Best Time to Move

which island are you moving to

Restaurants usually start to gear up for high season in October.
Some close for vacation, clean up, etc. during September which is the slowest month as well as what normally used to be the height of hurricane season. September is, IMO, a good time to find an apt., find your way around and start looking.

Bring lotsa $$$$. You'll need to pay for a place to stay while you apt. and job hunt, pay 1st, last and security deposit for most rentals, buy a car, register it, pay insurance, set up utilities if not included in rent, buy all those miscellaneous items that you've neglected to budget for and which add up very quickly.

You won't want to work on one side of the island and live on the other.
Don't rent sight unseen.

Either STT or STJ. Not sure yet. I'm about to purchase my one way plane ticket (exciting!), but I need a target date!

Why do you ask which island? Is there a difference in the hiring season?

So, I gather that say around September 20th is ideal? For a place to live and to find work for the upcoming season?

How quickly do you need to find work once you get here? On STJ, a lot of places are still closed through mid October. And even when they do open, staff is on the lighter side since business is still slow. So if you really need to find a job ASAP, I'd hold off until mid October if coming to STJ. There will be more places to chose to live in mid September, but no jobs to be had.

because STT has more year round visitors than STX.

the islands are each different in their own way.

I think July-August is best. Rentals usually cleared out and open by that time. End of September and October start filling back up for season. IME.