22 and looking for a new environment
 

Hello all, just a quick background on me

Im 22 living in Ireland, became an irish citizen about 5 years ago. My family moved here when i was around 1. I have no criminal record of any kind. I did not finish college. I have worked for a few places including as a government employee for two 6 month periods and for my family's business which is a restaurant.

I have a dream of moving to the Caribbean a year or 2 from now if it is possible. Im looking for new scenery, weather, mentality, way of life. The Caribbean lifestyle is what appeals to me most.

I plan to begin Coaching courses soon so that i will be qualified to coach kids football (soccer for our US browsers!)

I am willing to move to a non english speaking island and learning the native tongue if it comes down to that. Dominica, Antigua, Dominican Republic & St Lucia are the islands i have targeted as options. I have researched property and they seem both affordable and desirable.

I understand you cant just pack up move and get a residency visa, work permit etc just handed to you. I also understand they are difficult to obtain which is why i hope coaching qualifications will help down the line.

I dont have huge savings, from my research online it seems your wealth plays a giant factor in a successful application but like i said im not looking to move immediately.

Is my dream realistic? Thank you for your time

Re: 22 and looking for a new environment
 

My only experience is for Antigua of the countries you mentioned. I worked for a UK travel company and they tried to get me a work permit for there and it was next to impossible and I had degree and postgrad and 2 years work experience. They ended up sending me to Jamaica and then onto the Cayman Islands.
Do you like scuba diving? Get your divemaster's and get out there with a diving qual and see where that leaves you. My partner was in the DR for 2 years and then to Cayman, diving both countries and then started coaching the National soccer team ( he played for Man City a while back) and has all the coaching quals. I'd say at your age and stage in life - diving is the way to go!. Good luck..:thumbup:

Wealth doesn't come into getting a work permit, it does for residency and buying property etc but you don't need to think about that - just try and get a job and a work permit. I'd say you'd need about $5K to get you started.
Make a couple of trips and see where you like.

Re: 22 and looking for a new environment
 

Hello Orangepants,

Thank you for replying to my post. I appreciate every bit of information i can gather from those who are more knowledgeable about the caribbean than i am.

Im afraid scuba diving isnt my thing,. Financially i have more than 5k already saved and ready to kick start my new life, im planning to add more to it so i have a few months rent there and waiting to be paid if worst comes to worst.

Ive also looked into other islands and St Martin has me interested. I wasnt aware until reading this forum that it would be open to an EU citizen like myself to live and work there legally by just showing up! no red tape at all!

I understand Guadaloupe and St Barths are also like this, are there any other islands that are considered a part of the EU?

Thats an interesting thought as i may be able to secure a job via the internet which would mean im free to move over whenever i feel like it, live there and work through my laptop + internet.

The lifestyle i have dreamed about is becoming very possible.

Ive tried google searching for 1 bedroom apartments in St Martin to give myself an idea of the price of rent but unfortunately all i came across were holiday home rentals.

Anybody here living in St Martins know the cost of a 1 bedroom in a decent area?

Thank you

Re: 22 and looking for a new environment
 

Hi,

Where did you get the idea that you dont need a work permit for St Maarten, it's a dutch colony but even the dutch need work permits? Do you speak French or Dutch? I believe almost every island requires skilled labour to apply for work permits and if there aren't any locals then the work permit will be granted. Cayman is under the British crown but we all have to have work permits and have to prove that our skills are required. St Barts is beautiful but very expensive - popular with wealthy Americans.
I mentioned diving as a lot of locals dont see diving as a job or career so it's easier for those without education or trades to get jobs.
It also is highly unlikely that you'll get a job over the net, you need to be there and meet people. The recession has hit everyone and many companies are laying off people too. And if you thought about working on the net and just living there - you cant do that unless you're very wealthy as you cant get residency and not work.
Rents are quite expensive too, as an example I pay $1500 USD a month for a well furnished 1 bed apt in Cayman and they are difficult to find everywhere. 2 beds are more popular and probably a better bet to start off with otherwise you have deposits for utility, phone, water etc to pay. Getting settled is an expensive business, and if you buy a car as well.

Do some more research, I really want to encourage you but you must do some planning and there are many people out of work so it may be a good time to get a trade or some skills - waiting tables in a good restaurant would be helpful - and do a couple of trips to the Caribbean to find out what you're looking for. Good luck.

Re: 22 and looking for a new environment
 

I think if you are French you can move to the French Islands, like St Martin, but I do not think this applies to other EU citizens. Phone up the high commision and check. I have a friend in France who is doing this, he is learning a skill to take to the island with him before he goes.

Re: 22 and looking for a new environment
 

I actually read the EU thing on this forum and indeed another forum dedicated to St Martin, several residents on there have confirmed an EU citizen can move to and work in the french side of St Martin without a visa or work permit needed.

However the dutch side does need a work permit and residency.

I do speak french, not fluent but a bit more than the basics however i am confident with some brushing up of my skills i can get even better. I also read that the french side of St Martin also speak english.

Believe me i was as suprised as you guys to find this out. Check the thread on here titled 'St Martin'

Id link you to the other forum too but not sure if that is allowed so i wont do it just in case.

Re: 22 and looking for a new environment
 

well here comes St Martin !!! I am sure you will have a great time :thumbsup:

Re: 22 and looking for a new environment
 

Thank you

i found a wikipedia link which states it also but also says 'needs proving' as it is just a regular source

http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sai...n_%28France%29

"Saint Martin was for many years a French commune. It was part of Guadeloupe, which is an overseas région and overseas département of France. Because of this, it is in the European Union. In 2003 the population of the French part voted for a split from Guadeloupe. They wanted to make a separate overseas collectivity (COM) of France. [1] On February 9, 2007, the French Parliament passed a bill granting COM status to both the french part of Saint Martin and neighbouring Saint-Barthélemy. [2] The new took effect when the law was published in the Official Journal.[3]

Saint Martin remains part of the European Union.[needs proving] The official currency in Saint Martin is the euro (though the United States dollar is also widely accepted)."


All signs point to it being ok for EU Citizens, still no 100% proof though