Four Caricom States on target for October 1, start of free movement

FOUR CARIBBEAN Community (CARICOM) Member States- Barbados, Belize, the Commonwealth of Dominica and St.Vincent and the Grenadines- are on track to implement full free movement among themselves from October, 1, this year. By implementing the full free movement regime, these four countries have agreed to grant their nationals the right to enter, leave and re-enter, move freely, reside, work and remain indefinitely in the receiving member state, without the need for a work or residency permit.

Their nationals will also be able to access emergency and primary health care, and public primary and secondary education, within the means of the receiving member state, a Caribbean Community (Caricom) release states.

This is in keeping with a decision taken at the 49th Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government this year.

Representatives from these four member states have been meeting and working to ensure the required measures to support the full free movement of their nationals will be undertaken and commence on October, 1, 2025.

This free movement arrangement falls within the new Enhanced Cooperation Chapter of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. Under that Chapter, the Conference of CARICOM Heads can allow groups of at least three member states to seek to advance integration among themselves where the Conference agrees that the targeted objectives cannot be attained within a reasonable period by the Community as a whole.