cayman islands chamber of commerce immigration ...€¦ · cayman islands chamber of commerce...

Your Partners in Business and Community Success

Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce Immigration & Employment Survey 2008

Member business owners, chief executive officers, senior managers and human resources managers were invited to answer 31 questions in an online survey. The Chamber received 118 responses, of which 111 were deemed valid and truthful. Industry sectors represented in the survey included financial services, professional services, hospitality, merchant, construction/trades, utilities and real estate. 94% of responding businesses have applied for a temporary or full time work permit within the past year.

The main findings include:

• 66% of respondents either strongly disagree or disagree that the term limit policy is good for their business.

• 64% find international recruitment difficult due to the term limit policy.

• 32% are now out-sourcing positions to other jurisdictions.

• 16% of businesses surveyed have been forced to downsize due to term limit policy.

• 68% of respondents with Business Staffing Plans agree that the plan has been good for their business and have increased freedom to acquire the staff needed.

• 59% of respondents with Business Staffing Plans report that processing of the plan was efficient with 64% confirming that all requests were responded to positively.

• 71% of respondents agreed that a minimum wage should be introduced, an issue that the Chamber of Commerce has supported on several occasions for the past 10 years.

1


Construction/Trades:10%

Financial Services:31%

Hospitality:14%

Merchant:14%

Professional Services:27%

Real Estate:1% Utilities: 4%

What Industry Sector best describes your business activity:

Construction/Trades:11

Financial Services:34

Hospitality:16

Merchant:15

Professional Services:30

Real Estate:1

Utilities:4

2


CEO: 15%

H/R Manager: 13%

Manager: 23%

Owner: 49%

Position:

CEO: 17

H/R Manager: 14

Manager: 26

Owner: 54

3


No: 6%

Yes: 94%

My business has applied for a temporary or full time work permit in the past year:

No: 7

Yes: 104

4


0 Employees: 2%

1- 5 Employees: 26%

6-10 Employees: 11%

11-20 Employees :16%

21-50 Employees : 20%

51-100 Employees: 11%


151-500 Employees:9%

How many full time workers does your business employ?

0 Employees: 2

1- 5 Employees: 29

6-10 Employees: 12

11-20 Employees : 18

21-50 Employees : 22

51-100 Employees: 12



5


0 Employees: 7%

1- 5 Employees: 38%

6-10 Employees: 11%

11-20 Employees : 17%

21-50 Employees

:14%



151-500 Employees: 3% How many expatriates do you employ?

0 Employees: 8

1- 5 Employees: 42

6-10 Employees: 12

11-20 Employees :19

21-50 Employees :16

51-100 Employees: 7



6


Term Limit Policy66% of respondents strongly disagreed or disagreed that the term limit policy was good for their business, with 64% identifying one of the reasons being that the term limit policy is making international recruitment more difficult. Contrary to an aim of the term limit policy, 58% respondents indicated that it has not prompted their business to hire more Caymanians and 49% admitted that it has not influenced them to provide increased training and educational opportunities for Caymanians. However, 32% of respondents confirmed, that due to the term limit policy, they are now out-sourcing positions to other jurisdictions.

Several explanations were volunteered by the respondents for this with a recurring theme being a difficulty in retaining Caymanian staff, especially in industries requiring manual labour. Following that, 69% say the term limit policy has not caused their business to reduce their dependence on international labour.

According to the survey, the term limit policy has had an adverse effect on a minority of businesses with 16% of respondents forced to downsize. In addition, the effects of the term limit policy on long-term planning with respondents are divided fairly evenly, with 36% re-evaluating their position and 40% maintaining previous plans.

7


Strongly Agree: 9%

Agree:6%

Neutral: 19%

Disagree: 29%

Strongly Disagree: 37%

The term limit policy is good for my business.

Strongly Agree:10

Agree:7

Neutral:21

Disagree:32

Strongly Disagree:41

8


Strongly Agree: 6%

Agree:13%

Neutral: 32%Disagree: 29%


The term limit policy has prompted my business to take action to provide increased training and educational

opportunities for Caymanians.

