I am 60 and quit my job when they wouldn’t let me work remotely from Barbados
A GRAN who gave up her nine-to-five council job to work remotely in Barbados said the move has made her “happier” and she has no plans to move back to the UK.
Jacqueline Johnson, 60, previously lived in Northampton and worked for North and West Northamptonshire Council before moving abroad to work for her son Justin, 40.
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Adventurous Jacqueline has been working as a social media and contract manager since 2022 through a Welcome Stamp Visa: a 12-month visa that allows people to relocate and work remotely.
Despite the idyllic surroundings, the mother of one claims it has become ‘normal life’ with work, accountsand chores – but she does enjoy the unique luxury to decide whether to spend the weekend at the beach or in the swimming pool and she loves the community and the sun on the island.
Jacqueline has also embraced the relaxed Barbadian lifestyle, working mainly from 7am to 1pm with less stress and a view of the beach. She has found that the locals often “don’t understand” when Brits fuss over small things.
After extending her visa twice, she plans to stay in Barbados for the long term because it “works” for her and she wants to encourage others to “take the plunge” and try living abroad.
Jacqueline said: “It’s become a normal life for me now – even though I may live in a country like this, I still have chores, I still have bills and I still have to work.
“So I’m looking forward to the weekend and thinking, ‘Should I go to the sea today, or to the beach, or a swimming pool, or meet up with friends’, or something like that?
“It’s real Nice if you want to do something, it’s all here.”
When Jacqueline lived in Northampton she worked in the social services department of North and West Northamptonshire Council.
“It was very interesting and gave a good insight into child protection in the UK,” she recalls.
“So I liked it and it was a good job.”
During the pandemicJacqueline was good at working remotely, so when she heard about the Welcome Stamp Visa in 2022, she jumped at the chance.
Jacqueline explains: “I came across the visa on Facebook and thought, ‘If I’m going to work from home anyway, why not do it in Barbados?’
“The visa was only for one year, but I wanted to see how it would go first.”
However, when Jacqueline inquired with her employer about continuing her work remotely from Barbados, she was told that this was against company policy.
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She said: “I understood very well that I couldn’t do the role from another country, and because I wanted to live in Barbados so much, I approached my son.”
Jacqueline’s son offered her a job as a social media and contracts manager at his fully remote company, allowing her to relocate to Barbados without any hassle.
In July 2022, Jacqueline made the exciting move to the island, a place she had visited annually since 1996.
Initially, Jacqueline stayed with a friend for the first few months until she was able to get her own apartment.
Since joining her son’s company, she has found a healthy work-life balance, even though her colleagues work in different time zones.
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“So I wake up in the morning and start working,” she said.
“I start working here around 7am and I’ll probably work until about 1am.
“I don’t really have to juggle living and working here. If something comes up that I need to do and that’s important, I can usually just use my mobile phone.
“I can be very flexible, but mostly I just get up on weekdays, work my hours and do what needs to be done.”
Since moving, Jacqueline hasn’t missed the face-to-face interactions with colleagues, thanks to the supportive community of digital nomads, British expats and local friends she’s found on the island.
One of the things Jacqueline likes most about living in Barbados is the proximity to the beach. She said the locals are “really friendly.”
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She added: “I’m happier here – I wake up to sunshine every day, and it doesn’t have to cost you anything to go to the beach.
“Sometimes people here don’t understand us when we worry about things, because it’s much more relaxed here.
“People always say good afternoon and good morning to each other, even on a bus you wouldn’t get on England.”
With few family members left in the UK, Jacqueline doesn’t miss it that much.
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Her son lives in Cambodia and her granddaughter studies in the UK, but often travels abroad to visit.
Still, there are a few comforts of home that she still craves, like Cadbury’s chocolate and the convenience of big British stores.
“I miss popping into Argos,” she admitted.
“In the UK you can find everything in one place, but here you have to search everywhere.
“British chocolate is expensive because it’s imported, so I always stock up when I visit.”
What is the Barbados Welcome Stamp Visa?
The Welcome Stamp visa allows people to work remotely in Barbados for up to 12 months
It is available to anyone who meets the visa requirements and who works independently of location, whether they are individuals or families.
Once approved, the Barbados visa with 12 months validity is valid for one year. You can reapply after the expiration date.
Applicants must also earn an annual income of at least $50,000 (£39,137) over the past 12 months in Barbados.
Despite the original validity of her visa being one year, Jacqueline has extended it twice and plans to remain living in Barbados for the foreseeable future. future.
“I’m just happier here and it works,” she said.
“The quality of life is better and the people are nice and social.”
A spokesperson for West Northamptonshire Council said: “We are a public authority delivering services to the residents of West Northamptonshire and to do this we expect our employees to be available across the county to deliver all services, including those for our most vulnerable residents.
“This cannot be done 100 percent remotely or from another country.”
