Cayman Islands: Proposed Immigration Fee Changes

by Juliette Gilbert on March 26, 2026

A breakdown of proposed fee increases, annual obligations, and their implications for employers and residents in the Cayman Islands.

Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and reflects proposals as at the date above. It is not legal advice. Please contact your CML representative for up to date information as this situation progresses and changes come into effect.

Status: These changes were issued for public consultation and have not yet been finalised. If progressed, they may come into effect as early as 01 May, alongside related legislative amendments. While subject to change, the proposals represent a material increase in cost and administrative requirements—particularly for employers with staff who have dependants or who are approaching key residency milestones.

At a glance: Overall, the proposed changes would significantly increase government immigration costs and introduce new ongoing annual obligations, particularly for dependants of permanent residence (PR) holders and work permit holders.

What's Changing:

Filing and approval fees are increasing across most categories
New annual filing fees are being introduced (especially for dependants)
Costs now vary depending on work permit fee
There will be more ongoing tracking and administration required
There are no changes to annual work permit fees apart from proposed increase of SEZ permit fee to CI$8,100 from CI$1,230

Key Categories

Below is a high-level breakdown of where the proposals may affect costs, including notable increases and newly introduced annual fees.

Right to be Caymanian
Cabinet grants increasing from CI$1,000 to CI$10,000
Naturalisation increasing from CI$1,000 to CI$5,000
Marriage/civil partnership increasing (grant to CI$2,000 and application to CI$500)
Continuation applications increasing to CI$1,000
Descent applications are now free
Points-based permanent residence
Application fees now depend on work permit fee:

Less than CI$2,100: CI$1,500
CI$2,101–10,400: CI$2,500
CI$10,400: CI$5,000

New annual dependant fees apply

Less than CI$2,100: CI$350 per dependant
CI$2,101–10,400: CI$525 per dependant
CI$10,400: CI$750 per dependant

Dependants are now an ongoing annual cost (not just a one-time fee)
Investment Residency (Property and Business routes)
Main government fees increasing from CI$100,000 to CI$200,000
Dependant grant fee increasing to CI$3,000 each
New annual dependant fee of CI$3,000 per dependant
Business / Investment Certificates
Direct investment certificate increasing from CI$20,000 to CI$50,000
Residency certificate (SBP) increasing from CI$5,000 to CI$12,500
Dependant grant fee increasing to CI$3,000
Annual dependant fee of CI$3,000 per dependant
New annual declaration filing fees
Points-Based PR: CI$250 per year
Spouses of Caymanians (RERC): CI$100 per year
Independent means / 25-year certificates: CI$500 per year
Business Visitor Permit
Business visitor permit filing fee increasing from CI$50 to CI$500
Work permit filing fees (now tiered based on work permit fee)
Work permit fee

Less than CI$2,100: CI$150
CI$2,101–10,400: CI$250
CI$10,400: CI$500

Who is affected
The proposed changes include new annual dependant costs and additional filing fees that may apply across the following permit types:

Temporary Work Permits
Full Work Permits
Permission to Continue Working
Dependants on work permits and PR points based system (annual fees)
Work permit fee

Less than CI$2,100: CI$350 per dependant
CI$2,101–10,400: CI$525 per dependant
CI$10,400: CI$750 per dependant

Salary requirements to add dependants to work permit:

For 1 dependant: minimum salary CI$5,000 per month (CI$60,000 per year)
For each additional dependant: add CI$1,000 per month per dependant

What this means in practice:

Costs will increase, especially for families and senior employees
Dependants will now create ongoing yearly costs, not just one-time fees
More calculations are required due to the tiered structure
There is a higher risk of delays if incorrect fee bands are used

Stay in the Know

For the most current updates on these proposed changes, please contact your CML representative directly. If you are not already a client, we invite you to reach out — our team is here to help you navigate these evolving regulations and support your needs every step of the way.

LEARN MORE

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