Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce Senator Aubyn Hill is encouraging the United Kingdom to consider implementing a special visa arrangement to facilitate the movement of Jamaican and other Caribbean service professionals within that country.

It is proposed that this special arrangement be facilitated under the CARIFORUM-UK Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which governs Jamaica’s trade and investment relations with the UK.

The EPA extends beyond traditional trade arrangements to encompass key areas such as competition policy, intellectual property rights, regional integration, and cultural cooperation.

According to Hill, “To make the market access opportunities under the EPA more effective, better arrangements will be needed to facilitate the movement of Jamaican and other CARIFORUM service professionals within the UK.”

He explained that while the Government remains focused on advancing the manufacturing and export sectors and strengthening the productive capacity of the private sector, it must be acknowledged that services continue to represent the dominant component of Jamaica’s economy, contributing significantly to the island’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Hill, therefore, urged the UK to “introduce a special visa arrangement which will be especially beneficial to representatives of our creative industry, particularly our musicians, models, theatre professionals and other entertainers who desire to ply their trade in the UK”.

He further emphasised that Jamaica would continue to champion deeper dialogue on the matter, recognising that sustained engagement is essential to the effective implementation of the EPA.

Meanwhile, Senator Hill indicated that Jamaica stands ready to welcome British citizens who wish to work remotely from the island.

He noted that the requisite tax arrangements are being reviewed by the Government to facilitate this.

“I know [Portfolio Minister, Dr Horace Chang] is looking at this at the Ministry of National Security [and Peace] to make sure Jamaica becomes an even more attractive place for people to come and reside and work for big companies elsewhere,” the Minister shared.

Senator Hill was speaking during a welcome reception for the visiting United Kingdom (UK) Trade Mission to Jamaica at the British High Commission in Kingston on Wednesday, October 8.

The Mission, which runs from October 8 to 10, seeks to deepen UK-Jamaica commercial collaboration, foster trade expansion, and strengthen ties between UK exporters and Jamaican industries.

Participating entities from the UK include waste management and incineration solutions company Inciner8; international education and university pathways firm NCUK; construction and infrastructure development agency Mowlem Group; Agricultural and food exports firm NSG Exports Limited; and supply chain and logistics services entity JP Logistics Solutions.