P R E PA R I N G T O M OV E
6
Moving to Cayman During COVID-19 During the pandemic, and in an effort to protect the health of Cayman citizens, there were significant restrictions placed on arrivals to the Cayman Islands. These worked well to keep the Cayman Islands free of COVID-19 and allowed residents to live normal lives when on-Island. In July 2021, the Cayman government outlined a five-phase reopening plan but at the time of going to print, the Government had put a pause on the re-opening plan until 2022 due to an outbreak of community transmission of COVID-19. Cayman had been expecting to move to phase five, in November 2021 which would have meant that fully vaccinated people and unvaccinated children under 12 years old would no longer need to quarantine on arrival in the Cayman Islands. Instead, for the remainder of 2021, quarantine for those vaccinated in Cayman or in the UK is seven days. Other travellers who have been vaccinated elsewhere will still be required to isolate for 10 days, and unvaccinated people must quarantine for 14 days. All travellers are required to wear a geotag device to ensure they do not breach quarantine rules. Throughout 2021, the Cayman Islands Airports Authority (CIAA) restricted flight volumes in order to manage the number of people entering the Islands. BA resumed its flights from London’s Heathrow Airport, via Nassau, three times a week in September 2021, however, aside from Cayman Airways, there were no other commercial airlines flying in and out of the Cayman Islands.
Email: info@cayluxe.com
consultations,
Offers exclusive Island tours and private
schooling and vehicle solutions, pet relocation,
transportation services in a Mercedes minivan.
shipping services, and more. SEE AD OPPOSITE PAGE
Island Air
Time Zones While the US employs daylight savings, the Cayman Islands, being nearer to the equator, has relatively equal periods of day and night year-round. There’s really only about an hour difference in daylight between 20th June and 20th December, so Cayman keeps the same time all year (-5 hours Coordinated Universal Time). This means the Islands share Eastern Standard Time (EST = -5 UTC) with Miami and New York from November to March. However, when the US switches to daylight savings time in March, Cayman then shares Central Daylight Time (CDT = -6 UTC) with Chicago and Houston.
Tel: (345) 949 5252 An aviation service for private and chartered aircraft including ground handling and a refuelling service. Websters Tours Tel: (345) 945 1433 or www.websters.ky Offers full airport arrival and departure services as well as on-Island transfers and Island tours.
Relocation Services It is often useful to enlist the help of a relocation consultant. ‘Destination Services’, as it has come to be known, offers private and corporate clients unbiased assistance and invaluable insight into Island life.
home
services,
Tel: (345) 928 7940
Before Signing Your Contract When planning your move to the Cayman Islands, you will need to know what to expect in terms of the cost and standard of living, as they may be very different from what you’re used to. Bear in mind that the cost of living in Cayman is high (see the ‘Cost of Living’ tables later in this chapter). Unless you are moving from an expensive city such as London or New York, you may discover that everything from groceries and electricity bills to maintaining a car and schooling your children will cost significantly more. In August 2021, Expatistan listed the Cayman Islands as the most expensive country in the world to live. Visit www. expatistan.com for more information. The process of moving can be very costly. Before signing, find out what your employer will do to absorb or mitigate certain costs. Here are some questions that you may want to ask your new employer before you accept a job offer:
Email: relocation@mosaiccayman.com
1) Cost of Shipping
Blue Point Consultants Ltd. Tel: (345) 525 0706 Email: info@bluepointproperty.com www.bluepointproperty.com They offer an employee relocation programme which focuses on finding a suitable property for the new resident, whether it be a rental or for purchase. Guided advice on location as well as information on key amenities, shopping, recreation, social groups, sports clubs, medical and banking facilities, vehicle purchasing and hire, typical living conditions and any special concerns. They are part of a global network of destination service providers, have 25 years living and working in Cayman, as well as fully qualified RICS surveyors so can offer experienced and professional advice on all
Special Services To ensure a stress-free arrival and departure to and from the Island, there are a few reliable companies that offer special services to help you. Taxis are readily available on arrival at the airport and you can find out more information on fares in the Transport chapter.
extensive
property and relocation matters. Mosaic Cayman George Town
Will the company
www.mosaiccayman.com
contribute towards transporting your
Their experienced staff provide personal and
personal items to Cayman?
tailored assistance for individuals and families
2) Accommodation & Renting a Car Will the
Cayman Luxury Excursions
relocating to and from the Cayman Islands.
company provide you with a place to live
Tel: (345) 326 2018
Relocation
and a rental car for your first month on the
92
CAYMANRESIDENT 2022
»
packages
include
pre-arrival