Strongly Agree:7

Agree:14

Neutral:36

Disagree:32


9


Strongly Agree: 16%

Agree: 16%

Neutral: 26%

Disagree: 23%


The term limit policy has prompted my business to outsource positions to other jurisdictions.

Strongly Agree:18

Agree:18

Neutral:29

Disagree:25


10


Strongly Agree: 17%

Agree:19%

Neutral:24%

Disagree: 21%


The term limit policy has prompted my business to re-evaluate its long term plans in the Cayman Islands.

Strongly Agree:19

Agree:21

Neutral:27

Disagree:23


11


Strongly Agree: 42%

Agree: 24, 22%

Neutral:15, 14%

Disagree:15, 13%

Strongly Disagree:10, 9%

The term limit policy is making the recruitment of international staff more challenging.

Strongly Agree: 47

Agree: 24

Neutral:15

Disagree:15


12


Strongly Agree: 10%

Agree: 6%

Neutral: 24%

Disagree: 43%


The term limit policy has caused my business to downsize.

Strongly Agree:11

Agree: 7

Neutral:27

Disagree:48


13


Strongly Agree: 8%Agree: 7%

Neutral:27%

Disagree: 37%


The term limit policy has prompted my business to hire more Caymanians.

Strongly Agree:9

Agree: 8

Neutral:30

Disagree:41


14


Strongly Agree: 9%Agree: 5%

Neutral: 17%

Disagree: 37%


The term limit policy has caused my business to reduce our dependence on international labour.

Strongly Agree:10

Agree: 5

Neutral:19

Disagree:41


15


Strongly Agree: 16%

Agree: 16%

Neutral: 38%

Disagree: 18%


The term limit policy is being applied fairly across my industry sector.

Strongly Agree:18

Agree: 18

Neutral:42

Disagree:20


16


Business Staffing Plan42% of respondents are operating with a Business Staffing Plan. Some respondents have indicated that they have submitted their plan, but are still waiting on approval. Only respondents with a plan were asked to answer the questions regarding the Business Staffing Plan. 68% of respondents in this group strongly agreed or agreed that the Business Staffing Plan is good for their business. 50% attributed the plan to prompting their business to hire more Caymanians.

Most agreed that the plan has also allowed them the freedom to acquire the staff needed. 70% of the respondents have developed a long-term plan as a result of the Business Staffing Plan. With regards to processing of the Business Staffing Plan, i.e. responses to requests and receiving fair designations of “key employee” status, respondents replied favourably to all areas with 64% obtaining key employee status for a member of staff when requested.

17


No: 58%

Yes: 42%

My Business is operating with a Business Staffing Plan:

No: 64

Yes: 47

18


Strongly Agree: 53%

Agree: 15%

Neutral: 21%

Disagree:6%Strongly Disagree:

5%

The Business Staffing Plan is good for my business.

Strongly Agree:59

Agree: 17

Neutral:23

Disagree:7

Strongly Disagree:5

19


Strongly Agree: 47%

Agree: 3%

Neutral: 21%

Disagree: 20%


The Business Staffing plan has prompted my business to hire more Caymanians

Strongly Agree: 52

Agree: 4

Neutral:23

Disagree:22


20


Strongly Agree:54%

Agree: 16%

Neutral: 17%

Disagree: 10%


The Business Plan has prompted my business to develop a long term plan

Strongly Agree:60

Agree: 18

Neutral:19

Disagree:11

Strongly Disagree:3

21


Strongly Agree: 47%

Agree: 17%

Neutral:18%

Disagree: 7%


The Business Staffing Plan allows my business the freedom to acquire the staff that is required.

Strongly Agree:52

Agree: 19

Neutral:20

Disagree:8


22


Strongly Agree: 47%

Agree: 16%

Neutral:23%

Disagree:5%


The Business Staffing Plan Board treats my business fairly with its designation of key employees.

Strongly Agree:52

Agree: 18

Neutral:26

Disagree:5


23


Strongly Agree: 53%

Agree: 6%

Neutral: 22%

Disagree: 8%


The Business Staffing Plan Board processes my application within one month.

