why so hard?
 

Hello all,can anyone tell me why it is almost impossible to temporarily (2 yrs.) relocate and work in the carribean?Specificly(sp?) St.Martin

It's possible if you're extremely rich or French or Dutch (it's their island).

After that the bottom line is they don't need you/ immigrants.

Wow you are a sassy puss,but that being what it is ,can anyone give me a real answer?

Sassy_cat may have been blunt, but also accurate. Basically, the local governments want to ensure that jobs on the island are held by citizens and not immigrants. It's only after a job goes begging for lack of qualified applicants, or someone invests in his/her own business and wants to run it, that jobs are available for "non-belongers." To get past these hurdles can take a long time and/or lots of money.

Hey, I wasn't sassing you. That's a real valid answer and it's more or less the same the world over. I did leave out that EU citizens can work in St. Martin (French side as it's part of the EU). I have lived and worked in the Caribbean and it was actually harder getting a work permit for the USA so there!

Or was it not a real question?

Anyway if you're interested here's an expat forum (mainly for Brits) that covers the Caribbean.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=121

Thanks Callaloo

If bfal16 is really keen then he/she could marry a local (for 2 years?..). There are loop holes

It could be easier if you go to St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John, Puerto Rico, Culebra, and/or Vieques instead. All US territories.

Its not that you can't work in the Caribbean. Like what Sassy_Cat says they are very protective of the local population.

sassy_cat
I think you are being very honest. People seem to be getting hostile on this website lately. I'm not sure why? Good god, we are just here to help each other. This site is one of the only places I can go to get away from the stresses of life. If others are going to be cranky pants..we don't need them!

The immigration / work laws on most Caribbean islands are somewhat complex but not that much different fropm what you'll find in most countries throughout the world. The laws are designed to protect the rights of citizens of that country or island, as the case may be.

As you've found out unless you are a citizen of France or other EU nation you cannot lgally work on St. Martin without a Work Permit which is hard to obtain. Also, you'll find Work Permits are needed on all of the independant Caribbean Islands. These islands also have restrictions on non-citizens living on the island for more than a set number of days (usually no more than 6 months)

As pointed out in a previous response, if you are a US citizen you CAN work or reside in the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra. If you wish to legally reside or work anywhere else you have to abide by that country's rules much the same as any non-Us citizen would have to do if they wished to immigrate to the US.

Getting a Work Permit usually entails having a "unique skill" not normally available on the island and your potential employer must first prove there are no locals qualified to fill the position. While getting a Work Permit is difficult it is not altogether impossible if you are fortunate enough to possess a "unique skill". Some island nations will allow you to live/work on their island if you invest in a business that will provide jobs for locals while still others will only let you invest in a business if you have a "local" partner. Laws vary from island to island so you have to do lots of research.

One more "Catch-22" you have to contend with is the fact that once you qualify for a Work Permit you may find that on many islands wages are significantly lower and living costs much higher than for comparable jobs/housing where you now live.

There's an old saying that's been floating around the Caribbean that goes something like this: "How do you make a $1,000,000 on NAME YOUR ISLAND? Answer - Start with $2,000,000.

I went through all the paperwork to get to work here in Bermuda - all the previous posters are spot on - small islands need to protect their own citizens first. The only way to get a work permit here is for an employer to prove that there is no Bermudian qualified to fill the position. Welcome to life as an ex-pat.