Who actually gets work permits in Barbados?
 

Hey All,

Lived in Barbados before as a visitor and been there on several holidays. I have many friends and an extended family there. Like a million other people, my dream is to move back to Barbados and work this time however legally only! Its just not worth the risk otherwise.

I think I've heard about all the difficulties, and the ins and outs, of the work permit situation in Barbados but surely some people must still be getting them somehow?!

Im led to believe that if someone has a specialist skill or the employer cannot fill the position with someone local, then that is how work permits can be obtained for non nationals. Likewise with setting up your own business and employing locals.

So can anyone tell me anything positive for a change?
Has anyone reading this actually been given a work permit?
What posistions are people doing who get these work permits granted?
Any tips?
Im guessing its all down to your bank balance?

Thanks. :fingerscrossed:

Re: Who actually gets work permits in Barbados?
 

You'll get better response if you post this in the Barbados forum, but I'll tell you what I know for now. Others will chime in also, as there are many of us who have been through this.

It's not all down to your bank balance wrt work permits.

To be eligible for a work permit, there first must be a position that can not be filled by a local because no local has the skills necessary to do the job. This has to be proven by things like ads in the newspaper to which no eligible candidate has applied. The employer then expands the candidate search outside of the country, and must apply to Immigration for a work permit for the suitable candidate - this includes extensive proof that YOU have the qualifications necessary for this job. The employer sponsors you for the permit, which is rather expensive.

Once all the paperwork is in, you wait. There is no guarantee that you'll be approved, and if you're declined, you are banned from applying for any permit for a certain length of time (not sure but I think it's 2 years?).

The types of jobs for which permits are usually granted are highly specialized and/or technical types of jobs.

Remember, the employer has to put in a lot of time and money to sponsor a work permit, so if they can fill the position another way then it makes more sense for them to do so. You mentioned in your previous thread that you are a qualified Nanny - while you may have more qualifications than the average child care worker, there are plenty of options for child care in Barbados so it is really not likely that you'd get sponsored for a work permit (or approved for the permit either).

I'm not trying to be negative; just giving you a more realistic vision of the situation. If you had special skills to work with special needs children, along with some type of psychology graduate degree to back it up, that might be different. But the type of job you're looking for is a job a Bajan can easily do. The whole point of the work permit application process is to help ensure that people are not taking jobs from Bajans. The government is aware that there are people here working under the table, doing a job a Bajan can do, therefore taking a job (and money!) away from a local. That's neither fair nor appropriate, so they are doing their best to ensure Bajans don't get shafted by people who are breaking the law.

You may want to reevaluate your options to see what will work for you. It would be a shame to put a lot of time and money into a process that is weighed against you.

Best of luck.
Foxy

Re: Who actually gets work permits in Barbados?
 

Is this not the Barbados forum? haha oops I have no idea how to use this!

Thanks for that. I've heard that was the case before and I can totally understand why they do it that way. Shame we couldnt have been a bit more like that in the UK with our immigration - but thats another minefield i wont go into! :)

I have other qualifications and experience in other roles. The Nanny thing was just one avenue I was looking into.

Have you any idea what type of jobs people get the work permits for? Just for future reference if nothing else. See if there are avenues i could maybe look into for a future career.

Thanks