Global coverage
Available in +150 countries
Employer costs, taxes, minimum wage and leave rules for hiring here, plus the faster route: hire a contractor with Ontop, no local entity needed.
2026
Currency
KYD CI$ (Cayman Islands Dollar)
Employer contributions
~5% employer pension + employer health contribution (~50% of premium)
Minimum wage
No statutory minimum wage
Payment frequency
Monthly
Calendar year (Jan 1 - Dec 31)
Capital
George Town
Timezone
EST (GMT-5)
Employee or contractor
If the work is project-based or you need to move fast, a contractor gets you the same talent with a fraction of the paperwork.
Employee
~KYD 7,350 total
/month
For a gross salary of
KYD 7,000 gross/month
Setup
Local entity or employer of record, plus tax and social security registration
Employer contributions
~5% employer pension + employer health contribution (~50% of premium)
Mandatory extras
Annual Bonus
Monthly admin
Monthly payroll - pension by month-end - CINICO health contributions - no tax filings
Contractor with Ontop
No local entity
$49
/contractor/month
The agreed rate, plus Ontop from $49 per contractor per month.
Sign a contract, yours or an Ontop template. No local registration on your side.
No employer contributions: the contractor handles their own taxes and social security.
One payment per invoice, in one payroll run.
Paid into their Ontop Global Account in USD.
See the full side-by-side comparison
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A contractor's rate usually covers their own taxes, so compare total cost, not just gross pay. Run your numbers in the contractor vs employee calculator.
Hiring here: the full breakdown
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Payroll guide
Employer costs come on top of gross pay. Use these figures to budget a hire and to compare it with a contractor rate.
Total monthly cost
~KYD 7,350 total
Example gross salary
KYD 7,000 gross/month
~KYD 6,300 net (no income tax)
Net pay to the employee
Tax and employee contributions
Withheld from gross pay
~KYD 350 pension
Employer contributions on that salary
Employer contributions
~5% employer pension + employer health contribution (~50% of premium)
Employee contributions
~5% employee pension + ~50% health premium + no income tax
Total cost above gross
~5.5% above gross (Pension)
Figures are estimates for planning. Rates change with each budget and can vary by sector, so confirm them before you make an offer.
What people earn here, from the legal floor to the main cities, plus the extra pay most employers budget for.
National average
~KYD 4,000
Per month
George Town
KYD 5,000 - 20,000
~40%
West Bay
KYD 4,000 - 15,000
~10%
Monthly gross. National average salary per year:
~KYD 48,000
Minimum wage
No statutory minimum wage
Paid:
No statutory minimum
Extra pay
Annual Bonus
Discretionary
December
Collective agreements can set sector minimums above the national one. Check whether one applies to the role before you set the salary. Next step: estimate the full cost of an employee.
Who collects what, how often, and what happens when a payment is late.
Income tax brackets
No income tax
Tax year:
Calendar year (Jan 1 - Dec 31)
Filing calendar
Monthly pension by last day
Social security payments
Not applicable (no income tax)
Income tax
Not applicable
Employee tax certificate
Not applicable (no income tax)
Not applicable
Annual return
Not required (no income tax)
Late payment penalties
Late pension: 5.5% annual penalty + CI 1,000 fine; CINICO late: penalty per Act
Who collects what
National Pensions Office (NPO)
Pension compliance
CINICO / Health Insurance Commission
Health insurance compliance
Department of Labour and Pensions
Labour law
The time off and paid leave every employee is entitled to by law. Budget for it when you compare an employee with a contractor.
Annual leave
Annual Leave
10 working days/year (after 12 months)
Public holidays
~13 public holidays
Sick leave
Sick Leave
Full pay: 10 days/year
Maternity leave
12 weeks (84 days) maternity
Employer-funded per company policy
The contracts you can use, and what ending an employment relationship costs.
Permanent
Contract of Employment (Permanent)
Fixed term
Fixed-Term Contract
Independent contractor
Independent Contractor
Collective agreements
No general CBA
Ending employment
Severance Pay
How it is calculated
Per Labour Law 2011; 1 week/year
Calling someone a contractor does not make them one. If the role works like employment in practice, local authorities can reclassify it, with back contributions and penalties.
The errors that most often trigger back payments and penalties here, and what to do instead.
Work Permit (Grant) Non-Compliance
Risk Level: HIGH
All non-Caymanian workers require work permits (Grants) from the Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman (WORC) authority. Key Employee Status and Permanent Residency have separate application processes. Working without a valid Grant results in fines and deportation orders for the employee and licence suspension for the employer.
Pension Auto-Enrollment Failure
Risk Level: HIGH
Cayman's National Pensions Law requires auto-enrollment within 30 days of employment commencement. Employers who delay pension registration or allow employees to opt out incorrectly face NPO enforcement with retroactive contributions plus the 5.5% annual penalty.
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Next topicOntop is the Global Workforce Engine for contractor teams: contracts, compliance documents and payments in 150+ countries.
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$49
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1 run
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Global Account for every contractor
FAQ
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Ontop works with contractors, not employees. As Contractor of Record, Ontop handles contracts, compliance documents and payments for contractors in 150+ countries. To employ someone, you need a local entity or an employer of record. Ontop doesn't act as your employer of record.
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Employers pay contributions on top of gross salary. The cost table on this page shows the rates that apply here and a worked monthly example. A contractor with Ontop costs the agreed rate plus Ontop from $49 per contractor per month.
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Many countries require an extra month or an annual bonus for employees. The salaries section on this page shows the one that applies here and when it is usually paid. Contractors are paid what you agree in the contract.
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Employers withhold income tax and the employee's social security share every pay run, then pay them to the local authorities. The taxes section on this page lists the brackets, rates and filing deadlines that apply here.
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Yes. The contractor vs employee calculator compares the full cost of an employee, employer contributions included, with a contractor rate plus Ontop's monthly fee.
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When the work is project-based, you need to start fast or you don't have a local entity. If the person will work fixed hours, under your direction and only for you, local law may treat them as an employee, so hire them as one.
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Misclassifying employees as contractors, missing tax and social security deadlines, and ignoring collective agreements that set higher wage floors. The mistakes section on this page covers the ones that come up most often here.
Compare employer costs, taxes and contractor rules in nearby countries:
Ready to hire? See Ontop pricing or learn how to build a global team without an employer of record.
Ready to hire? See Ontop pricing or learn how to build a global team without an employer of record.