Dominica
Dominica CARICOM free movement
First stay: 6 mo
CARICOM skilled nationals free movement (CSME Skills Certificate)
First checked against official sources on , some details partly verifiedChange log
Key facts
CARICOM free movement is a long-stay route for Dominica. Local work: limited. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source.
- First stay
- 6 mo
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Work rights are limited
- Only for passports from 11 countries
What you'll need
Who can apply3
- The person is a national of one of the 12 participating CSME states.
- Approved categories include university graduates, artistes, musicians, sportspersons, media workers, nurses, teachers, CVQ artisans and associate degree holders.
- CARICOM nationals outside the approved categories must apply for a work permit.
Documents1
- Applicants complete the Government of Dominica application form and checklist for a CARICOM Skills Certificate.
Steps3
- The Labour Division of the Ministry of Labour processes applications for CARICOM nationals skills recognition certificates.
- With a certificate issued elsewhere, the person is granted a 6-month stay and submits it to the Dominica competent authority for acceptance; work is allowed meanwhile.
- After acceptance the person applies to Immigration for indefinite stay.
After you arrive1
- The certificate is valid indefinitely.
What happens at day 183
How Dominica decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
6 months at first
- Tax residence
- At least 183 days in a basis period for the year of assessment
- More than 183 days in a continuous presenceIndividuals physically present in Dominica for more than 183 days continuously are treated as resident and must file returns.
- Foreign-source income
Remittance basis
Under section 8(2) of the Income Tax Act, an individual who is resident but not ordinarily resident in Dominica has assessable income that includes income accrued from sources outside Dominica only to the extent that such income is received in Dominica.
- Special regime
Resident but not ordinarily resident individuals · Tax relief
All tax rules for Dominica Tax records checked
Full official text
Nationals of 11 other CSME states in an approved skills category can work in Dominica without a work permit with a CARICOM Skills Certificate; Barbados, Belize and St Vincent nationals can use full free movement instead. 1 2 3 4
Requirements
- The person is a national of one of the 12 participating CSME states. 4 5
- Approved categories include university graduates, artistes, musicians, sportspersons, media workers, nurses, teachers, CVQ artisans and associate degree holders. 3 4
- CARICOM nationals outside the approved categories must apply for a work permit. 3
- Applicants complete the Government of Dominica application form and checklist for a CARICOM Skills Certificate. 1
- The Labour Division of the Ministry of Labour processes applications for CARICOM nationals skills recognition certificates. 2
- With a certificate issued elsewhere, the person is granted a 6-month stay and submits it to the Dominica competent authority for acceptance; work is allowed meanwhile. 3
- After acceptance the person applies to Immigration for indefinite stay. 3
- The certificate is valid indefinitely. 3
Stay
- 6-month stay on arrival while the certificate is verified; then indefinite stay.
- Initial permitted stay: 6 months.
- On arrival up to 6 months: Certificate submitted to the competent authority for acceptance; work is allowed meanwhile.
- After acceptance: Indefinite stay granted by Immigration.
Nationality
Nationals of the CSME free movement states: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago. Open to: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, VC, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago.
Work
No work permit needed in the approved categories; the holder can work during the verification period.
Family
Spouses and immediate dependent family members may move with the holder, and spouses may work without a work permit.
Official sources
- Application Form and Checklist: Application for CARICOM Skills Certificate · Government of Dominica · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2020-03-31
- Labour Division · Ministry of Labour, Public Service Reform, Social Partnership, Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development, Dominica · checked 2026-10-10
- Single Market and Economy Free Movement - Travel and Work, 3rd Edition · CARICOM Secretariat, published by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2017-01-01
- CSME - CARICOM Single Market and Economy · Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, Trinidad and Tobago · checked 2026-10-10
- CSME Certificate Portal · Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Guyana · checked 2026-10-10
CARICOM free movement and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| CARICOM free movement | – | 6 mo | Limited |
| CARICOM free movement | – | – | Yes |
| Visa-free stay Mexico | – | 6 mo | No |
| Andean free movement Colombia | – | 2 yr | Yes |
| Free movement by treaty Brazil | – | – | – |
Questions people ask
How long can I stay on the CARICOM free movement?
6-month stay on arrival while the certificate is verified; then indefinite stay.
Can I work on the CARICOM free movement?
Limited. No work permit needed in the approved categories; the holder can work during the verification period.
Can I bring my family on the CARICOM free movement?
Spouses and immediate dependent family members may move with the holder, and spouses may work without a work permit.
Who can apply for the CARICOM free movement?
Nationals of the CSME free movement states: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago. Open to: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, VC, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago.
Is there a tax break for CARICOM free movement holders in Dominica?
Dominica: resident but not ordinarily resident individuals taxed on foreign-source income only when received: Under section 8(2) of the Income Tax Act, an individual who is resident but not ordinarily resident in Dominica has assessable income that includes income accrued from sources outside Dominica only to the extent that such income is received in Dominica. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.
Tax
Special regime
Dominica: resident but not ordinarily resident individuals taxed on foreign-source income only when received
Tax relief
Details
- On: Foreign-source income is taxed only to the extent received in Dominica
Under section 8(2) of the Income Tax Act, an individual who is resident but not ordinarily resident in Dominica has assessable income that includes income accrued from sources outside Dominica only to the extent that such income is received in Dominica.
Taxed on
Foreign-source income is taxed only to the extent received in Dominica; Dominican-source income is taxed on an accrual basis at the progressive rates.
Who it applies to
- Individual who is resident in Dominica by the 183-day test or continuity rule but whose permanent place of abode is not in Dominica (not ordinarily resident).
Exclusions
- Individuals with a permanent place of abode in Dominica who are present for some period in the basis period are ordinarily resident and are taxed on all sources in or out of Dominica (s.8(1)(a)).
Days in the country
- At least 183 days in basis period for the year of assessment · Resident in Dominica if the individual is physically present for not less than 183 days in the basis period (Income Tax Act definition of resident in Dominica, para (a)(ii)); a permanent place of abode in Dominica plus presence for some period also makes an individual ordinarily resident (para (a)(i))
Tax residence
Resident status: 183 days or more in the basis period, or a permanent place of abode with some presence; ordinarily resident means resident under the permanent-place-of-abode limb.
Visas
The rule follows from tax residence under the Income Tax Act, not from a visa category.
Other taxes
Corporate income tax is charged at 25% from 1 January 2016 (IRD rates page).
Checked against official sources on , some details partly verifiedChange log
Similar visas elsewhere
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-10 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 Form and Checklist: Application for CARICOM Skills Certificate · Government of Dominica · checked 2026-10-10
- Labour Division · Ministry of Labour, Public Service Reform, Social Partnership, Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development, Dominica · checked 2026-10-10
- Single Market and Economy Free Movement - Travel and Work, 3rd Edition · CARICOM Secretariat, published by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda · checked 2026-10-10
- CSME - CARICOM Single Market and Economy · Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, Trinidad and Tobago · checked 2026-10-10
- CSME Certificate Portal · Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Guyana · checked 2026-10-10
Tracked since 2026-10-11. 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.