Moving to the Cayman Islands



Moving to the Cayman Islands
2 mins readApr 4, 2018

If you’ve visited the beautiful Cayman Islands, you may have considered moving here to enjoy the tropical climate, stunning beauty, laid-back way of life and friendly people. These tips from Jacques Scott Wines & Spirits may help you decide.

Moving to the Cayman IslandsThe Cayman Islands are an overseas territory of the United Kingdom and encompass three islands – Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. The tax-free haven offers one of the highest standards of living in the Caribbean, but the immigration laws are strict.

Visas & Work Permits

If you’re planning to work in the Caymans, you will need a work permit unless you are married to or a dependent of a Caymanian citizen, a government employee, or plan to work in a non-profit or educational role. (There are a few other exceptions.) We recommend starting your job search at least three to four months ahead of your move.

Immigration typically requires that you be off-Island while applying for a Full Work Permit or Temporary Work Permit. Unless you already have a work permit in place, don’t book your flight until your permit has been approved or the Immigration Department may ask you to leave.

If you don’t plan to work on Grand Cayman, you can apply for a Residency Certificate if you have a continuous source of annual income and can maintain a minimum bank balance. You should be able to find answers to all of your questions at Cayman Islands Department of Immigration.

Things to Do

Once you’re a resident, you’ll probably spend most of your free time swimming, sailing or exploring the Island during the day. If you love sports, you’ll find football, cricket, basketball and rugby leagues to join. Grand Cayman also has a fairly good nightlife as a result of its many bars, restaurants, cinemas, shopping areas, and clubs.

You’ll find that Grand Cayman has everything you could possibly want, from champagne and caviar to furniture and clothing, but most things you buy on Island will cost more than they did at home. Food is taxed, alcohol is expensive, and anything that’s imported comes with a heavy price tag. Unless you’re moving from an expensive city like New York, you may discover that everything from groceries and electricity bills, to owning a car will cost significantly more.

When you need wine, beer and liquor, consider Jacques Scott Wines & Spirits. We are the leading retailer of premium wines, beers and spirits in the Cayman Islands and the exclusive distributor for many fine beer and liquor products as well as award-winning wines and champagnes from around the world.

Visit our five convenient liquor stores, or order from our online store and we’ll deliver free of charge to your home, office, vacation villa, resort hotel, or anywhere else in Grand Cayman from Monday through Saturday.

There are lots of details to take care of before moving to the Cayman Islands. Hopefully these tips from the knowledgeable locals at Jacques Scott Wines & Spirits have helped!