/VDRL tests) and submit a medical questionnaire at the time of applying for a work permit.

  1. Medical examinations are required with the initial work permit application. The Medical examinations are valid for three (3) years
  2. Laboratory tests have to be repeated with each medical examination. The Laboratory Reports are valid for six (6) months
  3. Chest X-rays are required with the initial work permit application. Chest Xrays are valid for five (5) years
  4. Laboratory Reports have to be attached for HIV and VDRL tests
  5. Medical practitioners are advised to perform any tests that might be desirable depending on the disease prevalence in the respective countries
  6. The Medical Examinations Form must be signed and stamped or sealed by Physician
  7. The Laboratory Report must be signed and stamped or sealed by Lab Technician or Physician
  8. Immigration reserves the right to require additional medical examinations at any time

 To download the medical questionnaire, click here

Amending Work Permits

Work permits can be amended to add or remove dependants, share the permit with another employer, change job titles or alter the commencement date. Click here for more details.

Children that are born in the Cayman Islands and are not Caymanian at birth are required to report to the Department of Immigration as soon as practicable in order to have their status in the Islands regularized.

The Immigration Law (R) Section 67 (7) states:  In the case of any child born in the Islands in such circumstances that it does not acquire the right to be Caymanian at birth, such child shall be reported to the Chief Immigration Officer as soon as practicable (30 days) and shall thereafter be subject to immigration control in a manner appropriate in all the circumstances and having regards to the immigration status of the parents or, in the case of a child born outside of wedlock, of the mother.

Parents must provide the following

  • Work permit amendment form (AMD2/AMD2B) or Residency variation form (RV30)
  • a passport or an original Cayman birth certificate
  • complete an extension form (BC10)

The Officer at the “Counter Extension” will land and condition the child accordingly and give ample authorization for the amendment to be reviewed. You will be provided with an Embarkation / Disembarkation card as a substitute for a travel document that will be endorsed until same has been obtained.

 Documents in a Foreign Language

A notarized English translation is required for all documents where the originals are presented in a foreign language.  Please note that all translations completed by these individuals should bear their signature of the translation and not a general cover letter from the submitting agency or company.  Approved local translators are:

  1. Baraud International Recruitment & Consultants:  Translations by Bernd Kleinworth  (German, Italian, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch)
  2. Baraud International Recruitment and Steppingstones Recruitment:  Translations by Ninfa Arellano-Smith  (Spanish)
  3. Curtis and Methais Barnett  (Spanish, French, German)
  4. Patrick Bennett (Honduras)  (Spanish)


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