Immigration
Immigration Act permits plus the 12-month Welcome Stamp
Work by a non-national requires a permit under the Immigration Act, Cap. 190, issued by the Immigration Department, and permits are usually tied to a specific employer. Barbados also operates the Barbados Welcome Stamp, a twelve-month renewable visa for remote workers earning from outside Barbados, introduced in 2020. CARICOM skilled nationals may work without a permit on presentation of a recognised certificate.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — National; Immigration Department under the Ministry of Home Affairs
- Deadline — Welcome Stamp: valid for twelve months and renewable
- Deadline — Work permit: short-term up to six months, long-term commonly one to three years
- Deadline — Immigrant status: available after a qualifying period of residence
Governing law
- Immigration Act, Cap. 190
- Caribbean Community (Movement of Skilled Nationals) Act
- Remote Employment Act 2020Welcome Stamp
In practice
The Welcome Stamp is a residence route rather than a tax shelter and a route to local employment: the holder must be working for an employer or clients outside Barbados, and taking up local employment requires a conventional work permit instead. Because income is not earned in Barbados, Welcome Stamp holders are not liable to Barbados income tax on that foreign employment income.