Amewill

Yes, completely understand. My husband works remotely in the UK and we are lucky enough that we can carry that on wherever we are so this works well for us as a stepping stone. Thanks for all your info!

bs_wave

Amewill, as you know the Welcome Stamp visa is for just 12 months and at this time cannot be extended. Unless your husband is sponsored by a company to work in Barbados, or he sets up a business in Barbados and applies for a work permit as the principle owner (not easy to do - a lot of bureaucracy), it is very difficult to get long-term residency in Barbados unless you are married to a Barbadias, have family connections in Barbados or have enough wealth to apply for the renewable Special Entry Permit.

However, Barbados has a growing ageing population which needs to be funded by the government, and the island's immigration policy is inhibiting their ability to diversify the economy away from tourism.

They are seeing that professional entrepreneurs – not just business owners and wealthy retirees – are another route in which to diversify the economy. That is to say, persons who offer or provide professional services remotely to other persons outside Barbados.

Obviously, the Welcome Stamp visa is primarily a tourism initiative – or at least, to help the battered tourism industry on the island – but that is not the only reason. They intentionally created a new class of work visa as part of a series of efforts to encourage more entrepreneurs to live and work in Barbados without taking job opportunities away from locals.

The Prime Minister said at a recent Welcome Stamp event that a new Immigration Bill is planned for this year that is rumoured to include provision to provide new visa pathways for Welcome Stamp visa holders if they wish to continue working in Barbados beyond their 12 month remote work visa.

Nothing is guaranteed, but I would recommend that you watch this space closely.