Four CARICOM member states will implement full free movement of nationals by October 1, 2025, marking a major step forward in regional integration under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).
They are Barbados, Belize, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Dominica.
The announcement was made by CARICOM Chairman and Jamaican Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness during the closing news conference of the 49th Regular Meeting of the CARICOM Conference of Heads of Government in Montego Bay.
“We agreed that the pace and scope of implementation [were] just too slow, and we agreed that we will do everything in our power to speed up implementation,” Holness said.
Holness said the four nations reiterated their willingness to implement full free movement under the Protocol on Enhanced Cooperation, which all CARICOM members signed.
Full free movement within CARICOM allows for the free movement of skilled nationals, services, capital, and the right to establish businesses or offer services in other participating member states without restrictions. The free movement of skilled nationals means that qualified workers can seek employment in other member states without needing work permits.
Holness said Jamaica remains committed to the goal and is working to overcome its own internal constraints.
“I want to make clear that Jamaica remains committed to implementing full free movement in accordance with the treaty amendments, and we are also examining ways to speed up our own implementation,” he stated.
Explaining Jamaica’s slower progress, he noted: “Due to our legislative framework and other considerations, we have had to move with greater consideration. However, it is our intention to speed up the implementation of full free movement.”
The Prime Minister also announced that CARICOM leaders agreed to expand the list of approved skilled categories under the CSME regime.
“Aviation personnel have been added to the list, and it is worth noting that Jamaica contributed three new occupations: photogrammetry, field maintenance personnel, and aircraft maintenance personnel,” he said.
The Protocol on Enhanced Cooperation, signed in 2023, aims to eliminate the need for work permits or skills certificates for nationals moving across CARICOM borders.
The October rollout in four countries is expected to serve as a key test case for full free movement across the region, part of CARICOM’s broader 2030 agenda for deeper economic and social integration.
Holness also called for better governance and implementation structures across the Community.
“The reality is that our operations must be more agile and fit for purpose as we seek to deliver outcomes for our community in more efficient and timely ways,” he said.
Progress will be reviewed at the upcoming CARICOM–Africa Summit in Ethiopia this September.