Strongly Agree:59

Agree: 7

Neutral:24

Disagree:9


24


Strongly Agree:50%

Agree: 14%

Neutral: 23%

Disagree: 6%


The Business Staffing Plan Board responds to my requests positively.

Strongly Agree:56

Agree: 15

Neutral:26

Disagree:6

Strongly Disagree:8

25


Strongly Agree:50%

Agree: 14%

Neutral:23%

Disagree: 5%


My business was able to obtain the key employees that we requested.

Strongly Agree:56

Agree: 16

Neutral:25

Disagree:5

Strongly Disagree:9

26


Employment BenefitsThe final part of the survey asked all respondents to weigh in on issues surrounding employment benefits. 49% of respondents disagreed that the standard work week should be reduced from 45 to 40 hours, with more than half of the remaining respondents staying entirely neutral on the subject. Most respondents agreed that employers should be allowed to contract out of overtime, and that the Labour Law should apply to everyone, including the civil service, not-for-profit organizations and churches.

94% were in agreement that every employer should keep basic employment records for at least three years. 71% of respondents agreed that a minimum wage should be introduced, an issue that the Chamber of Commerce has addressed and supported on several occasions for the past 10 years. A majority of respondents agreed that male employees should be entitled to paternity leave. No indication of whether the leave should be paid or unpaid was given. Almost half of the respondents disagreed with increasing severance pay from a maximum of one week for every year of employment. In relation to labour tribunals, 64% agreed that employers/employees should be entitled to costs on a decision and a majority of the respondents believed that all labour tribunals should be constituted

with a legal practitioner.

27


Strongly Agree:13%

Agree: 11%

Neutral:27%Disagree: 20%


The standard work week should be reduced from 45 to 40 hours.

Strongly Agree:14

Agree: 13

Neutral:30

Disagree:22


28


Strongly Agree: 45%

Agree: 26%

Neutral: 10%

Disagree: 11%

Strongly Disagree:8%

A national minimum wage should be introduced.

Strongly Agree:50

Agree: 29

Neutral:11

Disagree:12

Strongly Disagree:9

29


Strongly Agree: 35%

Agree: 25%

Neutral: 24%

Disagree: 11%


Employers should be allowed to contract out of overtime.

Strongly Agree: 39

Agree: 28

Neutral:27

Disagree:12

Strongly Disagree:5

30


Strongly Agree:56%

Agree: 18%

Neutral:17%

Disagree: 6% Strongly Disagree:3%

The Labour Law should apply to the civil service, not-for-profit organizations and churches.

Strongly Agree:62

Agree: 20

Neutral:19

Disagree:7

Strongly Disagree:3

31


Strongly Agree: 64%

Agree: 27%

Neutral:3% Disagree:5%


Every employer should keep basic employment records for at least three years.

Strongly Agree: 71

Agree: 30

Neutral:3

Disagree:6

Strongly Disagree:1

32


Strongly Agree:37%

Agree: 23%

Neutral:18%

Disagree: 14%


Male employees should be entitled to paternity leave.

Strongly Agree:41

Agree: 26

Neutral:20

Disagree:15

Strongly Disagree:9

33


Strongly Agree: 20%

Agree: 16%

Neutral:16%

Disagree: 27%


Severance pay should be increased from maximum of one week for every year of employment.

Strongly Agree:22

Agree: 18

Neutral:18

Disagree:30


34


Strongly Agree: 37%

Agree: 27%

Neutral: 28%

Disagree: 7%Strongly

Disagree: 1%

Employers/employees should be entitled to costs on a decision from a Labour tribunal.

Strongly Agree:41

Agree: 30

Neutral:31

Disagree:8

Strongly Disagree:1

35


Strongly Agree:51%

Agree: 32%

Neutral:15%

Disagree: 2%

Labour tribunals should be constituted with a legal practitioner.

Strongly Agree:57

Agree: 35

Neutral:17

Disagree:2

36

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