Temporary Work Permits

An application for a Temporary Work Permit is made to the Chief Immigration Officer. Where the actual work is to be performed in Grand Cayman, the application must be submitted at the Department of Immigration Headquarters in George Town. Where the work will be undertaken in Cayman Brac or Little Cayman, the application must be submitted to the Department of Immigration at the Government Administration Building in Cayman Brac.

A Temporary Work Permit may be issued for periods of up to six months at the discretion of the Chief Immigration Officer and for all occupations. A Temporary Work Permit may not however be extended or renewed unless it was issued for a period of less than six months initially. If applying for an extension, a cover letter detailing why the extension is required in addition to the correct fees (temporary work permit fee and CI$70 application fee) and medical report if applicable.

Important note: a prospective employee may not normally be in the Cayman Islands when the application is submitted. The Chief Immigration Officer may only exercise his discretion to accept an application where the prospective worker is already in the Islands in exceptional circumstances. An applicant wishing to request the Chief Immigration Officer to exercise this discretion must provide a detailed justification for doing so in a letter covering the application.

How is an application made?

At the time of application an applicant, who can be either the employer or the employee, must submit:

• a fully completed application form
• the prescribed fee for the appropriate occupation or employment category 
• a non-refundable application fee of CI$70
• a police clearance certificate, unless one has been provided in the previous six months
• where the Temporary Work Permit is to be valid for more than three months, a fully completed medical questionnaire AND a lab report showing HIV/VDRL test results. Note: HIV/VDRL lab reports are not acceptable from Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua. Prospective workers from these countries will be required to re-take the HIV/VDRL tests once in the Cayman Islands.
• two photographs of the prospective employee, one full-face and one profile.
  • a. Print name and date of birth on the back of the photograph.
    b. The photograph must be in colour and taken within the past 12 months, full face (shoulders and above), with no head covering.
    c. The photograph must a have a white background.
    d. The photograph size should be between 45mm by 35mm (1.77 inches by 1.38 inches) and 63mm by 50mm (2.5 inches by 2 inches).
    e. The photograph should be unmounted and printed on normal photographic paper.
    f. The photograph resolution must be at least 800 dots per square inch. Blurred photographs will not be accepted.
    g. Stick-on labels will not be accepted.
• employers who operate construction, gardening/landscaping or janitorial businesses must complete Form A.
• For Temporary Work Permit Extensions please refer to the checklist.

What happens next?

If the application is approved, a letter will be sent to the applicant advising them of the decision and setting out the terms and conditions upon which the worker may work.

Important:the employee is not allowed to work for any employer or perform any other occupation than that or those listed in the Temporary Work Permit. Also, the permission of the employee to remain and work in the Cayman Islands ceases in the event that the Temporary Work Permit expires, is revoked, or if their employment is terminated.

If the application is refused, there is a right of appeal to the Work Permit Board.

Is it possible to have dependants included on a temporary work permit?

Yes. If a Temporary Work Permit is approved, any dependants listed on the application may, at the discretion of the Chief Immigration Officer, be included. It is also possible to apply during the currency of a Temporary Work Permit to add or remove dependants.

Is it possible to work for more than one employer on a temporary work permit?

If it is clear on the application that the Temporary Work Permit is to be shared by two or more employers, then this will be taken into account by the Chief Immigration Officer. It is also possible to apply for an amendment to the Temporary Work Permit during its currency to add or remove an employer.

If my employer has applied for a full work permit before the expiry of my temporary work permit may I continue to work whilst awaiting the outcome of the decision on the application?

Yes. Provided the employer applied for the grant of the full work permit before the expiry of the Temporary Work Permit you may continue to work for the same employer on the same terms and conditions until the outcome of the application (and any subsequent appeal to the Immigration Appeals Tribunal) is known. But if the application for the full work permit is submitted after the expiry of the Temporary Work Permit then you may not continue to work whilst awaiting the outcome of the application. As soon as the Temporary Work Permit expires you must report to the Department of Immigration Headquarters to request permission to remain as a visitor.

Last Updated: 2010-03-17