Anyone Living In St Martin?
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2
Anyone Living In St Martin?
Hi Everyone,
We have just joined the forum and looking for help and advice as we are packing up our lives here in Scotland and moving to St Martin.
We are a married couple with a teenage daughter and two cats, hubby has a background in event and retail management and will be looking for a job while wife runs an online business which can be run from anywhere with a good broadband connection, daughter will be home schooled and the cats will do what they always do.... sleep lol
Looking for anyone willing to help us with info on pretty much everything from an average cost of living to job prospects, yeah we know it's a lot of info to look for but every little helps and the internet is not really throwing much info at us right now except the usual tourist stuff!
Thanks in advance mon,
Michelle and Aly
We have just joined the forum and looking for help and advice as we are packing up our lives here in Scotland and moving to St Martin.
We are a married couple with a teenage daughter and two cats, hubby has a background in event and retail management and will be looking for a job while wife runs an online business which can be run from anywhere with a good broadband connection, daughter will be home schooled and the cats will do what they always do.... sleep lol
Looking for anyone willing to help us with info on pretty much everything from an average cost of living to job prospects, yeah we know it's a lot of info to look for but every little helps and the internet is not really throwing much info at us right now except the usual tourist stuff!
Thanks in advance mon,
Michelle and Aly
#2
Re: Anyone Living In St Martin?
Welcome to the forum. I used to run a consolidation service to the Netherlands Antilles, but thats as close as I got unfortunately
#3
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2
Re: Anyone Living In St Martin?
Seems nobody around here is much interested in St Martin , which is surprising considering as part of the EU it is so accesable as a place to live
#4
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 15
Re: Anyone Living In St Martin?
As a general overview, it is a wonderful island. the Dutch side is quite developed (think MacDonalds & casinos) whilst the French side much quieter with beautiful beaches & great food. There are regular cargo flights bringing French produce (that enjoy the EU Island subsidy) as well as provisions from the US. It's an island where you can have as much or as little of the Caribbean experience as you want. I'm happy to answer any questions if I can!
#5
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 4
Re: Anyone Living In St Martin?
Hi, my boyfriend and I have been living on the island of St Maarten since November. We live and work on the Dutch side in Philipsburg. When we first came over here we were surprised at how high the general cost of living is, but we have been told it's because everything is imported (even some of the palm trees!) We love it here, the people are extremely friendly and the island is beautfiul. It only takes us a few hours to drive around on a weekend. Ironically we believe that the Dutch side is a lot easier to live on than the French, unless of course you speak French. English is the most commonly spoken language on the Dutch side in Philipsburg/Simpson Bay. Whilst on the French side they mostly speak French (which I quite like).
If you have any questions on anything specific I'll be happy to help if I can.
If you have any questions on anything specific I'll be happy to help if I can.
#6
Wanna-be Canadian
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 176
Re: Anyone Living In St Martin?
I just discovered that EU citizens can easily move to St Martin so am considering there instead of Canada - any info regarding job-sites and uni's appreciated.
BTW, some of the property seems competitively priced compared to the SE UK.
M.
BTW, some of the property seems competitively priced compared to the SE UK.
M.
#7
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 15
Re: Anyone Living In St Martin?
With regard to property prices, as with everywhere, so much depends on the location. There are parts of St Martin that are highly desirable - eg: the villas in Basse Terre which sell for millions of Euros & some areas where, to put it politely, I wouldn't choose drive round at night.
#8
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 4
Re: Anyone Living In St Martin?
Hi,
My fiance and I lived in St Maarten (Phillipsburg on the Dutch side) for five months up until a few weeks ago when we flew back to the UK. There are two Universities on the Dutch side (one by the salt pond and one by Maho Bay) which are of a good standard and a few libraries on the island, one in Phillipsburg and one in Marigot on the French Side. We stayed in a luxury apartment in Phillipsburg on the beach front costing $2,000 a month, it was expensive but well worth it, but that really isn't the norm. Generally you'll pay circa $1,500 a month if you live in areas like Point Blanche, Grand Case, Oyster Pond or Simpson Bay but there are bargains to be had out there. A downturn in the amount of tourism over the past year has meant that the cost of living has depreciated but it is still double the price of what youwould expect to pay in the UK.
I know the island rather well, having spent the time I was there working and exploring so if you need any specific advice please let me know as I am happy to help.
Good luck
My fiance and I lived in St Maarten (Phillipsburg on the Dutch side) for five months up until a few weeks ago when we flew back to the UK. There are two Universities on the Dutch side (one by the salt pond and one by Maho Bay) which are of a good standard and a few libraries on the island, one in Phillipsburg and one in Marigot on the French Side. We stayed in a luxury apartment in Phillipsburg on the beach front costing $2,000 a month, it was expensive but well worth it, but that really isn't the norm. Generally you'll pay circa $1,500 a month if you live in areas like Point Blanche, Grand Case, Oyster Pond or Simpson Bay but there are bargains to be had out there. A downturn in the amount of tourism over the past year has meant that the cost of living has depreciated but it is still double the price of what youwould expect to pay in the UK.
