Hello everyone

Basically I'm looking at expanding on my knowledge of emigrating to the Caribbean (this isn't aimed specifically at any Caribbean country, more the region as a whole so users could post their experiences with the country they emigrated to); I've had the idea of emigrating away from the UK for a while know so want to expand my knowledge, so if anyone could answer my questions I'll be more than grateful!

1. What are your experiences with the Caribbean and emigrating there (please do share!) - was it difficult? Expensive?
2. Is it extremely difficult in the sense I will need a lot of money (like investments of $500,000 etc)?
3. What is the community like for immigrants?
4. Is it difficult to earn a living out there; what industries are the best and will it be difficult to get a job in the tourist industry as an 18-19 year old with little experience?

Thank-you for your time and please excuse my naivety!

I can only speak for Jamaica
1. I have families here in Jamaica and here felt like home so I didn't see myself as a real expat. Anyway, its not cheap here. If you want a good lifestyle you need money. utilities are very expensive as well as entertainment.

2. I don't know much about the visa process but getting an employer to sponsor you might be the best move

3. You just need to find the right community, depends on where you'll be staying. I was shocked to find that they were so many immigrants here.

4. Minimum wage here in Jamaica is £40 approximately per week and nurses basic salary is about £600 per month, go figure!!

It might not be difficult to get a job in the tourist industry but will they be willing to sponsor you when there are some many Jamaican who can do the job?

Legally, I'm not sure that it is actually possible to EMIGRATE to any of the countries in the Caribbean. Emigration to me suggests that you make a conscious decision that you are going to a specific country to work and ultimately settle there. Countries such as Canada and Australia actively pursue migrant workers with skills as they need them to grow their economy and they offer citizenship after a relatively short period of time. That is definitely not the case here.

1. No country will allow you in for anything beyond a typical tourism stay which could be extended for a reasonable period unless you have a work permit. Permits are reviewed and renewed annually in exchange for a fee subject to term limits in some cases and which you will obtain only if you offer skills that are not available locally. Most countries would prefer it if you have your job offer BEFORE you come to the Caribbean. Seeking work when on-island is generally frowned upon.

2. You can gain financial citizenship to certain countries such as St Kitts if you can invest something like USD350,000 into approved property investments.

3. Per 1. above there is really no immigrant population. These countries are for the most part not interested in inwards migration other than from "brother" islands in the Caribbean under Caricom or OECS treaties. Remember that this is an area of high unemployment and much poverty so why would they want migration unless there was something in it for them. There are opportunities to buy real estate and retire in most islands but is the extent of it.

4. In general, unless you have skills to offer which you have ALREADY obtained there is little opportunity in the region for outsiders to come into and participate in.

Typically it's hard to find official or semi-official immigration information for islands in the Caribbean apart from those islands that participate in international business in a big way like Cayman, BVI and Bermuda but I've stumbled across this for Barbados which should give you a good picture of where they are "at".

http://businessbarbados.com/investor...-work-permits/

If you are only 18-19, just go! This is the easiest time of your life to pack your back and go wherever you want to go!

And the good news is: there are some Caribbean countries which are actually part of the EU so you can just take your passport and land there and you have all the rights to work and stay there. It is of course an other matter whether you find work, but it is never impossible. Depends on your disposition.

Another option is to visit some of the Commonwealth countries as they usually allow British passport holders (and often EU passport holders, too) to enter, stay and work there without much hassle.

I am going that way myself soon.

Here are some links for your information:

http://europa.eu/abc/european_countries/index_en.htm


the above link shows that French Guyane, Guadeloupe, Reunion, Frenc and Dutch Martinique are all EU countries and use the euro as currency.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special...European_Union

This link above is also useful to see where you can get into easily.

Goggle the Commonwealth countries, you'll find how surprisingly easy it is to to live in a beautiful place. You don't need to be rich. You don't have to rent a huge house for 1000s of Euros to be happy, whatever your age is.

I know I've already responded to you Peaches but here is a reiteration for general consumption and to respond to andrea.

All I can say is GOOD LUCK!

I'm not aware that being a British Passport holder counts for anything, let alone a Commonwealth one in this part of the world. Only nationals of Caricom countries do not require a work permit. I'm married to a citizen and have been for years and on the face of it that counts for zilch. I still need a work permit.

I'm not aware of a single former British Territory that would allow somebody to come in and work without a work permit.

Martinique and Guadeloupe are indeed part of the EU but work there is very seasonal and there is high unemployment and the locals don't tend to like white people too much, particularly in Guadeloupe. So if you speak very good French and blend in you might be ok.

If it takes your fancy you could go illegal and come is as a tourist and then try to find work but that is not something i would in any way recommend. That would be taking a job from a local who needs it more than you, believe me.

Coming in on vacation for a change of scene is just fine but it can only be for six weeks or so. These rules apply THROUGHOUT.

Pistolpete2, who told you that the local people in Martinique amd Guadeloupe don't like white people ? Remember they are part of France still.

Bermuda is still "part" of the UK and they don't (to use my words) particularly like white people either. They like themselves and not too many other folks. unless they are well travelled and educated overseas in which case they should be well integrated into the global scene. NOT LIKE ST LUCIA!!

In fact the white moneyed Bermudians don't like the English period as they regard themselves as way superior.

As for Guadeloupe: it's long standing knowledge that they don't. A smile to the mainland French tourist is one thing but...........So English white people who don't speak good French have NO chance.

It is as a result of tensions with and abuse from the former "masters" during segregation and of course before that never ever seem to be fully shaken off that TOURISM as the #1 industry is a bit of a misfit for some islands in the region. What is more, it can be for that reason that tourism is no longer a significant industry.

Yes still a very colonial mentality in the Caribbean.

Indeed Pg but in St Lucia it seems to seriously impact the general work ethic but NOT, fortunately, the general atmosphere, particularly in the area of tourism.

So, HR departments clearly have had serious training to do and construction workers MUST be supervised at all times.

We have said before that WHITE and RICH are the same thing and that WHITE and TOURIST are the same thing (only 1 - 1.5% of the pop is white) but it doesn't seem to be resented even though white people are particularly targeted for break-ins (don't I just know it) and white people aren't asked, in the main, how they are and how they are managing as it is assumed that everything is A-OK as they are rich, fortunately for them WITHOUT EVEN HAVING TO DO A DAY'S WORK*.

*WORK means manual labour which can cause you to break a sweat. In Bermuda we had to do heavy lifting type manual labour on occasion to convince the staff at large that we did sometimes do a day's work.