Saint Lucia Work Permit
Labour Code 2006, Part on Work Permits
A foreign national may not work in Saint Lucia, paid or self-employed, without a valid work permit or an exemption. Employers may not employ a foreign national without one. Applications go to the Minister responsible for labour through the Work Permit Unit of the Department of Labour, on the prescribed form with the prescribed fee. The Minister can grant a permit with or without conditions, or refuse it.
Life in St. Lucia
Money
3
Currency
East Caribbean Dollar
XCD
East Caribbean Dollar
Cost of living
59
Price level · US = 100
World Bank price levels, 2025
Tax
15–30%
Income tax (national)
VAT 12.5%
XCD 25,000 personal allowance; 15% on chargeable income to XCD 15,000, 20% to XCD 30,000, 30% above XCD 30,000 (bands from income year 2023).
Your edge here Members
What gives you an edge here: passports, visas and permits you hold, work, study, language and family ties
Who it’s for
Foreign nationals who want to work or run a business in Saint Lucia, and employers hiring them.
Eligibility
Who needs a permit
You need a work permit if you are a 'foreign national', with two exclusions.
- 'Foreign national' is defined in sections 316-317
- Excludes people holding a permit to reside permanently in Saint Lucia
- Excludes under-18 children or stepchildren of citizens
Official wording
Any 'foreign national' (s.316-317). This excludes people holding a permit to reside permanently in Saint Lucia, and under-18 children or stepchildren of citizens.
Exempt
You don't need a permit if you fall into one of the exempt classes listed below.
- Judges and Chief Registrar of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court or CCJ
- Public servants of Saint Lucia's Government; foreign lawyers defending a criminal case
- Religious workers can get a certificate of exemption
- Minister can exempt other classes by Gazette Order (s.322)
Official wording
Judges and the Chief Registrar of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court or CCJ, public servants of the Government of Saint Lucia, and foreign lawyers defending a criminal case. Religious workers can get a certificate of exemption. The Minister can exempt other classes by Gazette Order (s.322).
Ministerial discretion
The Minister can grant a permit with or without conditions, or refuse it.
- Minister may vary or cancel a permit on 30 days' written notice
- Set out in sections 318 and 321
Official wording
The Minister may grant a permit with or without conditions, or refuse it, and may vary or cancel it on 30 days' written notice (ss.318, 321).
A sneak peek at what's inside
- Document checklistWork permit application on the prescribed form
- FeesWork permit fee
- Steps to applyContact the Work Permit Unit of the Department of Labour (468-2707 / 468-2710 pe
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