Travel+Leisure: MANHATTAN, NY – Bermuda’s one-year ‘Work From Bermuda Certificate’ was featured in an article published by Travel+Leisure on Remembrance Day.
The article, entitled: ‘Meet the Travelers Who Are Taking Advantage of Long-term Remote Work Visas in Paradise’, profiles “adventurous travelers — some with kids”, who “are taking advantage of their new location independence with prolonged stays in popular vacation destinations”.
The travel magazine publishes 12 times a year and has 4.8 million readers, according to its corporate media kit. “It is owned and published by Meredith Corporation. Its main competitors are Condé Nast Traveler and National Geographic Traveler.”
One of the first new visa programs for remote workers came from Bermuda, catching the interest of British and North Americans wanting to spend a year surrounded by coral reefs and pink-sand beaches.
Even during a phone interview with a potential oncoming hurricane (thankfully, Hurricane Epsilon veered away before hitting Bermuda), Carole Reed is enthusiastic about her new living situation.
The New Yorker and her family moved to the island in September to live in a cottage on Coral Beach, right in time to enroll her 16-year-old daughter at a local school there. The situation worked well for this family because Carole’s 17-year-old son chose to continue virtual learning through his own New York school. Meanwhile, Carole and her husband work remotely — as the New York art editor for Amazing Magazine and a chief marketing officer, respectively.
A typical day for Carole starts with getting her daughter to school on a moped — she jokes this experience is an adventure within itself. She then returns to Coral Beach to squeeze in a workout before getting her son situated with his online learning. Her husband works at his desk in the master bedroom, and Carole works in a makeshift office outside of the kitchen.
It’s not all work and no play, though. The family makes it a routine to head to the ocean for a swim twice a day. “It’s awfully nice to take lunch on the beach, and my son, husband, and I are like little kids when we get to walk a short distance to a powdery beach and go for a swim,” she said. “I almost feel guilty that it’s so beautiful.” (The second swim of the day occurs when her daughter returns home from school.)
Though Carole says she misses autumn in New York, she and her family have met some friendly expats in Bermuda. Between tennis matches and thermoses of Dark and Stormies on the beach while maintaining social distance, she said, “It’s an amazing culture of transplanted workers.”
Photo Courtesy of BTAWhen asked if she felt safe exploring Bermuda, Carole explained the strict quarantine procedures. “Everyone is very respectful — they wear masks and make you sanitize your hands before entering a public space. It’s non-politicized protection and communal care for everybody’s health and well-being,” she said.
“I still feel like I’m on vacation. Every weekend, we’ve tried to take a hike or discover something new.”
Carole said the family plans to stay until February and probably longer. “We love New York as a city and hope that it does well through the pandemic. But being in the tropics with some really nice people, I am not regretting this decision at all.”
Other countries featured include ‘Costa Rica’s 2-year Rentista Visa & 3-month Tourist Permit’ and ‘Aruba’s 3-month One Happy Workation Program’.
The report also says: “If you are a globetrotter bemoaning the long pause on international travel, try setting your sights on an area of the industry that is actually growing amid the pandemic: the remote work visa. A legion of new foreign visas for full-time workers, freelancers, and digital nomads have been introduced over the last few months, offering a sundry of options for those keen on changing their lifestyles and real-life Zoom backgrounds.
“Many of these palm-studded countries, like Bermuda, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Mauritius, and even the United Arab of Emirates, rely on tourism to sustain their economies, and they’ve realized they can attract long-term visitors who suddenly find themselves with the freedom to work remotely. Of course, visiting for months at a time lets you contribute to the economy without taking away local jobs for the ultimate win-win.
“Pandemic or not, the concept of working remotely is here to stay, which means you’ll likely be able to try these programs for years to come. There’s also a growing list of exotic locales, like Estonia, Georgia, Croatia, and Czech Republic, that are offering similar long-term stay options.”
- Top Feature Photo: CAVAN IMAGES/GETTY
