Edinburgh couple trade in long winter lockdown for life on dream Caribbean island with new visa

An Edinburgh couple have traded in the long bitter winter in the Capital for a Carribean Island thanks to a new visa introduced last year.

Gillian told of her and her husband's decision to move to Barbados on BBC Scotland's The Nine

Gillian and Jim Scott accepted the invitation in October from the Barbados government to live and work on the island for a year following the introduction of the Welcome Stamp visa.

The visa allows nationals from other countries to live and work on the paradise island for a year, while doing their jobs for employers in other countries.

It was launched last summer after the island’s tourist income was severely impacted and designed the visa to bring people to the location and let them live like a local.

Gillian and Jim traded in Edinburgh for life on dream Caribbean island for a year

Jim, who works remotely as an IT consultant starts his working days in Barbados at 5am finishing up at 1:30pm so he can enjoy the afternoons on the island.

Gillian told BBC Scotland’s The Nine: Jim is allowed to work remotely, so we thought why not?

"It was easy. We had to pay £2,000 for the Welcome Stamp. It allows you a year but you can apply again for another year after that. We put stuff into storage, then bundled a few things in a case and got on the plane.

"When we got there we had to quarantine for two weeks. But after that, it was fine.

"Jim works from 05:00 until 13:30. He doesn't mind it at all. It's bright and quiet in the morning so he gets a lot done.

"But I feel like I am on holiday. I gave up work last January so I have been doing yoga, meeting my friends and buzzing about."

Since October, the couple have been enjoying what the dream destination has to offer, from beaches, bars and restaurants to the horse racing course that they live beside.

And while the UK suffers from extended lockdowns and case numbers which are still high, things are different in Barbados.

The island has had just over 1,000 cases in total and nine deaths, but has taken swift action following a recent spike in cases. The island now has a 9pm curfew in place until the end of January.

People arriving on the island need to have a negative test result and isolate until they return a second.

Those who do test positive have to stay in government-run quarantine facilities.

Gillian has two sons living in Florida who she has been unable to see and her youngest son with her in Barbados while her daughter Helena who is a carer is back in Edinburgh working on the frontline.

She is not sure yet if they will stay beyond a year but is encouraging anyone who is tempted to go for it.

Bajan Prime Minister Mia Mottley has said the Welcome Stamp visa makes long stays in the country possible, as short-term travel becomes more difficult. More than 3,500 ‘stampers’ have already taken up the invitation.

Prime Minister Mottley said: "Covid-19 has changed work globally, with a larger number working remotely from home. Now we can give certainty for the next 12 months that you can work from here.”

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