Minister for Natural Resources, Labour, Immigration and Social Security Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley (R9) said, after two years in the works, a clause in the Immigration and Passport (Amendment) Act, 2021, will now enable homeowners to remain in the [British] Virgin Islands for up to 10 months without a work permit.
He said the amended clause would change section 23.12.B of the Principal Act to provide for the period in which the Immigration Officer may grant to any person leave, to remain in the territory and when such person does not produce a permit for a period not exceeding six months to a period not exceeding 10 months.
“Mr Speaker, I am particularly happy to see this included as it has taken me two years to achieve this. A simple clause took two years to get to this house. I remember when I first brought it, it went through three Permanent Secretaries to get here to this house, a simple clause, to tell a homeowner who has the means to live here to help bolster our economy. These persons are here to do one thing and one thing only to enjoy our environment and to put some money into our economy,” Hon. Wheatley expressed during the 11th Sitting of the 3rd Session of the 4th House of Assembly on Thursday, August 26, 2021.
Minister for Natural Resources, Labour,
Immigration and Social Security Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley (R9) said
homeowners who are not belongers are desiring to stay longer in the
territory.
Homeowners desiring to stay longer in territory- Hon Wheatley
He said the main reason for this amendment was because “I had realised that there were persons in the territory who own homes, they never rent these homes, but they can only stay in the territory for six months maximum per year. That meant for six months of the year, the homes stayed here empty.”
Honourable Wheatley said he conducted a survey among that category of persons, and they said to him that if they were allowed to stay for a longer period of time in the territory, they would.
“It is even more important now in the times of COVID when they want to escape other countries because the BVI is relatively safe and hopefully we will be COVID-19 free soon, they would rather spend that time in the BVI and when they are here, what do they do? They don’t work, they support maids, they support restaurants, they support grocery stores, they support car rentals, they go fishing. These persons support the economy so why, Mr Speaker, would we keep them away?” he asked rhetorically.