International Living Community

Hi Eny,

In the more popular expat areas of Belize general acceptance of the LBGTQ+ community is growing… thanks to the influence of expats from the US and Canada.

The country’s first Pride parade was held in 2017, with Pride week also being celebrated in subsequent years. You’ll find many networks on Facebook to connect to the gay community, and especially on Ambergris Caye, you will find a well-established and visible gay community.

That being said, I would not expect acceptance to equal what you have come to expect in the US or Canada at this point.

Megan Rodden, an American expat living in Placencia, summed things up very well in one of her blog posts:

“The experience in progressive and touristy hot-spots such as San Pedro is going to be light years apart from the experience in say, a rural, conservative Mennonite community in Toledo. Belizeans in general are a very live-and-let-live people but it was only in 2016 that they finally abolished their anti-sodomy law, recognizing discrimination based on sexual orientation unconstitutional. I think, in general, there’s mostly apathy regarding LGBTQ issues with a small population on either side of the spectrum either condemning or crusading for equality.”

So, there has been movement in the right direction, and in most expat areas you should be fine. But there is still work to be done.

Hi Owen,

Happy to hear you are considering a move to Belize. The Qualified Retirement Program (QRP) could be a good option for you.

Despite the name, you don’t have to be retired to join the program. You only need to be at least 45 years old and prove that you have a monthly income of at least $2,000 from a pension or annuity (including Social Security) generated outside of Belize.

Many expats choose this residence program as it offers advantages to those with a guaranteed income. The system is the result of the Retired Persons Incentives Act, Chapter 62 of the Laws of Belize. It is co-administered by the Department of Immigration and Nationality Services and the Belize Tourism Board.

To qualify, you can be from any country in the world, and can also include your spouse and dependents under the age of 18 in the program (or under 23 if the children are in college). There are a few other requirements, most of which can be overcome with legal assistance.

You can then bring your personal goods to Belize tax-free and pay no Belizean taxes on any foreign-earned income. All the items must arrive in Belize within a year of entry into the program.

Under the QRP program, you can work as long as you don’t generate income in Belize, or from an investment within Belize. Basically, QRPs cannot own a business or Belize corporation. Any income earned must be offshore.

Many QRPs work as consultants to clients in the U.S., Europe, and elsewhere outside Belize. Many also generate offshore income through an online business.

You can get more details on this program in our detailed guidebook, Escape to Belize.

Hope that helps!

Hi Natasha,

Belize is very protective of its workforce. Any non-Belizean working for a Belizean company from within Belize must possess a Temporary Employment Permit (more commonly known as a “Work Permit”), or they must be a Permanent Resident. Essentially, the government has the mandate to protect jobs a Belizean could do.

What does this mean? If you are looking to work in a job that requires specialized training or experience, like a rocket scientist, it should be easy to prove you’re not taking a Belizean’s job.

However, if you’re looking to work in a position a Belizean would reasonably be able to train for, like a diving instructor or real estate agent, you’re going to have a hard time getting a work permit.

That being said, there are a couple of options available that may make working in Belize a little easier.

Consultancy: Build yourself a business working for non-Belizean businesses as a contractor while living in Belize. In this case, Belize is just where you live and work from, and you are not taking a potential job away from a Belizean.

Entrepreneurship: Start a business in Belize. You’ll still need a work permit, but a business with a plan that includes the hiring, and training, of Belizeans would get serious consideration. In this case you’re not taking a job away, you’re creating jobs.

When it comes down to it, ask yourself, “Would a reasonable person believe that the job I’m looking to take could be accomplished by a Belizean?”

If the answer is yes, you will likely struggle to get approval. If the answer is no, or you are creating jobs, approval is very likely.

Read more about working in Belize on the dedicated page of our website here.

Hi Jim,

Thank you for sending in your question. Here are a few things to consider about renting in Ambergris Caye:

• Your preferences will drive rental costs. For instance, beach rentals will always be more expensive than “near the beach.” Many expats learn to settle within walking distance or a golf cart ride from a beach they like in order to save a bit on their rent budget.

• The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) states that anyone in Belize on a tourist visa is considered a tourist, regardless of how long they are staying. This means that if the rental you’re considering is following the rules, a 9% “hotel tax” will be added to your rent each month. That being said, enforcement of this is mostly non-existent, but I wanted to make you aware that some rentals you look at may tack this tax on. If the BTB does start to actively enforce this, you may have this added expense somewhere down the road.

• Ambergris Caye is the #1 tourist destination in Belize. This means during the high season (Thanksgiving through April), it will be very crowded. It also means that rent and other monthly expenses will be higher than other locations here. If you have not already, I would recommend taking a trip to scout around a bit and make sure you find the perfect place for you and your wife.

All that being considered, I believe you will be able to find something within your budget near a beach… but probably not on the beach. Your best bet would be to connect with a real estate agent who knows Ambergris Caye very well.

Getting International Living’s Escape to Belize guidebook would be a great step. It has tons of useful information, along with a rolodex of contact information for agents that will be able to help you with more localized knowledge of Ambergris Caye.