Changes are coming to the much-touted Barbados Welcome Stamp as Government authorities uncover other areas of economic activity not included in the criteria under this programme.
While the Welcome Stamp targets middle to upper middle income visitors who want to live and work remotely in Barbados for up to 12 months due to COVID-19 challenges in their countries, Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams disclosed today that the programme is likely to become the point of reference for foreign companies to set up their headquarters here and “very” experienced medical professionals to work in the local sector.
Addressing a news conference along with Minister of Tourism Senator Lisa Cummins and Deputy Chief Immigration Officer Margaret Inniss to update Barbadians on the Welcome Stamp initiative, Abrahams said the venture was now going through an evolution.
“As the applications come in, we are seeing need to tweak the system to put in different fields [on the application form] to allow tourism to capture more information. We are seeing the need to relook some of the criteria, whether we need to be a bit more flexible with it. So it has been an interesting month that this programme has been in place,” Abrahams said.
The home affairs minister said the programme is being fine-tuned every day as some professional and skilled foreigners simply want to live and work in Barbados for the long haul.
“People still continue to submit applications indicating they are seeking employment as bartenders, drivers, teachers, farmers, security officers, to name a few. And some people have actually submitted applications based on the fact that they are in the medical field and are seeking to get integrated into our medical system,” he announced.
“So where we see persons who don’t necessarily fulfill the criteria, but have criteria relevant to some other arm of Government, what we have done is to pass those on. So in relation to persons who have nursing experience or medical experience and are looking to relocate and especially where they have significant experience, we have taken the decision to pass those on to the Ministry of Health and let them handle it from that perspective,” Abrahams told reporters at his Wildey, St Michael ministry.
He said the application process has therefore been a valuable one for the Government with visitors expressing serious interest in relocating to Barbados.
“It has also allowed us to mine some information and data which we can use in other aspects. So although you may not necessarily qualify under this programme, it does not mean you are excluded or not considered as someone that Barbados may want to have. We just refer you …and if they approve or require and request your consideration then we will deal with you a different way,” the minister stated.
“At the end of the day, what is going to happen and what the Government envisages is going to happen is there are some skills that will come here that can be used in Barbados. So if you are top in your field somewhere and you bring that to Barbados and you work from Barbados providing your service overseas and that is a service the Government of Barbados feels should be developed in Barbados or can contribute to Barbados, then we have no difficulty in approaching those persons and asking them to consider Barbados to incorporate your company and consider Barbados for your headquarters,” Abrahams declared.
“So the welcome stamp, initially at its basic level, allows persons to come to Barbados to escape COVID situations in their countries and ride out the pandemic in Barbados. To come with your family to enjoy the standard of life we have in Barbados, to be able to earn your dollars overseas and continue your working life overseas although you are based here,” the minister said.
However, he made the point that there is not where the programme stops for the Government.
“We are getting a wealth of information based on the forms that people have to fill out, based on the follow up interviews and we will target persons who we believe can contribute to national development. We will target persons we believe have a skill that Barbados needs; and realistically, if you are here for 12 months and you can contribute to the development of Barbados, then we are not pushing for you to leave,” Abrahams assured.
The home affairs minister told reporters that while the programme is a 12-month initiative, when one considers the “wealth” of information emerging from the application process, the possibilities are endless as the year evolves.
“It is evolving weekly and new possibilities are coming up and in this environment the Government is not ruling out anything at all,” he stressed.
One of the ways in which the Government will be making its money from the Welcome Stamp is through visa fees.
On approval, a single person is required to pay a non-refundable fee of $4,000 while the fee for a family bundle is $6,000. (EJ)
