Antigua and Barbuda · Work
Antigua and Barbuda Work permit
Work permit (Labour Department, Labour Code Work Permit Division)
First checked against official sources on , some details partly verifiedChange log
Key facts
Work permit is a work route for Antigua and Barbuda. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
Time and long term
RenewalRenewable
The Labour Department work permit form has a renewal option; the holder also needs a separate extension of stay from the Immigration Department.
Labour Department, Antigua and BarbudaDepartment of Immigration, Antigua and Barbuda
Permanent residenceAfter 4 years of residence
Work permit holders can apply for a Class A resident permit after four years of lawful residence without interruption, with a valid work permit when applying. A work permit alone does not make the holder a resident.
CitizenshipGeneral rule: 6 years of residence
Naturalisation of a non-Commonwealth citizen needs 12 months of residence just before applying plus at least 5 years of residence in the 7 years before that. Citizens of Commonwealth countries listed in the Act can register after 7 years of ordinary residence, at least 5 of them in Antigua and Barbuda. Time on a work permit alone is not counted as residence without the Minister's consent.
Laws of Antigua and Barbuda, Ministry of Legal AffairsDepartment of Immigration, Antigua and Barbuda
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Needs a job offer from an employer in Antigua and Barbuda
What you'll need
Documents3
- The application names the proposed employer, position, qualifications and permit period.
- The employer states how the vacancy was advertised locally and abroad and with the Labour Department.
- A job description is attached.
After you arrive2
- A work permit holder remains a bona fide visitor and needs a separate extension of stay from the Immigration Department.
- A work permit does not make the holder a resident.
When you become tax resident
How Antigua and Barbuda decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Tax residence
The IRD home page still lists personal income tax among the taxes it administers.
- Foreign-source income
No personal income tax
Antigua and Barbuda abolished personal income tax in 2016 (2026 Budget Statement), so employment, investment and other foreign-source income of individuals is not subject to a personal income tax; self-employed and partnership business income is instead taxed under the Unincorporated Business Tax, with 0% on the first XCD 42,000 (≈ $15,600) for a sole trader, 8% from XCD 42,001 (≈ $15,600) to 186,000 and 25% above XCD 186,000 (≈ $68,900).
All tax rules for Antigua and Barbuda Tax records checked
Full official text
Non-citizens generally need a work permit from the Labour Department to work; the employer completes a second schedule on staffing, advertising and training. 1 2
Requirements
- The application names the proposed employer, position, qualifications and permit period. 1
- The employer states how the vacancy was advertised locally and abroad and with the Labour Department. 1
- A job description is attached. 1
- A work permit holder remains a bona fide visitor and needs a separate extension of stay from the Immigration Department. 2
- A work permit does not make the holder a resident. 2
Stay
- Period requested on the application; a work permit holder is a bona fide visitor with conditional permission to work.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Work
Work for the named employer in the named position.
Family
Ordinarily no right of residence for the spouse and children of a work-permit holder; some categories can bring children after the Chief Immigration Officer approves an application.
Official sources
- Application for work permit (Labour Code, Work Permit Division) · Labour Department, Antigua and Barbuda · checked 2026-10-10
- Extensions FAQs (work permit and status) · Department of Immigration, Antigua and Barbuda · checked 2026-10-10
- Residency Permit FAQs · Department of Immigration, Antigua and Barbuda · checked 2026-10-10
- Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship Act, Cap. 22 · Laws of Antigua and Barbuda, Ministry of Legal Affairs · checked 2026-10-11
- Antigua and Barbuda Constitution Order 1981, Cap. 23 (section 114) · Laws of Antigua and Barbuda, Ministry of Legal Affairs · checked 2026-10-11
Work permit and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work permit | – | – | – |
| Job-offer residence Mexico | – | 4 yr | – |
| Internationalisation visa M Colombia | – | 3 yr | – |
| Scientist/professional permit Costa Rica | – | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Work visa Brazil | – | 2 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How long can I stay on the Work permit?
Period requested on the application; a work permit holder is a bona fide visitor with conditional permission to work.
Can I work on the Work permit?
Work for the named employer in the named position.
Can I bring my family on the Work permit?
Ordinarily no right of residence for the spouse and children of a work-permit holder; some categories can bring children after the Chief Immigration Officer approves an application.
Does the Work permit lead to permanent residence in Antigua and Barbuda?
Time on the Work permit counts toward permanent residence in Antigua and Barbuda, which the rules allow after 4 years of residence. The general rule for citizenship is 6 years of residence.
How are Work permit holders taxed in Antigua and Barbuda?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Work permit. The standard rules apply: Self-employed business income is taxed on net income at 0% up to EC$42,000, 8% to EC$186,000 and 25% above for a sole trader.
More in Antigua and Barbuda
Work visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 5 official sources. Status: partly verified; the page marks the facts an official source does not fully confirm.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Application for work permit (Labour Code, Work Permit Division) · Labour Department, Antigua and Barbuda · checked 2026-10-10
- Extensions FAQs (work permit and status) · Department of Immigration, Antigua and Barbuda · checked 2026-10-10
- Residency Permit FAQs · Department of Immigration, Antigua and Barbuda · checked 2026-10-10
- Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship Act, Cap. 22 · Laws of Antigua and Barbuda, Ministry of Legal Affairs · checked 2026-10-11
- Antigua and Barbuda Constitution Order 1981, Cap. 23 (section 114) · Laws of Antigua and Barbuda, Ministry of Legal Affairs · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.