The number of Caribbean Community States satisfying the legal requirement for the Free Movement of Skilled Persons has increased by two with the governments of Jamaica and St Vincent and the Grenadines having recently enacted legislation to this effect.
The Free Movement of Skilled Persons is among the key elements for the achievement of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy.
In the case of both Member States, the legislation is based on reciprocity, and for Jamaica is extended to include sports persons, artists, media professionals and musicians so certified by their national competent authority. On the other hand the occupations recognised by St. Vincent and the Grenadines are itemised but can be extended as prescribed by the appropriate Minister. The occupations are Accountancy, Dentistry, Engineering, Journalism, Law, Medicine and Teaching.
The Jamaica legislation, Caribbean Community (Free Movement of Skilled Persons) Act 1997 formalises a previously existing administrative arrangement with regards to the free movement of skilled CARICOM nationals. In making the provision open to musicians, artists, sports persons and media workers, the Jamaica legislation makes this arrangement available to a large number of CARICOM nationals.
This legislation recognises under graduate and post graduate degrees from the University of the West Indies, the University of Guyana and the University of Suriname. It also recognises qualifications or a combination compiled from time to time by the University Council of Jamaica and also qualifications or combination of qualifications certified by the University Council of Jamaica as satisfying conditions for recognition by the Caribbean Community.
In the case of sports persons, musicians, artists and media workers they must be certified as such by the competent authority in the CARICOM State where they are nationals.
The St. Vincent and the Grenadines legislation is titled Immigration (Caribbean Community Skilled Nationals) Act 1997. In addition to degrees from the University of the West Indies, University of Guyana and the University of Suriname, the Act also recognises degrees from the University of Technology in Jamaica and degrees that are comparable to those offered by the universities in Member States.
In passing their respective legislation, Jamaica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, join other r Member States in putting the legal framework in place to facilitate the free movement of skilled nationals. The other Member States are Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago.
