While we do have contract roles arise occasionally, the majority of the international positions that we fill are considered permanent, in that they are salaried, staff positions with full benefits, vacation time and other aspects most commonly associated with full time employment. In most cases the employers are looking for an initial commitment of 2-3 years with plenty of opportunity to extend longer (subject to ongoing immigration and permit approval).

Yes… and no… we do business in several offshore locations – some with no income tax and others with very low tax. For instance, in Bermuda, there’s a small payroll tax deduction. In the Cayman Islands, there isn’t any personal income tax. The tax benefits are certainly one of the major incentives to work in these locations.

Canadians looking to take advantage of the tax benefit offered in these markets generally need to qualify as a non-resident of Canada for tax purposes. At a high level, this means that you live outside of Canada and do not maintain what the CRA refers to as significant residential ties: a home in Canada, a spouse or common-law partner in Canada, and dependents in Canada.

This is one of the most common concerns we hear from individuals considering a move to the Islands. The cost of living in these locations is generally quite high but this needs to be kept in context. For instance, in Bermuda the cost of rental housing is high but this is offset by lower overall tax deductions and other expenses that one can typically do away with (for instance, most find that ownership of a car is generally not necessary in Bermuda). The salaries in the area do tend to reflect an increase in living expenses.

Please bear in mind, there are literally thousands of expatriates working in these jurisdictions – they aren’t doing it solely for the warm weather and good of their health! While it’s not a get rich quick scheme, most people find that they are able to come back after a few years with significant savings.

Yes, although there can be some challenges associated. In general, most work permit applications have a section to include a spouse and/or children as dependents on the permit. Many of these Islands do not recognize common-law marriage so it’s preferred that you are legally married. Bringing a child or two is sometimes workable but can be more challenging from both a work permit approval and cost of living standpoint.

The Bermuda Government normally won’t grant a work permit to anyone with more than three dependents due in part to an already crowded school system. In some Caribbean locations there may be more flexibility – but generally these opportunities aren’t ideal for large families.

The answer to this is… maybe. It partially depends on what they do and what sort of qualifications they have. In most locations, employers must give preference to local citizens prior to hiring an expatriate. In Bermuda there are several areas of employment that are held for locals only and therefore expatriates generally won’t be considered for those roles. However there are other areas where the need is greater such as Accounting, Financial Services, I.T., Office Administration, Insurance, Medical professionals, etc.

It varies from employer to employer but generally there is coverage for flights and the costs associated with shipping a reasonable amount of personal items. Initial temporary accommodation and transportation is normally offered as well. You’ll find your new employer will do what they can (within reason) to help you settle in quickly.

You would be amazed how often we are asked about this. All we can say is, after 25 plus years and hundreds of successful placements, we’ve never lost anyone (Well, not that we know of anyway!)