GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands (CMC) – Two permanent residence applications have been filed and approved for the first time here under a new immigration law.

The Cayman Compass reports that the applications were approved under the threat of level action. The residence applications filed in December 2013 and June 2014, were among the 900-1,000 applications awaiting a hearing by either the Immigration Department or the Caymanian Status and Permanent Residency Board.The applicants – financial services manager Mark Edmunds and accountant Derek Larner, had both filed for judicial review against what they alleged was an unfair, unreasonable and unlawful decision by the government to delay a decision on their residency status indefinitely.“We received formal confirmation of Thursday’s grants only after [Friday’s] hearing when we made telephone enquiries of the [immigration] secretariat,” said attorney Nicolas Joseph, who represented the two men in the matter.The court on Friday, heard the requests for judicial review, however both applicants received their respective grants of permanent residence the previous day.The Cayman Compass reports that both men could still pursue cases against the government for damages relative to the delay.According to Joseph the new grants will be a positive development for the hundreds of other people awaiting word on their residency status in Cayman.“It is now hoped that the processing of applications will now commence in earnest….we have written to the authorities for an indication of anticipated timing and they have responded by return that the department will commence processing of other applications very shortly,” he said.