Requirements for foreign nat'ls working in Jamaica

My husband is a Caymanian and we have been married for five years. I am returning home with my husband and wish to know the procedure which would allow him to work in Jamaica.

Any foreign national who is coming to the island to work must be in possession of a work permit issued to him/her by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security as stipulated by the Foreign Nationals and Commonwealth Citizens (Employment) Act and Section 6(b) of the Aliens Act.

However, the law also makes provisions for a foreigner to work in the island without having to obtain a work permit if such person is married to a Jamaican national. This is facilitated through the issuing of a marriage exemption certificate (MEC) by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

Prior to obtaining the MEC, steps must be taken to ensure that the foreign spouse satisfies the landing requirements for visiting Jamaica. You mentioned that your husband is from the Cayman Islands, which means that he would need to obtain an entry visa. You did not indicate where you are currently living; however, a visa may be obtained at any of our consulate offices worldwide. Other requirements for landing are:

• valid passport
• evidence of ability to support oneself.
• In some instances, health and security factors are taken into consideration.

Once the entry requirements are satisfied, your husband is then required to take steps to acquire his marriage exemption certificate from the Ministry of Labour.

You would need to accompany your husband and present the following:

• wife's birth certificate
• marriage certificate
• passports for both husband and wife
• an affidavit signed by husband and wife stating that they both share a common matrimonial home in Jamaica; this must be certified by a justice of the peace
• two passport-size photographs of himself (the non-Jamaican spouse)
• one certified passport-size photograph of wife (the Jamaican spouse)
• a copy of the decree absolute if either or both the husband and wife have previously been divorced.

The MEC for male foreign nationals is granted for three years. For female foreign nationals, it is granted for the duration of the marriage.

Upon receiving the MEC, you and your husband would need to visit our office at 25C Constant Spring Road in St Andrew to regularise his immigration status. That is, he needs to finalise arrangements that would allow him to stay and work on the island legally. To do this, you would be required to submit the following:

• completed 'extension of stay' form
• marriage certificate
• wife's birth certificate or Jamaican passport
• husband's passport
• marriage exemption certificate.

Your husband's passport will be endorsed/stamped 'to accept employment'. Please note that the process of regularising one's immigration status attracts a non-refundable processing fee of $10,000.