Who wants to spend 12 months working remotely on an island?

There are currently two islands offering visitors the option for long term stays of up to 12 months: Barbados and Bermuda.  With today’s lax work from home policies working remotely in an exotic destination is more doable than ever. Learn how to live and work remotely on either Bermuda or Barbados.

Barbados is located in the Caribbean and Bermuda is located in the Atlantic Ocean. In terms of geography, Barbados is located in the south east corner of the Caribbean. Bermuda is located all by its lonesome self in the Atlantic Ocean with the closest land mass being the United States.  The difference in weather is also noticeable. Barbados is tropical and is warm all year round while Bermuda is semi-tropical and has cooler weather during the fall and winter. 

Both countries’ tourism sector has been negatively impacted by the worldwide pandemic of the novel Coronavirus hence their governments have decided that long term visitors are lucrative and beneficial to the economy.  Plus, there are so many people working from home right now who would not want to move to an island? In fact, working remotely has grown in popularity thanks to the pandemic with more and more companies supporting remote workers. Living on an island? Talk about an extended workation!

This is a guest post from Leticia Alleyne is a travel blogger based in the Caribbean island of Barbados.  She was born and raised on the island, Bermuda.  She is an avid traveler and has visited 36 countries to date. Her goal is to visit all 7 continents. She is close with only one continent left Antarctica. 

Working Remotely in Barbados with the Barbados Welcome Stamp

The Barbados Welcome Stamp was launched on June 30^th, 2020. It offers a 12-month visa to a non-national person who is employed in another country other than Barbados and that person is a resident of another country and employed by a company that is registered outside of the country. 

Barbados has fared well in the control and management of the Coronavirus when compared to other countries.  In total as of 17 September, there were only 7 deaths and 185 cases of the Coronavirus. There has been no community spread. The launch of the Barbados Welcome Stamp program provides an opportunity for individuals, families, and groups to work remotely and stay in Barbados for a period of 12 months after the approval of the visa and other formalities.

If a person wishes to apply for the Barbados Welcome Stamp the eligibility requirements are as follows:

• Have an annual income of over US $50,000 per annum
• Have health insurance coverage or purchase local health insurance

The application is an online process which requires the following:

• Biodata page of passport
• Passport photo of all applicants
• Proof of relationship of dependents

Upon approval the following non-refundable fees are due within 28 days of approval of the remote stamp:

• Individual fee is US $2,000
• Family bundle is US $3,000

Some of the most pertinent questions anyone considering this move are answered below:

• Is the Internet speed fast?  Yes, there is high-speed internet available that has download and upload speeds of 1,000/500 Mbps and also there is 4G mobile service.
• Do I have to pay taxes? No, you will not have to pay Barbados taxes. 
• Is there a good public transportation system? Yes, there is frequent service of public transportation.  There are several locations on the island that are ideal to be located for ease of access to restaurants, shops, and of course beaches.
• Can those Kids on the Welcome Stamp attend school in Barbados? Yes, there is the option for private schools and also for a stipend to cover the cost of government public-funded schools.   

More details regarding the program can be obtained from the portal https://www.barbadoswelcomestamp.bb   

Bermuda One Year Residential Certificate

The Bermuda One Year Residential Certificate became effective August 1, 2020. This certificate allows a person to reside in Bermuda to work remotely.  The person can not obtain or seek employment in Bermuda during the one year stay. 

Bermuda has managed Coronavirus well and as of 17 September, 2020 had 177 cases and 9 deaths.  There has been no community spread.  The Certificate allows persons to work remotely from Bermuda and also enables people who are post-secondary students to study in Bermuda. 

If a person wishes to pursue the certificate the eligibility requirements are as follows:

• Pay the application fee of US or Bermuda dollars $263
• Have the means to support themselves without seeking employment in Bermuda
• Be at least 18 years of age or older
• No criminal convictions
• Have health insurance coverage or purchase local coverage
• Provide employment documentation
• Provide enrollment documentation in a post-secondary program if a student

The application is online and requires the following:

• Proof of employment or evidence of school enrolment
• Color scan of passport photo page
• Color scan of visa information
• All the supporting documents must be in English

Some of the most pertinent questions anyone considering this move would be.

• Is the Internet speed fast?  Yes, there is high-speed internet available that has download and upload speeds of 500 Mbps and also there is 4G mobile service.
• Do I have to pay taxes? The website of the Bermuda Government advises persons to seek tax advice on this matter.
• Is there a good public transportation system? Yes, there is frequent service of public transportation. 
• Can sponsored dependents accompany the sponsored applicant? Yes, they can once evidence of financial support is provided with the application for the sponsored dependents.

More details regarding the program can be obtained from the portal https://www.gov.bm/online-services/one-year-residential-certificate

Final Thoughts

If the thought of living and working on an islands sounds like a heckuva proposition for you, Barbados and Bermuda have made it relatively easy! Besides, there’s a ton of fun to be had in both these locations. Here’s a few ideas for when you aren’t working:

• Things to do in Barbados with Kids
• Popular Black-Owned Restaurants in Barbados
• 5 Top Alluring Spas in Barbados

This was a guest post from Leticia Alleyne, a travel blogger based in the Caribbean island of Barbados.  She was born and raised on the island, Bermuda.  She is an avid traveler and has visited 36 countries to date. Her goal is to visit all 7 continents. She is close with only one continent left Antarctica. Instragram: @chictravelaroundtheworld; Pinterest: chictravelaroundtheworld