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Hiring a Domestic Helper through an Agency
Expect to pay CI$16 per hour for a minimum of four hours if hired on a full-day or half-day regular, weekly basis. On a temporary basis, allow CI$18 or more per hour and some charge a transportation fee of CI$6 per day. The convenience of using an agency is that they train the staff, pay their health insurance and pension, and will replace them if they cannot work for any reason. Many agencies also run an employee bus service and will drop them off and pick them up.
Hiring a Domestic Helper Directly
A domestic helper is primarily employed to clean the house, prepare food and babysit the children. They would transport the children to activities, but they would not be expected to plan activities or get involved with doing homework.
The standard work week in the Cayman Islands is between 40 and 45 hours per week. It is anticipated that the minimum wage of CI$6 an hour will rise to CI$8.75 in the near future. Employers know that domestic helpers cannot live on CI$6 an hour. As of June 2024, the going rate to pay a full-time domestic helper has already risen to a minimum of CI$9 an hour. The Labour Act (2021 Revision) states that anyone being asked to work over 45 hours per week should get paid 1.5 times the hourly rate for additional hours. If the employee is a live-in helper, then their 'in kind' credit (accommodation and utilities, etc.) can only account for 25% of their salary. If this is not met, then the employee can call the confidential line at the Department of Labour and Pensions on (345) 945 3073.
At CI$8.75 an hour, working a 45-hour week, the domestic helper will take home CI$393.75 per week or CI$1,706.25 per month. Out of this, they have to pay their 50% contribution for basic health insurance (CI$80), then they have to pay rent, food, catch a bus to and from work and send home some money. Even with the raise in minimum wage, this is a very difficult salary to live on in the Cayman Islands.
If domestic helpers can also provide some nannying duties, then the pay is significantly better for a very good candidate. You can expect this person to be able to drive, cook for your children and help with cleaning the house, but they would not help with homework nor manage the logistics of a child's weekly afternoon activities. Expect to pay between CI$475 and CI$675 per week, before overtime, for a 45-hour week, plus a discretionary housing allowance of CI$300-CI$500 per month.
For part-time work or babysitting, and working over the 45 hours per week, everyone will expect to be paid CI$12-CI$18 an hour.
For non-agency helpers who you hire full time, you must take care of their health insurance and a good employer would not expect the employee to contribute towards it. You can hire domestic helpers by word of mouth or through local agencies such as AAA Caregivers or The Perfect Maid & Nanny Agency.
According to the Labour Act (2021 Revision), all employees are entitled to a minimum of two weeks' vacation (10 working days) for the first four years of employment, three weeks (or 15 working days) for years four to 10, and four weeks (20 days) if employed for over 10 years with the same family. You must also pay them double time for working any Public Holidays.
Unfortunately, by law, you do not have to contribute to a domestic worker's pension, although a good employer will. A good employer will also pay for one airline ticket home per year, if the employee lives nearby (e.g. Jamaica), or a ticket home every two years if they live further away (e.g. the Philippines). It is also good practice to provide a Christmas bonus of between two-weeks and a month’s salary.
Hiring a Professional Nanny
A professional nanny is expected to have a university degree and/or some form of formal early childhood care and education training. Their role is to focus on the children and not on general household chores. A professional nanny is usually paid CI$22-CI$25 per hour for a 45-hour week (starting at CI$4,000 per month). The overtime rate is negotiable but starts at CI$12 an hour. Most nannies would expect to work split shifts around the child's school day.
Typically, a nanny's job includes washing the children’s laundry, doing dishes, doing the household grocery shopping, preparing healthy dinners or homemade baby food, arranging activities, helping to organise and drive children to after-school activities, assisting with homework, supporting any homeschooling, and organising playdates. They would be expected to help develop a well-rounded, responsible child with a strong moral compass. You can find professional nannies through Minerva Cayman, a local agency that vets and recruits from overseas. If you are looking for a live-in au pair, visit www.greataupair.com. If you are looking for a Norland Nanny, see www.norland.ac.uk.
Most nannies would expect to be provided with a car to use seven days a week, a monthly fuel allowance of CI$80-CI$160 (depending on distances involved between the main household, school and certain activities), flights home (once a year, no matter the destination), four weeks' paid vacation, non-contributory health insurance, and to be paid their monthly salary whether the family are away on holiday or not. It is not unusual for a nanny to travel with the family on vacation and stay overnight as needed (but please check visa requirements for your nanny). For overnight stays, the going rate is a sleep fee of CI$10 per hour or CI$75 a night. It is then CI$12 per hour for the hours the children are awake outside of the nanny’s regular working hours.
Work Permit Rules for a Domestic Helper/Nanny
If you are an expat, then you cannot submit your domestic helper's or nanny's work permit paperwork until your own work permit has been approved. It is also illegal to have them pay for their own work permit. Helpers are not allowed to have dependants on their work permit, and the absolute maximum time they can stay on the Island is 10 years. You can take out a work permit for any nationality as long as you can demonstrate a genuine need.
The Department of Workforce Opportunities & Residency Cayman (WORC) does not usually grant expats a work permit for a domestic helper or a nanny unless they can show sufficient need, i.e. they have children who need looking after. In this case, you'll need to provide certified copies of the birth certificate of each child to be cared for and think carefully about the information you provide in your cover letter to support your application.
Note: a work permit for a Nanny needs to be advertised on the https://my.egov.ky/web/worc website, but a work permit for a domestic helper does not. The work permit for a Domestic Helper costs CI$150 per year, while the cost for a Certified Nanny is CI$550.
