CARICOM Skills Certificate in St. Vincent and the Grenadines
We can help you apply for a CARICOM Skills Certificate (also called the CSME Skills Certificate) in St. Vincent and the Grenadines: the office to apply to, who qualifies, and what you need.
Where to apply in St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Office: Ministry of Foreign Affairs (CSME unit)
Complete the application form and submit it with your documents to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (CSME unit) in Kingstown.
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. Vincent and the Grenadines
Confirm you qualify
The form lists the eligible categories: graduates, media persons, sports persons, artistes, musicians, nurses, teachers, artisans and holders of an associate degree or comparable qualification. Check which fits you, since your supporting documents depend on it.
Download and complete the form
Fill in the official application form carefully and exactly as your passport reads. The form warns that false or misleading statements can result in permanent refusal of your application.
Gather your documents
The form requires originals and a copy of each document, listed below. Your degree or diploma must be certified by the Accreditation Unit.
- The police certificate requirement is strict: an original Police Certificate of Good Character from your country of origin AND from any other country where you lived for more than three months. This applies to nationals and non-nationals alike.
- Artistes, media workers, musicians and sportspersons also need a letter from their National Federation or Ministry confirming registration in their field, plus letters from previous employers stating what they did.
- Listing children as dependants? Include a birth certificate for each.
- The two passport photos must be identical.
Submit to the Ministry and pay EC$250
Submit everything to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (CSME unit) in Kingstown. The cost stated on the form is EC$250. Your original documents are returned to you.
Wait for processing and collect
Allow several weeks for verification, then collect your certificate when notified.
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 required in St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Completed application form (names exactly as in your passport)
- University degree certificate or diploma, certified by the Accreditation Unit (original and copy)
- Artistes, media workers, musicians, sportspersons: a letter from your National Federation or Ministry confirming registration in your field, plus letters from previous employers stating your function
- Birth certificate, plus birth certificates of any children listed as dependants
- Passport (copy of the pages with biographical details, date of issue and expiry)
- Marriage certificate, divorce decree or deed of separation (if applicable)
- Two identical passport-sized photographs
- Original Police Certificate of Good Character from your country of origin and from any country where you lived for more than three months
Good to know
- On first arrival the certificate gives a definite entry of six months in the receiving country.
- False or misleading statements on the form can lead to permanent refusal, so double-check every answer.
You don’t have to do this yourself
I can handle your Skills Certificate application in St. Vincent and the Grenadines 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. Vincent and the Grenadines: common questions
What are the CSME steps in St. Vincent and the Grenadines?
There are 6 main steps to get a CARICOM Skills Certificate in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, 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 Foreign Affairs (CSME unit). The fee is EC$250 (XCD), as stated on the official application form.. The full step-by-step guide is above on this page.
How do I move to St. Vincent and the Grenadines as a CARICOM national?
The CARICOM Skills Certificate (CSME) is the main route for CARICOM nationals to live and work in St. Vincent and the Grenadines without a work permit. St. Vincent and the Grenadines also has full free movement with Barbados, Belize, Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, so nationals of those countries don't need the certificate. Apply through Ministry of Foreign Affairs (CSME unit), then use the certificate at the border for an initial entry stamp. See St. Vincent and the Grenadines 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.