Hi, I am a 21 year old working with a UK airline thinking about commuting from the UK to bim and the other way round. does anyone currently do this and what tax would i pay there and what would cost of living be like for a single female. i have got a caricom passport as i am from Nevis as well.

any advice on this.

thanks in advance

Commuting ? Do you mean travelling on a daily, weekly or monthly basis ?
Have you got a job offer in Barbados ?
I do not quite get exactly what you are asking please elaborate.

I am currently working for Virgin Atlantic as cabin crew in the UK. But my dreams are to move back to the Caribbean, I have choose to investigate Barbados as we do direct flights there, where other island would be harder to do.
I will be commuting 4 times a month, but get this discounted.

I would love to know what the cost of living would be as i really want to move back to the Caribbean. and would i be able to live there but not work in Barbados. hope this is clearer
any advice would be great.

To me this seems a bit complicated. Working for Virgin in UK, but wanting to reside permanently in the Caribbean, and commute 4 times a month to work.
If this were possible you would be potentially be under the tax juristriction of both the UK and Barbados.

You would more than likely have to work for a Caribbean based airline, and competion will be fierce.

Have Virgin got any Caribbean based post you could transfer to ?

Barbados immigration rules are pretty strict and I do not think you being a Caricom passport holder will make it any easier getting the necessary work permits and residency visa.

Just remember, all the islands are completely different, and although you were born in Nevis does not mean Barbados will be your cup of tea.

Your best bet would be to actually visit various islands you are considering and have extended stays on the islands of your choice whilst guaging whether you could actulally live there full time.

From what you are suggesting doing all your money would be swallowed up in airfares and Barbados in not the cheapest of places to live.

I'm guessing that tax wouldn't be a problem as there is a UK Bim treaty to avoid double taxation, though of course I haven't read it:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/dtmanual/DT3150+.htm

As Virgin staff you'll get super discounted fares, of course, but can you really handle not just a 7/8 hour commute but a 4 or 5 hour time difference as well?! You're young, but still....

Can't help you on the residence issue, I'm afraid, tho I do recall another post from a couple that were writers with their clients in Europe. Bim immigration told them it didn't matter - "it's not like just anyone can come and live in Bim whenver they feel like it"! You need to look into that some more. (Wonder if Tobago's any easier?)

On cost of living, there's loads of discussion on that in this forum, but I will tell you that the US State Department puts the cost of living in Bim at 151% of the level in Washington DC, London at 183% and Oxfordshire at 168%. Who knows how close to the mark that is?!

http://aoprals.state.gov/content/Doc...uary07quar.doc