If you’re wondering what the next steps are once you’ve landed your dream job on the one of the Islands, here’s exactly what you can expect…

Step one is that you are made a written job offer, usually in the form of a letter or short contract, which will be issued ‘subject to receipt of satisfactory references and work permit approval’.

The former condition will be up to you to request and provide – unless handled by your recruiter or your new employer – and your references will be used by the new firm for reassurance on your suitability as a potential hire. It will also  be used as part of the work permit application so it serves two purposes.

On accepting your job offer, your employer will send you a work permit application form. Your sole responsibility is to complete the form and send all the requested information exactly as requested as a single package by courier. As a general rule, you can reclaim all the expenses incurred in collating this information (e.g. courier costs, medical scan).

The firm will handle the administration side of your application with Immigration, chasing up as necessary and paying the associated expense. It’s worth noting that your work permit is tied specifically to your exact position within your new firm i.e. it cannot be used to work for another company.

Most candidates choose to resign as soon as they accept their new job offer, as the collecting of professional references forms part of the documentation needed for the visa and it makes sense to run out the notice period in parallel with the work permit being processed.

In our experience, provided the correct steps have been followed by your employer (such as advertising the vacancy properly in case there is a local Islander appropriate to do the job), there should be no reason that a visa will not be approved.

Depending on the jurisdiction and time of year, 6-8 weeks will likely pass and then you’ll get notified that Immigration has approved your work permit. It’s now time to pack your bags… and get ready for an amazing period in your life to begin!

Read: What Happens After You Accept an Island Job | Part 2

If you are a lawyer or chartered accountant and interested in working in the Bermuda/Caribbean region, visit our jobs portal to see the latest vacancies. Our site also includes a downloadable All You Need to Know guide which will tell you all you need to know about living and working offshore.