Have you ever wanted to work abroad for a year? Have you ever wanted to skip the cold Montreal winter and work by an ocean? If so, we have good news.
The island nation of Barbados has introduced a 12-month visa for foreigners, including Canadians, that gives them the right to live and work remotely in the beautiful Caribbean country during the pandemic.
With the Barbados Working Stamp, you are given the opportunity to work remotely just like you would from home. Starting now, applicants can apply and according to the website, the application will be processed within a few days, at which point they may be approved to come live and work remotely in Barbados.
For some, this may seem too good to be true, but if you want to apply, you could be working remotely in Barbados by the end of the month if you apply right away.
So, what’s the catch?
There are a few stipulations, the biggest being that you have to make $50,000 US a year and there's a non-refundable fee of $2,000 US for an individual and $3,000 US for families, but once that's paid, the successful applicant is all set.
Along with the application, you'll need to provide two passport size photographs, a birth certificate, and proof of relationship to dependents.
Of course, moving to another country during a pandemic can be scary. It should be noted, however, that Barbados has been praised by health officials around the world for how the country has handled the pandemic. As of July, Barbados has recorded only 106 official cases of COVID-19, and seven deaths at last count, said Peter Mayers, the Canadian director for Barbados's tourism and marketing organization.
The country's health-care system has been able to stay well ahead of the crisis so far, he said in an interview, as officials have set up two facilities dedicated solely to COVID-19 patients to keep them out of hospitals.
Mia Amor Mottley, the Prime Minister of Barbados posted this message welcoming anyone interested:
"On behalf of our beautiful island of Barbados, I would like to extend a warm welcome to you. Although the COVID 19 pandemic has been a tremendous challenge to people around the world, we believe it has also opened up opportunities. We recognise more people are working remotely, sometimes in very stressful conditions, with little option for vacation. Our new 12 month Barbados Welcome Stamp, a visa that allows you to relocate and work from one of the world’s most beloved tourism destinations"