AGREEMENT ON WORK PERMITS FOR SPOUSES OF DIPLOMATS                                            

Following representations received from both the Governments of the United States and the United Kingdom, the Government of The Bahamas has agreed to permit, on the basis of strict reciprocity, spouses and dependents of diplomatic and technical and administrative officers of the Embassy and High Commission respectively, to work in The Bahamas during the period of the diplomatic posting. 

            With respect to the United States, the Government was able to agree to the terms of a longstanding proposal, after agreement was reached on a fixed number of persons who would be allowed to work, based on the number of Bahamians who would be entitled to work in the United States. 

With respect to the United Kingdom, The Bahamas is extending reciprocal treatment that has long been accorded to spouses and dependents of Bahamian diplomats posted in the United _ Kingdom.  

Applications will be processed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Immigration will endorse the passports of entitled applicants who can then seek employment. 

The United States has reciprocal agreements with over eighty countries excluding The Bahamas, and the United Kingdom permits spouses and dependents of diplomats from all countries posted to the United Kingdom to work in the U.K. It is generally recognized that such Agreements are considered important tools for attracting and retaining high quality personnel for the foreign service while providing important opportunities for access to work experience programmes for dependents enrolled in post secondary education.