“This supports jobs, supports public services, and supports our future.”
Prime Minister of Barbados, the Honourable Mia Mottley
As of Wednesday, 1 October 2025, Barbados joins Belize, Dominica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines in fully implementing the free movement of nationals among these Caribbean Community (CARICOM) states. This landmark step marks a new chapter in regional integration and mobility.
Prime Minister of Barbados, the Honourable Mia Mottley, affirmed the nation’s commitment to this transformative initiative, stating Barbados will “open our doors with order and with pride.”
In a nationwide radio and television broadcast on Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Mottley addressed the significance of this moment, acknowledging the range of emotions felt across the country and Region.
“I know some of you feel excited. I also know that some of you do feel anxious. You have questions. You want to know exactly what will happen and how it will affect your family, your job, your children’s future,” she said. “All of your questions and feelings are valid.”
The Prime Minister reflected on Barbados’ longstanding leadership in regional integration, noting:
“We have had successive governments work fervently to build a regional integration project.”
She emphasized that this step is a natural progression of existing ties:
“The ties among the islands are not new, not strange, and definitely not to be feared.”
Prime Minister Mottley highlighted the practical benefits of the initiative:
“This supports jobs, supports public services, and supports our future.”
Nationals from the four participating countries will now have the right to live, work (without a permit), and study across these states on an indefinite basis.
“We call ourselves pioneers because we are putting in place a regime which I have every confidence that others in our Caribbean community will join in.”
The Prime Minister also outlined the procedures for immigration status under the new regime, while noting that governments retain the right to refuse entry on public health grounds.
To learn more about this historic development, we invite you to watch Prime Minister Mottley’s full broadcast below.
