Bermuda Welcoming Remote Workers to Log on From Paradise With One-year Residency Program

If you’re getting sick of staring at your living room wall while working from home, Bermuda is offering an enticing change of scenery.

Last week, Bermuda’s Ministry of Labor announced that the dreamy island is offering a one-year residency for professionals or students whose return-to-office plan is still TBD.

Since tourism came to a halt in Bermuda due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government is hoping that an extended-stay program for visitors will increase the island’s residential population and give its economy a much-needed boost.

The program is set to launch to the public on or before August 1 and those interested will be able to apply online for a one-year visa. The residency program will cost $263.

Applicants must be over the age of 18, have health insurance, “demonstrate good character” prove that they are employed to a company or enrolled in a school outside of Bermuda, and prove that they will be able to maintain an income without seeking employment in Bermuda.

Travelers who don’t want to spend an entire year in Bermuda can spend up to six months without a visa. The government has extended the maximum stay for a visitor without a visa from 90 to 180 days.

Barbados has implemented a similar program starting August 1 where workers can also work remotely for a year.

Bermuda reopened to international tourists on July 1. In order to enter Bermuda, travelers must be able to present the negative results of a COVID-19 test, taken within 72 hours of their departure, and complete a traveler screening form and arrival card. Visitors must also have health insurance and agree to wear a face mask while in public spaces.

For the first two weeks while they are in Bermuda, travelers must take COVID-19 tests every few days and comply with a nightly curfew from midnight to 5 a.m.

The island reported a total of 153 COVID-19 cases and nine deaths.