Senator the Honourable Dr. Amery Browne, Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs is pleased to announce the Proclamation of the Amendments to the Immigration (Caribbean Community Skilled Nationals) Act 2022 by Her Excellency Paula-Mae Weekes, O.R.T.T., President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
The amendments signal Trinidad and Tobago’s ongoing commitment to the deepening and strengthening of the regional integration process, and brings Trinidad and Tobago into compliance with decisions of the Conference of Heads of Government regarding the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas and the Free Movement Regime.
The Proclamation brings into effect the expansion of the categories eligible for free movement within the region from 5 (University Graduates, Artistes, Musicians, Media workers and Sports persons) to 12 categories. The additional categories eligible for a CSME Skills Certificate are as follows: (Non-Graduate Nurses, Non-Graduate Teachers, Artisans with a Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ), Holders of Associate Degrees or a comparable qualification and Household Domestics with a Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) or an equivalent qualification, Agricultural Workers and Security Guards. The amendments also adds Beauty Service Practitioners and Barbers under the existing category of Artiste.
The additional categories increases employment opportunities within the region for Trinidad and Tobago nationals at home and those in the Diaspora abroad wishing to return to the region and is used as a mechanism to expand the range of skilled and unskilled labour available in the region for the socio-economic benefit of all Caribbean peoples.
