Today in Parliament, Hon. Michael Myles, MP, Minister for Caymanian Employment and Immigration expressed an intention for the Government to make changes to the advertising requirements associated with work permit applications, following feedback from employers, job seekers and other stakeholders.
The Minister contemplates that, under the proposed changes, employers would continue to be required to advertise vacancies on the WORC Jobs Portal for at least 21 days before submitting a work permit application. However, employers would no longer be required to advertise vacancies in a local newspaper.
Minister for Caymanian Employment and Immigration, Hon. Michael Myles, stated: “The objective remains to ensure that Caymanians have meaningful access to employment opportunities, while creating a system that is efficient, transparent and works well for both job seekers and employers. This proposed change is about making the advertising process simpler and more practical, while still ensuring Caymanians have a fair opportunity to see and apply for available jobs.”
Part of the proposal to Caucus and Cabinet is whether to contemplate an introduction of a modest fee for advertisements placed on the WORC Jobs Portal and the revenue generated from this fee would support the operation of the Portal. The Government will also assume publishing a weekly list of consolidated job vacancies in a local newspaper to allow job opportunities to remain available both online and in print. However, these proposed changes are subject to approval of Caucus and Cabinet next week.
Workforce Opportunities & Residency Cayman (WORC) will continue to support job seekers who may need assistance accessing vacancies online, including through in-person support with visits to the districts. The Ministry of Caymanian Employment and Immigration will continue engaging with employers, Caymanian job seekers and other stakeholders as the proposed changes are developed and implemented.