relocating questions

Hello and welcome!!

You can find work in management - and yes it means a lot that you are qualified, your ability is also important and often to show your true interest in living in the VI to an employer so that he/she might consider you means you need to be on the island. So what you might do is use the yellow pages www.viphonebook.com look up business types that you might be interested in working in and are qualified for. Do some research on them and then perhaps call and send in your resume... find out if there are jobs opening... see if you can make some contacts... not likely you will secure a job thats says 'come on down' this way but what it does is get you contacts. Then plan a pre-move visit so that you can meet these people in person, have interviews and see about a job. Otherwise what you will need to do is move down and take a job that is easier to get and then work on networking and moving up to the job you actually want. Being here and networking are important to office/private sector/non-tourism jobs.

Some places require a lease, 6 mths to a year. Some go month to month. If the landlord wants a lease it usually means they aren't wanting you to break it... most will say you atomatically lose your security deposit and need to find another tenant to move in to replace you. Some might let it go just with losing security deposit if you give them far enough warning and are on good terms. If its slow season they might be set on you finding a replacement.

The Settlers Guide provides details on housing, electric, getting cable tv and phone installed, where to go, where the office is, how to get drivers license, car registration - how and where and how much and what to expect, government and issues, history, weather, insects, landscaping, houses, cisterns and water, illness and hospitals and doctors, schools, clothing, furniture, hurricanes... pretty much the ins and outs of life in a very matter of fact way.

I think the coast guard is your best bet for classes. There are sailing schools but primarily for kids. If there are classes close to where you are now - you might do it there. Scuba yes definately lots of outfits here that can teach you and get you certified for varoius levels. The university has classes on scuba for regular students. Job with a charter - sure you can find something - once on island hit the docks/marins primarily American Yacht Harbor in Red Hook and talk to people and look for an oppurtunity.

All the best.

--Islander

Thank Islander!

I’ve been reading the postings and you seem to be a great help for a lot of people, I appreciate your information and help. Yes I’m going to try some sort of scouting trip before I go, unless the snow falls early, then I’m just going…lol. I read in the Daily News today a quote from Lennox Zamore, the Director of TANF and Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training, that 2/3 of everyone works for the Government, could that possibly be correct? That seems like a HUGE number. Is it possible for a non-native to get a Government job? Thanks Islander, I appreciate your help.

Bill

Hey Bill,
I am also planning to move to the virgins and was wondering if you had ever visited before, if you had any idea as to which of the US Islands you hoped to live and/or work. I've been to and fro to the Caribbean over the last 15 years (since I was 14), both on short trips and multiple month stays. Now I plan to live there for at least a year and see how things go. I own/ run my own business here in the states remodelling homes and in general carpentry, have been sailing pretty much non stop since i was 14, am SCUBA certified and pretty much more than ready to go.
Well, that's some of my dull bio. now for some questions you may have. From what I've learned about going to the islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, in particular,: moving there is almost all about timing. Finding a place to live and work is much easier to acheive if you're there, it seems like a risk, but if you're good at networking- have no fear. You can always find "Something"-- temporary restaurant or bar work, campgrounds on St. John, -- all the while meeting people who, generally, like to help. there are also places to go in the islands that post such info. (Connections in STJ, in particular).
Another sure bet on being successful is to know someone or have some kind of interaction with someone who lives there already. For instance, I know a couple who live in St. Croix and own their own dive shop, a couple in St. Thomas who run a restaurant, and several business owners in St John-- You may want to contact a real estate agent on island and start some communication before you head down, or if you take diving lessions before you go, your instructor may have been and know some people at a local dive shop
At any rate, I could go on forever. My suggestion is, just get there! Not sure if I've been any help, but I'm just so damn ready to go and I still have 4 months to wait. I already have my ticket and am getting extremely ancy. If you like you may e-mail me directly , if I can be of any help, otherwise, good luck! Maybe I'll run into you in paradise!