I know the island rather well, having spent the time I was there working and exploring so if you need any specific advice please let me know as I am happy to help.
Good luck
#9
Wanna-be Canadian
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 176
Re: Anyone Living In St Martin?
Hello again...
Thanks for your reply Angel face - yes, from what Ive seen, it does look like a lovely place and while it is appealing because of the lack of time delay due to the Canadian immigration procedure's red tape, I/we are still at the thinking about it stage at the moment - if we need more advice I'll definitely PM you - thanks
Deb 123 - I agree that they are very different places - weather included - but the reason it appeals is because it seems to have charm, and there is no lengthy immigration process, we could literally just turn up at the airport and settle without any red tape... maybe the island could be a stepping stone for us.
Regards,
Mark.
Thanks for your reply Angel face - yes, from what Ive seen, it does look like a lovely place and while it is appealing because of the lack of time delay due to the Canadian immigration procedure's red tape, I/we are still at the thinking about it stage at the moment - if we need more advice I'll definitely PM you - thanks
Deb 123 - I agree that they are very different places - weather included - but the reason it appeals is because it seems to have charm, and there is no lengthy immigration process, we could literally just turn up at the airport and settle without any red tape... maybe the island could be a stepping stone for us.
Regards,
Mark.
#10
Banned
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 44
Re: Anyone Living In St Martin?
Hold the phone people!
Time out!
I'm confused, by reading some of these posts on here it appears that a lot of you think that EU citizens have right of passage to live and work in St. Maarten without any immigration hurdles.
Like you can just turn up and apply for a job as if you were moving to another part of your own country!!
What's the real deal please?!?!
Time out!
I'm confused, by reading some of these posts on here it appears that a lot of you think that EU citizens have right of passage to live and work in St. Maarten without any immigration hurdles.
Like you can just turn up and apply for a job as if you were moving to another part of your own country!!
What's the real deal please?!?!
#11
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 15
Re: Anyone Living In St Martin?
It's possible that there's confusion because the island is half French half Dutch. The French part - St Martin - is part of France (a department of Paris) & thus is part of the EU. An EU citizen has the same right to reside & work as they do in any other part of the EU. The Dutch part - Sint Maarten - is part of the Netherland Antilles & is not part of the EU. Thus, the only people with an automatic right to reside & work on the Dutch side are holders of Dutch or Netherland Antilles passports. Although there are no border controls (so one moves freely between the 2) they are separate territories with their own laws, currency, language, etc.
Hope that helps!
Hope that helps!
#12
Banned
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 44
Re: Anyone Living In St Martin?
It's possible that there's confusion because the island is half French half Dutch. The French part - St Martin - is part of France (a department of Paris) & thus is part of the EU. An EU citizen has the same right to reside & work as they do in any other part of the EU. The Dutch part - Sint Maarten - is part of the Netherland Antilles & is not part of the EU. Thus, the only people with an automatic right to reside & work on the Dutch side are holders of Dutch or Netherland Antilles passports. Although there are no border controls (so one moves freely between the 2) they are separate territories with their own laws, currency, language, etc.
Hope that helps!
Hope that helps!
#13
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 15
Re: Anyone Living In St Martin?
Sorry, I don't know the answer to that question. In the Caribbean, Martinique & Guadeloupe are also part of France & thus the EU. I agree that superficially it is strange that it is easier for a Brit to live & work in St Martin than in the British oversea territories like the BVI.
#14
Banned
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 44
Re: Anyone Living In St Martin?
Sorry, I don't know the answer to that question. In the Caribbean, Martinique & Guadeloupe are also part of France & thus the EU. I agree that superficially it is strange that it is easier for a Brit to live & work in St Martin than in the British oversea territories like the BVI.
Immigration officer: Morning Sir, what is the purpose of your trip?
Me: "Well I thought I'd spend a few weeks here, if I like it then try and get myself a job and never return to Blighty".
Immigration officer: "Enjoy, and good luck".
#15
...
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,165
Re: Anyone Living In St Martin?
So basically I can just turn up at the airport.....
Immigration officer: Morning Sir, what is the purpose of your trip?
Me: "Well I thought I'd spend a few weeks here, if I like it then try and get myself a job and never return to Blighty".
Immigration officer: "Enjoy, and good luck".
Immigration officer: Morning Sir, what is the purpose of your trip?
Me: "Well I thought I'd spend a few weeks here, if I like it then try and get myself a job and never return to Blighty".
Immigration officer: "Enjoy, and good luck".