Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Jan 15, 2025

Should expats be made to leave BVI after 2 years?

Should expats be made to leave BVI after 2 years?

Radio commentator Julian Gordon has suggested that expatriates should be asked to leave the BVI after working in the territory for two years.
According to Gordon, this will help to address the immigration challenges that are currently being faced in the territory and it is an approach that is already being taken in other UK Overseas Territories.

The outspoken commentator claimed that when the labour code was being reviewed previously, expatriates pressured someone on the review panel to remove a clause that once allowed for an understudy provision in the code. That provision reportedly allowed locals to shadow skilled persons coming into the territory to work.

“The same situation we have with the labour and immigration issue and status right now was supposed to be contained and controlled by that provision in the code,“ Gordon argued on the Hot Seat radio show last evening, May 10.

Gordon said he felt this helped to “destroy the system“.

“Cayman [Islands] and all of them have a provision — you come in for two years and you go back out. If you want to renew (your work permit), you can get a renewal, but you leave the country and come back,” Gordon stated.

He continued: “We sit down here and allow disaster to happen in our country.”

A pack of jokers

Meanwhile, Gordon’s co-host, former legislator Walwyn Brewley, agreed with his suggestion, contending that the BVI has “a pack of jokers” for lawmakers.

Brewley, while making reference to an error discovered during an audit of the Fast Track immigration programme executed under the Andrew Fahie administration, said lawmakers went to the House of Assembly to ratify a broken law.

The error forced lawmakers to return to the HOA, after it was dissolved, and regularise the status of some 688 persons that had been granted Belongership status, without following the correct procedure.

“Then, to compound that disaster, the set of jokers that we have as a government went and they give them two statuses,” Brewley said. “They gave them residency and Belonger status at the same time when they know they were breaking the law.”

What happens in Cayman

According to the Cayman Islands Immigration (Transition) Act, 2021, full-time work permits are typically issued for up to three-year periods. However, the maximum time that an individual can reside in the Cayman Islands on a work permit is five years.

While domestic helpers, teachers, doctors, nurses and ministers of religion may be granted a work permit for a period of up to 5 years, workers who are considered temporary or seasonal are issued permits for one year. Temporary work permits are typically three or six months in length.

Once an employee reaches the maximum time, they can either apply for permanent residency or get “rolled over.” Rollover requires the individual to leave the country for a period of 12 months.

They are, however, still entitled to visit throughout this period for vacations. At the end of the one year, they can apply for a new job in the Cayman Islands.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
France Urges EU to Act on Musk's Political Influence as Tensions Rise
Former Special Forces Blast Defense Ministry for Revealing Sensitive Details
Celebrity Responses to California Wildfires: Charity, Criticism, and Controversy
The Wildfires of Los Angeles: A Devastating Impact on Celebrities and California's Leadership
Tragic Loss: Teenager's Death Sparks Community Reflection in Bedford and London
UK Government Proposes Cap on Resale Ticket Prices to Combat Touts
Greenland's Future Caught in Diplomatic Crossfire Between Trump and Europe
EU Prepared to Lead Support for Ukraine Amid US Uncertainty, Says Estonian Prime Minister
Brompton E-Bike Component Diverted to UK Military Drone Production, Causes Delays
Romanian Gang Convicted of Human Trafficking and Exploitation in Dundee
Persistent Cold Snap Grips the UK: Severe Frost and Snow Disrupt Daily Life
Germany Faces Alarming Rise in Homelessness, New Report Shows
China’s Appetite for Salmon: A Game Changer in Global Seafood Markets
Russian Bots Allegedly Amplified NATO Critic Prior to Croatian Election, Researchers Reveal
Armenia Considers EU Membership Referendum Amid Strained Ties with Russia
French Finance Minister Explores Pension Reform Compromise to Secure Budget Agreement
Armenia Considers EU Referendum Amid Growing Rift with Russia
New Wildfire Ignites in Los Angeles as Region Battles Devastating Blazes
The Espionage Unraveled: A Russian Spy Network's Intricacies in the UK
U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Trump's Bid to Delay Sentencing in Hush Money Case
UK Financial Markets Remain Calm Amid Rising Government Borrowing Costs
Stellantis Achieves UK Electric Vehicle Sales Mandate Amid Factory Closure
TikTok Faces Potential Ban in the United States Amid Security Concerns
Pound Plummets to 14-Month Low Amid Concerns Over UK Borrowing Costs
Tensions Rise Over Planned Pro-Palestinian March in London
Bomb Scare in Central London: Abandoned Car Sparks Panic Near Regent Street
Police Seek Suspect in Antisemitic Incident at Liverpool Street Station
Regulatory Reprimand for London Charity Over Fundraising for Israeli Soldier
The Duchess of Sussex Mourns Devastating Loss of Beloved Rescue Dog
From Chairman to Controversial Politician: Rupert Lowe's Journeys in Business and Politics
Metropolitan Police Halts Pro-Palestine March Near BBC Due to Proximity to Synagogue
Inside Warwick Hospital: A Glimpse into the NHS's Battle Against Winter Pressures
Chappell Roan: A Synth-Pop Sensation Emerges as BBC Sound Of 2025 Winner
Search Intensifies for Missing Aberdeen Sisters Eliza and Henrietta Huszti
Pioneering Drug Consumption Room Opens in Glasgow
Ryanair Initiates Legal Action Against Disruptive Passenger in Landmark Case
Former Brexit Negotiator Oliver Robbins Appointed Top Civil Servant at UK Foreign Office
British Hiker Found Deceased Amidst Dolomites Search: Investigation Underway
Pound Falls as UK Borrowing Costs Reach Financial Crisis Levels
Italian Journalist Cecilia Sala Released from Iranian Detention
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Faces Allegations of Childhood Sexual Abuse by Sister
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Denies Sister's Allegations of Sexual Abuse
UK Markets Under Pressure as Gilt Yields Surge
Arrest Made in Connection to Stabbing of Iranian Journalist in London
Arrest Made in Fatal Drive-By Shooting Outside London Church
Parliamentary Suspension Over Racist Remarks Highlights Tensions in UK Politics
Debate Intensifies Over Call for Child Abuse Inquiry Amidst Musk's Comments
Mark Zuckerberg's U-Turn: Moving Toward Free Speech on Facebook and Instagram, For a Change
Britain's authorities' support for pedophiles has gone insane
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has finally announced his resignation from a role he should never have held in the first place
×