Montserrat launches Remote Worker Programme

Montserrat has launched its Remote Worker Programme on Friday, January 29th 2021, giving professionals and entrepreneurs the opportunity to experience a work-life-vacation balance, trading humdrum offices for turquoise beaches for up to 12 months.

Deputy Premier of Montserrat Dr. The Hon. Samuel Joseph explained that the need for this type of programme was propelled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The global pandemic has changed how we live and work, and as multinationals and leading startups across the world accelerate their rates of digital adoption, the need to be physically present to fulfil professional responsibilities has been redefined.”

Dr Joseph also said that currently, there are people in metropolitan areas and various parts of the world, who now have the ability to work from home, thus the remote worker programme is basically telling people to come to Montserrat to work.

The 12-month Remote Worker Programmer offers new opportunities for anyone whose work is location-independent, and the Government of Montserrat has been working to ensure that the process to apply is as simple as possible, for ease of travel.

Despite having no active cases since June 2020, the robust and effective contact tracing protocols are still in place. To date, the UK Overseas Territory only had 13 cases of the novel coronavirus and 1 death.

Remote Worker Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the Montserrat Remote Work stamp, persons must prove that they can work location-independently using telecommunications technologies. In addition, they will need to prove that they fit under any one of the three following categories:

• Works for an employer that is registered in a foreign country and they have a contract of work with that employer;
• Conducts business activity for a company that is registered in a foreign country and of which they are a partner/shareholder; or
• Offers freelance or consulting services mostly to clients, whose permanent establishments are in a foreign country, and with whom they have contracts.

For the first category, the legislation does not distinguish between public or private sector employers. So they will be eligible whether their employer is a private company, a public sector agency (e.g. government or regulatory body), or a not-for-profit entity. What is important is that they have a contract of employment with the employer and they are able to work remotely using telecommunications technologies.

The other important eligibility requirement to be aware of is the income threshold, which is meant to provide evidence of how they will support themselves during their time in Montserrat. Currently, the annual income threshold is US$70,000 (EC$189,000).

Application Fees

The fees paid during the application process for the Montserrat Remote Work Visa/Stamp are non-refundable, and proof of payment must accompany every application.

All applications are assessed before approval, and applicants must satisfy the eligibility criterion set above.

Applicable processing fees are as follows:

• SINGLE: US$500 (EC$1, 350);
• COUPLES: US$500 (EC$1, 350) each;
• FAMILIES (up to 3 dependants): US$750 (EC$2,025)

Applicant(s) will be informed by email of successful application(s).

Visit their official website for more information.