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Booking the Services of a Domestic Helper via an Agency
Expect to pay CI$16 per hour for a minimum of four hours if hired on a regular, weekly basis. On an adhoc temporary basis, allow CI$18 or more per hour and some charge a transportation fee of CI$6 per day. The convenience of engaging an agency is that you are not the employer so you don’t manage work permits, health insurance, pension and ongoing obligations. The downside is that you are not guaranteed services by the same person each week and you may not be able to book additional services as and when you need to schedule them. You also do not know how well the individuals are paid.
Employing a Domestic Helper
The standard work week in the Cayman Islands is 45 hours. This is usually spread over five days (nine hours per day) or six days (7.5 hours per day). Employees cannot work more than nine hours a day or 45 hours a week without being paid overtime at 1.5 times their regular hourly rate, and they must receive one full 24-hour day off each week. Overtime at 2 times their regular hourly rate must be paid for any work performed on public holidays.
While the legal minimum wage is CI$6 per hour, this is widely considered too low to live on. As of May 2025, most full-time domestic helpers are paid CI$10+ per hour. For live-in helpers you may deduct up to a maximum of 25% of their salary to reflect benefits 'in kind' such as accommodation and utilities. If the minimum hourly wage is not met or the deduction for benefits 'in kind' exceeds 25%, the employee can call the Department of Labour and Pensions at (345) 945 3073.
Live-in helpers typically earn CI$1,200-$1,800 per month, with higher salaries for those who can also drive and cook. Live-out helpers generally earn CI$1,800-$2,300 per month. Employers usually cover 100% of their basic health insurance and often provide a phone allowance to make sure that they are always contactable.
Helpers who also take on some childcare duties, such as driving children and cooking for them, should earn more. Expect to pay CI$2,050-$2,850 per month, plus allowances such as fuel if a personal car is provided.
To simplify the hiring process, some families choose to work with recruitment agencies such as Minerva Cayman, who will vet candidates from abroad (and locally where possible), coordinate interviews, draft contracts, apply for work permits, organise their relocation and even offer training and onboarding support.
Whether hiring directly or through an agency, it is important to understand your responsibilities. All employees are entitled to a minimum of two weeks’ vacation (10 working days) during the first four years of employment, three weeks (15 working days) between years four and 10, and four weeks (20 working days) once employed for over ten years with the same family. While pension contributions are not required by law for domestic helpers, it is considered best practice to offer one (pension contributions are required for nannies). A good employer will also provide one return flight home each year if the employee is from a nearby country (e.g. Jamaica), or every two years if they are from farther away (e.g. the Philippines), along with a Christmas bonus equivalent to two weeks to one month’s salary.
Employing a Professional Nanny
Professional nannies in the Cayman Islands are typically highly qualified individuals with a university degree and/or formal early childhood education training. Their role is centred entirely around childcare, with minimal involvement in general household chores. Nannies are generally paid CI$21-$25 per hour, based on a 45-hour work week, starting at around CI$4,000 per month. Legally, any hours worked in excess of nine hours per day or 45 hours per week must be compensated at time-and-a-half.
Work schedules are usually split to accommodate the child’s school routine. Key responsibilities can include managing the children’s laundry, washing dishes, doing grocery shopping, preparing nutritious meals or homemade baby food, coordinating activities, transporting children to after-school commitments, assisting with homework or homeschooling, and organising playdates. The goal is to support the child’s development into a well-rounded, responsible individual.
If you're looking for a live-in au pair, visit www.greataupair.com. If you're looking for an experienced Norland Nanny, expect to pay upwards of CI$7,000 per month—see www.norland.ac.uk. For a trusted local agency that recruits and vets experienced nannies and any other domestic staff, visit www.minervacayman.com.
Most nannies would expect to be provided with a car to use seven days a week, a monthly fuel allowance of CI$80-$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 and non-contributory health insurance. Nannies should also be paid whether the family is 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 you should check visa requirements for your nanny ahead of travelling. In this case an ‘Away from Home’ allowance of CI$45 is paid in addition to the regular salary. For overnight stays, when the parents are away, the rate is usually done by personal arrangement, but we have been quoted CI$45-$75 a night.
Work Permit Rules for a Domestic Helper/Nanny
If you are an expat, you cannot submit your domestic helper's or nanny's work permit paperwork until your own work permit has been approved. Also, it is illegal to have your employees 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.
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. You'll need to provide certified copies of the birth certificate of your child(ren) and think carefully about the information you provide in your cover letter for your application. Note: a work permit for a nanny needs to be advertised on the 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.
