Ejb3987

Hi,
I'm currently being considered for a job on the island, so this could be premature but I like to do my research before making any decisions! If I get offered the job my employer will sort my work visa and relocation as its a very specialised role. I'd like to bring my partner over with me though. He is a technician on trains in the UK and has a lot of transferable skills but I don't think they are particularly difficult to come by in the current local population as such. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience of bringing a partner with them when they have a job but partner is unemployed? Can he join me on a tourist visa and potentially upgrade this to a work visa if a job arises?
Thanks!

Serendipidy

Hi Ej and welcome to the forum.

When you mention partner are you married? I think there is some provision for spouses under work permits in terms of stay. A lot has been written about these subjects on this forum so take a walk through some.

My recommendation for your partner is that there is no mention of work whatsoever to immigration etc unless a job is offered to them with a work permit. Any whiff that they might be looking to work on their standard visa could see unnecessary consequences.

I am sure someone will probably add to this thread who has been through this themselves

Dips

Sunniebgi

Welcome to the Forum,

As Serendipidy has said. only spouses legally married are entitled to reside here under the work permit but not allowed to work. (and for anyone asking. same sex marriage isn't legal in Barbados and Barbados Immigration will not consider that it is, even if you are legally married somewhere else that allows it)

I would also like to say.. whatever your specialized role is, it's possible it is taking away a position a qualified Bajan can do.. and don't think that there aren't people on the island who aren't qualified. companies always find wording to make it sound as if there can't possibly be someone here who is qualified.

as for the partner.. even with skills, if he doesn't have a work permit, he may not even be looked at as work permits aren't cheap to get and many companies don't get them for that reason.

sorry to sound negative, but. We see job applications posted in the press daily for jobs that SOUND as if no-one has the skills because that's the way it's written. I personally know someone who wrote a job description for his girlfriend, who was already living here (as a tourist) so that she could join his business.. much of the request had to do with very specific course work she had done at university.. very specific to the job, but to be honest, the job didn't really require it.. several weeks later, the next advert was written like this.. "having found no suitable applicant for the position of X, this company has applied to the immigration department for a work permit for a non-national". and she got it.. go figure.. and they are now married. which makes the work permit not even necessary... just saying.

Also.. as said. read through the threads on the subject as well as housing and car prices etc. it's not cheap to live here.so ..

Ejb3987

Hi both, thanks for your responses! We're actually engaged and getting married in the UK next year. From doing a little digging I think he should be fine to join me on a tourist visa for 180 days prior to getting married, then as my spouse after that. There's a chance we may start a family after that so if he's not working he would take on running the house and child care anyway so it might be fine if he doesn't work.

We'll just have to see if I even get the job now!

Serendipidy

Good luck EJ - sounds like amazing plans for the future - so much to look forward to