The Bahamas · Work
The Bahamas Work permit
First stay: 1 yr
Work Permit (Work Visa) — annual, employer-sponsored
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Work permit is a work route for The Bahamas. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source.
- Government fees
- BSD 200 ≈ $200 · BSD 16k/yr ≈ $16k
- Processing
- 8–12 weeks
- First stay
- 1 yr
Cost, time and long term
To apply: 2 government fees listed below; decision: 8–12 weeks. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government feesBSD 200 ≈ $200 · BSD 16k/yr ≈ $16k
- BSD 200 (≈ $200)Non-refundable processing fee.
- BSD 16,275 a year (≈ $16,300)Scale 1 annual work visa fee plus 5% levy (top positions such as CEO, company director); Scale 2 $13,125; Scale 3 $9,450; Scale 4 $7,500; Scale 5 $6,000; Scale 6 $5,000; Scale 7 $4,000; Scale 8 $2,000; Scale 9 $500.
RenewalRenewable
Annual work permits are renewed through a separate renewal application, with a National Insurance contributions letter and a copy of the previous permit.
Permanent residenceAfter 20 years of residence
Permanent residence is open to people who have held legal work permit status for more than 20 consecutive years. A shorter period applies to people who lived in The Bahamas 10 to 20 years on a work permit in scales 5 to 8, and to certain teachers, nurses and public-service workers after 10 years.
CitizenshipConditions
Citizenship by naturalisation needs permanent resident status held for 10 years, so work-permit years lead to citizenship only after permanent residence is granted.
Processing8–12 weeks
After a complete application, the Immigration Department asks applicants to contact its Consultation Unit for an update within 8 to 12 weeks.
Where to applyFrom abroad
First-time applicants should not be in The Bahamas while the application is processed; the employer or sponsor supports the application.
Bahamas Department of ImmigrationDepartment of Immigration, The Bahamas
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Applications are made from outside The Bahamas, not after arriving
- Needs a job offer from an employer in The Bahamas
What you'll need
What you must show and pay2
- A fee of BSD 200 (≈ $200) · Non-refundable processing fee.
- A fee of BSD 16,275 a year (≈ $16,300) · Scale 1 annual work visa fee plus 5% levy (top positions such as CEO, company director); Scale 2 $13,125; Scale 3 $9,450; Scale 4 $7,500; Scale 5 $6,000; Scale 6 $5,000; Scale 7 $4,000; Scale 8 $2,000; Scale 9 $500.
Documents7
- A Labour Certificate with notification of vacancy is required.
- Advertisements for three consecutive days are required.
- Two employer references are required.
- The employer's business licence and National Insurance certificate are required.
- Medical and police certificates are required.
- The Labour Certificate is waived for Scale 1 and for owner representatives and consultants in Scale 2.
- From 1 September 2025, Scale 8 domestic-worker permits (new and renewal) need a Labour Certificate.
After you arrive1
- The Scale 8 Labour Certificate is repeated every two years.
When you become tax resident
How The Bahamas decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
1 year at first, renewable
- Tax residence
No income tax residence test applies because no personal income tax is levied; National Insurance applies to employees, employers and the self-employed.
- Foreign-source income
No personal income tax
All tax rules for The Bahamas Tax records checked
Full official text
Non-Bahamians working and living in The Bahamas for more than 90 days need a work permit; fees follow occupation scales 1 to 9 and employers must show a Labour Certificate and newspaper advertisements. 1 2
What you must show and pay
- A fee of BSD 200 (≈ $200) · Non-refundable processing fee. 1
- A fee of BSD 16,275 a year (≈ $16,300) · Scale 1 annual work visa fee plus 5% levy (top positions such as CEO, company director); Scale 2 $13,125; Scale 3 $9,450; Scale 4 $7,500; Scale 5 $6,000; Scale 6 $5,000; Scale 7 $4,000; Scale 8 $2,000; Scale 9 $500. 2
Requirements
- A Labour Certificate with notification of vacancy is required. 1
- Advertisements for three consecutive days are required. 1
- Two employer references are required. 1
- The employer's business licence and National Insurance certificate are required. 1
- Medical and police certificates are required. 1
- The Labour Certificate is waived for Scale 1 and for owner representatives and consultants in Scale 2. 1
- From 1 September 2025, Scale 8 domestic-worker permits (new and renewal) need a Labour Certificate. 1
- The Scale 8 Labour Certificate is repeated every two years. 1
Stay
- Annual work visa fee covers each period of one year; renewals are separate applications. Work for up to 90 days uses a short-term work permit.
- Initial permitted stay: 12 months.
- Visa validity: 12 months. Validity is the window to use the visa, not the length you may stay.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Work
Work for the sponsoring employer in the listed occupation.
Family
Dependants apply separately for a Permit to Reside (spouse and children under 18).
Official sources
- Work Permit (New) · Department of Immigration, The Bahamas · checked 2026-10-10
- Immigration Fee Scale · Department of Immigration, The Bahamas · checked 2026-10-12
- Work Permit (Renewal) · Bahamas Department of Immigration · checked 2026-10-11
- Permanent Residence · Department of Immigration, The Bahamas · checked 2026-10-10
- Citizenship · Bahamas Department of Immigration · checked 2026-10-11
Work permit and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work permit | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
| 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 much money do I need for the Work permit?
A fee of BSD 200 (≈ $200). Non-refundable processing fee. A fee of BSD 16,275 a year (≈ $16,300). Scale 1 annual work visa fee plus 5% levy (top positions such as CEO, company director); Scale 2 $13,125; Scale 3 $9,450; Scale 4 $7,500; Scale 5 $6,000; Scale 6 $5,000; Scale 7 $4,000; Scale 8 $2,000; Scale 9 $500.
How long can I stay on the Work permit?
Annual work visa fee covers each period of one year; renewals are separate applications.
How long does the Work permit take to process?
After a complete application, the Immigration Department asks applicants to contact its Consultation Unit for an update within 8 to 12 weeks.
Can I work on the Work permit?
Work for the sponsoring employer in the listed occupation.
Can I bring my family on the Work permit?
Dependants apply separately for a Permit to Reside (spouse and children under 18).
Does the Work permit lead to permanent residence in The Bahamas?
Time on the Work permit counts toward permanent residence in The Bahamas, which the rules allow after 20 years of residence.
How are Work permit holders taxed in The Bahamas?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Work permit. The standard rules apply: The Bahamas Government investment guidance lists personal income, capital gains, inheritance, withholding, dividend and payroll taxes as absent; residents pay VAT and National Insurance contributions instead.
More in The Bahamas
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 2026-10-10 against 5 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
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.
- Work Permit (New) · Department of Immigration, The Bahamas · checked 2026-10-10
- Immigration Fee Scale · Department of Immigration, The Bahamas · checked 2026-10-12
- Work Permit (Renewal) · Bahamas Department of Immigration · checked 2026-10-11
- Permanent Residence · Department of Immigration, The Bahamas · checked 2026-10-10
- Citizenship · Bahamas Department of Immigration · 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.