Hamzehb

Hey all.

I have read a lot of good info on this forum about living in Turks and caicos. I was wondering what advice you guys have for me.

I am a single 27 y/o male. I am planning on moving to Turks and caicos for work ,
I know that Turks and caicos is super expensive,

My plan is to visit Provo to find an apartment. I was thinking of a 1 br apartment with all my utilities included. Hopefully keeping it all around $ 2000 a month max . I am just moving by myself.

What kind of advice do you guys have for me? Since I'm young, do you guys think I will be happy starting a new life in paradise ?

one more important thing !! how is the dating life there since im single

Any and all advice is super appreciated!

blamona

I saw your post on Tripadvisor before it was shut down (it's okay over here, TA doesn't consider moving questions as travel related)

Did you get my answer?

What do you plan to do for work? Most are moved to T&C by their jobs, and have their work permits paid by the company. If doing it alone, here's a few basics:

It is illegal to work (even for free as a volunteer) for even an hour without a work permit

Work permits must be renewed every year (and sometimes they can delay the renewal and you have to leave until they do, which can turn into months)

Most work permits range $5000-$9000 a year depending on the business

If a Belonger/local wants your job, he gets it over you

You must leave overnight every 90 days (air to Miami roughly $550, plus hotel)

Not much nightlife at all, extremely quiet island. Club Med is mostly it, tourists go to Danny Bouy's karaoke, and a couple of quiet bars on weekends. Not much to it really

Budget is on the lowest you can do, keep in mind food is expensive too

Best advice, go a month, try to live like a local. Do your homework while there. Then come back to live if the month went well.

Judging by the single/young part of the post, I don't personally think T&C is for you, it's really quiet.

So what kind of job are you looking for?

RoamsAround

blamona is a regular contributor on this forum and our "resident" Turks & Caicos expert so heed what she says. I live on a different island and can tell you most islands have similar laws.

Just so you know you can't just show up On a Caribbean island where you are not a citizen or legal resident one day and expect to take up residence and work. It's that way in the T&C's and most other Caribbean islands. To work you must obtain a Work Permit which is difficult to get. You must have a "unique skill" and find an employer willing to sponsor you. That employer must prove to the Labor Ministry that there are no "locals" qualified to fill the position. Even if those conditions are met there's no guarantee the Government will issue the Work Permit. The application process is filled with red tape and can take anywhere from 3 to 9 months. On many islands you may not reside on the island while your application is being processed.

You can apply for residency (without the ability to work) if you are prepared to invest a substantial sum in real estate and, among other things, prove you are in good health, don't have a criminal record and have the financial means to support yourself without working. You'll find similar laws on most other Caribbean Islands.

For what it is worth, if you are a US citizen you'll find it infinitely easier to relocate and work in the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Culebra or Vieques as those are US Territories and you'll already have residency and work status.

What you are contemplating is not impossible but it is often a difficult, costly and time consuming process.

One more thing to consider is what I call the Catch-22 of Caribbean life: living expenses are high, anywhere from 25% to 40% higher than where you now live, and salaries are significantly lower then they are for comparable jobs where you now live.

Lastly, if you've never lived on an island in the Caribbean you'd be wise to spend some time (1 to 6 months) visiting the island you are considering to get the lay of the land and see if island life is for you. Living in the Caribbean is far different than being there on vacation.

Good luck following your dream.

lobomago

There is a good number of young people in your age range and they have no trouble staying busy. Lots of things to do. You won't have a problem in that area. They have a strong social network and are open and friendly.

I don't know what your field of work is and it will impact your ability to get a work permit but it can be done and is done quite often. You can apply for a free lance work permit but I don't know anyone who has tried it. The paperwork is a bit daunting.

There are apartments around in that price range but not always easy to find. Most find these places--word of mouth rather than through advertising.

Come for a visit and see how it suits you. If you make the jump you will probably be very happy with your new life.