CARICOM Skills Certificate in St. Kitts and Nevis
We can help you apply for a CARICOM Skills Certificate (also called the CSME Skills Certificate) in St. Kitts and Nevis: the office to apply to, who qualifies, and what you need.
Where to apply in St. Kitts and Nevis
Office: Ministry of International Trade, Industry and Commerce
Apply through the CSME Desk Officer at the Ministry of International Trade, Industry and Commerce in Basseterre.
Who can apply
We can help if you are a CARICOM national in one of the 12 approved categories of skilled workers:
- University graduates (now includes associate degrees, two A-levels or CAPE)
- Artistes
- Musicians
- Media workers
- Sportspersons
- Nurses
- Teachers
- Artisans (with a CARICOM Vocational Qualification, CVQ Level 2)
- Holders of associate degrees
- Domestic workers (with a CVQ Level 2)
- Agricultural workers
- Private security officers
How to apply in St. Kitts and Nevis
Identify your category
Work out which of the approved categories matches your qualification or skill. You must hold a CARICOM passport to benefit from the regime.
Get the form and confirm the document list
Collect form CSC-01 from the Ministry or request it by email, and confirm the document checklist with the CSME Desk Officer. Expect the standard package: passport, birth certificate, qualification, police certificate, marriage certificate if applicable, and photos.
- Police Certificates of Character are typically valid for only six months from issue.
- Bring actual certificates, not transcripts or letters.
Submit to the CSME Desk Officer
Hand in your application form and documents to the CSME Desk Officer at the Ministry of International Trade, 2nd Floor, Nagico Building, Bladen Commercial Development, Basseterre. Confirm the fee when you submit, since none is published.
Committee review
The Free Movement of Skilled Persons Committee reviews your application. This takes a minimum of six weeks, longer if your qualification has to be verified with another country.
Collect your certificate and endorse your passport
If approved, you receive your Skills Certificate and a decision letter. Then present your CARICOM passport to the Ministry of National Security for an indefinite-stay endorsement.
Use it abroad
When you arrive in another member state, present the certificate to immigration for an initial six-month entry stamp. You can begin work immediately, then receive an indefinite stay stamp once that country's competent authority verifies the certificate. Spouses and dependants enjoy the same rights to live and work with you.
- Travel with your original qualification documents and a fresh Police Certificate of Character. The receiving country will want them for verification.
Documents you usually need
- Completed application form
- Original birth certificate, plus a copy
- Valid passport, with a copy of the bio-data page and the issue and expiry pages
- Your qualification (degree, diploma, or CVQ certificate). Bring the actual certificate, not a transcript or a letter
- Police Certificate of Character (usually valid for only six months from issue)
- Marriage certificate, divorce decree or deed poll, if your name has changed
- Two passport-sized photographs
Good to know
- You must hold a CARICOM passport. Your spouse and dependants can benefit from your status.
- Confirm the fee with the Ministry. The form is CSC-01, and the form and payment are submitted to the Inland Revenue Department in St. Kitts.
You don’t have to do this yourself
I can handle your Skills Certificate application in St. Kitts and Nevis for you. I work out what your country and your destination actually ask for, get the paperwork in order, and keep it moving, so you are not the one chasing offices and re-reading forms to figure out what happens next.
Moving to St. Kitts and Nevis: common questions
What are the CSME steps in St. Kitts and Nevis?
There are 6 main steps to get a CARICOM Skills Certificate in St. Kitts and Nevis, starting with confirming you're in one of the 12 approved categories and ending with using your certificate to live and work abroad. Apply through Ministry of International Trade, Industry and Commerce. Confirm the current fee with Ministry of International Trade, Industry and Commerce. The full step-by-step guide is above on this page.
How do I move to St. Kitts and Nevis as a CARICOM national?
The CARICOM Skills Certificate (CSME) is the main route for CARICOM nationals to live and work in St. Kitts and Nevis without a work permit. Apply through Ministry of International Trade, Industry and Commerce, then use the certificate at the border for an initial entry stamp. See St. Kitts and Nevis at a glance for cost of living, places to live and what to expect once you're there.
CARICOM Skills Certificate in other countries
Travelling for your application?
If you need to travel to another CARICOM country for your application or to start work, we can sort your flights, a place to stay and your transfers in one booking.