The Tribune

By ANNELIA NIXON

Tribune Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Confederation (BCCEC) is backing the Davis administration’s ‘Trusted Traveller’ programme as a long-overdue reform that could boost foreign direct investment and improve the country’s competitiveness and ease of doing business.

The Immigration (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which is expected to come into force on July 1, will allow certain foreign business visitors to enter The Bahamas for up to three days without requiring a work visa or short-term work permit. The exemption will apply to approved activities such as attending conferences, trade shows, business meetings and Board meetings, but excludes organisers and anyone undertaking employment.

Dr Leo Rolle, the Chamber’s chief executive, described the legislation as a positive step towards improving the ease of doing business, saying the private sector has been calling for reforms of this nature for years.

“With so many challenges impacting the ease of doing business in the country today, we note that this policy change represents a positive step toward improving The Bahamas’ ease of doing business and enhancing our competitiveness as an international destination for investment, commerce and professional services,” Dr Rolle said.

He added thar the Chamber has consistently advocated for modernising the country’s Immigration framework to facilitate legitimate business travel while maintaining national security. For years, Dr Rolle argued, executives, technical specialists, consultants and investors have faced unnecessary administrative hurdles when making short business trips to The Bahamas.

“While work permit requirements serve an important purpose in protecting the Bahamian labour market, the process for short-duration business travel has often been viewed by regional and international businesses as cumbersome, particularly where executives are visiting for meetings, due diligence, project oversight, negotiations, training or other activities that do not constitute long-term employment,” he said.

According to the Chamber chief, reducing those barriers should make The Bahamas more attractive for foreign direct investment, as investors increasingly compare jurisdictions based not only on tax and regulatory policies but also on how easily executives and technical personnel can travel to conduct legitimate business.

“A more efficient system sends a strong signal that The Bahamas is committed to facilitating commerce while maintaining appropriate regulatory oversight,” Dr Rolle added.

He said industries expected to benefit include financial services, construction and infrastructure, renewable energy, technology, maritime industries, tourism development, healthcare, aviation, professional services and other large-scale investment projects that frequently require specialists to travel on short notice.

However, Dr Rolle cautioned that the programme’s success will depend heavily on implementation and oversight.

“The Trusted Traveller Programme should not become a mechanism for individuals to circumvent existing work permit requirements or engage in employment beyond the scope of permissible business activities,” he said.

Dr Rolle called for clear eligibility criteria, defined limits on permitted activities, effective monitoring and close co-ordination between Immigration, labour and border protection authorities. He also stressed that businesses and Immigration officers will require clear guidance on when a work permit remains necessary.

“The BCCEC looks forward to working with the Government and other stakeholders to support the successful implementation of this initiative, and to continue advancing reforms that improve The Bahamas’ competitiveness, attract quality investment, create employment opportunities for Bahamians and position our country as the premier business hub of the Caribbean,” Dr Rolle said.

Ralph Hepburn, president of the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce, argued that serious investors should already view the the short-term visa fee cost as part of their due diligence.

“A small amount of $200 for any investment, and more than likely your investment is going to be in the millions of dollars, should not be considered a hindrance to you coming to The Bahamas to have meetings, to do assessments, to do research, and to meet with potential partners and survey the opportunity that’s available to you,” Mr Hepburn said.

“If it becomes a hindrance to you coming to The Bahamas to invest, then we have to be cautious as to what type of investor we’re getting, because that’s a very small fee to pay towards a major investment.”

Mr Hepburn said the cost should be viewed as part of the normal expenses associated with evaluating an investment opportunity rather than as a personal expense. “It’s a cost of doing business,” he said. “It’s something that you can expense out as part of your due diligence and assessment process.”

While supporting reforms, Mr Hepburn argued that the greater issue is ensuring Iimmigration procedures are grounded in legislation rather than administrative discretion.

“The approval process for Immigration matters needs enacted legislation or statute processes rather than policy matters or at the discretion of the minister,” he said. “When they are legislated, then the criterion for all aspects of the process… are enshrined and add protection to the decision-maker as their decision is not perceived as having any bias.”

He also suggested that some Bahamian businesses may mistakenly view visa requirements as discouraging investors when they should instead see them as part of a broader vetting process.

“What would be needed is an educational programme with these business owners to see this as part of the vetting and due diligence process of ascertaining the seriousness and financial capabilities of the potential FDI investor,” Mr Hepburn said. “The fee is a small business expense towards a potential major investment.”