Wills321
12/29/2015 01:44 EST
Last year I had taken a Blount Small Ship Adventures cruise trip to the Bahamas and Caicos Islands and I really loved the place. I feel it's a perfect place to live in. I was wondering if I could get a job there and start living there permanently. Is it possible to get a good job over there. Would love to know.
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Chui
12/29/2015 10:19 EST
That must have been an amazing cruise. :-)
Your best bet is to do loads of online research first, then ask more specific, targeted questions of expats.
The Turks and Caicos Islands are not part of the Bahamas, so you will have to look at that separately.
The Bahamas consists of over 700 islands and where you live or whether you can work there depends on what you are looking for and what work you do. Again online searches will help with this, I've given you a few links to start you off. It is very hard to get a job if a local Bahamian can do it.
http://www.bahamas.gov.bs/
http://www.expatexchange.com/ctryguide/4119/18/Bahamas/Expat-Bahamas-10-Tips-for-Living-in-The-Bahamas
https://www.internations.org/bahamas-expats/guide/moving-to-the-bahamas-15741/the-bahamas-visa-requirements-2
When most people talk of 'The Bahamas' they really mean Nassau. That is the most populated and busy of the islands. Then there is Grand Bahama and then Abaco, with decreasing population and infrastructure as you go down in size. It really depends on how simple a life you want and can handle. and if you are a boater.
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debib
1/11/2016 15:44 EST
Chui gave you an excellent answer. Honestly pretty difficult to just "get a job" here without a work permit. What is your field of expertise?
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pch78
2/13/2016 12:03 EST
My goal is to buy a house on an island (so far undecided which island) in the Bahamas within the next two years. Is it possible to buy a house and only live in it for six months then return to my home country for the other six? I only work in my home country and do not plan on working in the Bahamas. I have read that the Govt encourages foreigners to purchase homes, but I am not sure of the regulations on it. Any insight would be very helpful. Thank you.
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Chui
2/13/2016 13:48 EST
Definitely possible and in fact there are very many people who do exactly that. However I would highly recommend that you rent for 6 months first whilst getting the feel of a place, maybe even rent a couple of months on a few different islands as they all have different characters and varying degrees of infrastructure (or lack of!). Dont be put off by the rental prices you see online, they are for short term holiday lets. If you contact the estate agents they will find you cheaper long term lets.
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Chui
2/13/2016 14:06 EST
Definitely possible and in fact there are very many people who do exactly that. However I would highly recommend that you rent for 6 months first whilst getting the feel of a place, maybe even rent a couple of months on a few different islands as they all have different characters and varying degrees of infrastructure (or lack of!). Dont be put off by the rental prices you see online, they are for short term holiday lets. If you contact the estate agents they will find you cheaper long term lets.
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breija
2/14/2016 09:06 EST
It is definitely possible. The short answer is that you can get an annual residency permit if you buy a home. If you buy a home worth $500,000 or more, you are eligible to apply for permanent residency without the right to work, which is not an issue for you. With an annual residency permit, you can come and go as much or as little as you like with no other immigration constraints.
As Chui has said, it would be really good to come down and check out different islands to see what you really would like. There are beautiful locations on many of the islands, but the amenities and infrastructure on many smaller islands can be limited. Having said that, many people living on the smaller out islands will come to Nassau or go to Freeport periodically for supplies and for socialization they cannot get elsewhere.
For more information about some of the out islands and to get a feel for what goes on on some of them, check out myoutislands.com. You can also find places to stay on those islands on that site.
Good luck and have fun researching! Please feel free to PM if you have any more specific questions.
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breija
2/14/2016 09:10 EST
Oh, that message was for PCH. As for Wills, Chui has summed it up quite well. In order to be able to work in the Bahamas, you require a job offer and a work permit. You will only be offered a job if you have special qualifications that a Bahamian either is not qualified for, or for which there is no Bahamian wanting the job. Therefore, there is a whole process which you need to go through. If you work in a specialized field, there are more opportunities for expats. That said, there are also positions for teachers and nannies for which it is easiER (but necessary easy) to qualify for work permits. If you are certified in scuba diving instruction, that is another opportunity on these islands, or if you are a licensed boat captain or steward.
Good luck and have fun!
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breija
2/14/2016 09:17 EST
Hi again Wills,
I just checked out the Blount Small Ship Adventures - what a wonderful itinerary! You definitely got to see a lot of the islands, and so will have had a brief taste of many of the out islands, So, now the key would be to figure out what kind of lifestyle you want, as it is hard to find jobs on the out islands, unless you have the money to start a business with a Bahamian partner (51%). If you can find a job in Nassau, though, you could always visit the out islands frequently.
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