Work and Travel in Anguilla

VOLUNTEER AND PAID WORK OPPORTUNITIES IN ANGUILLA FOR TRAVELLERS

Anguilla is a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. Despite being ruled by Britain, it largely manages its own internal affairs. As far as Caribbean islands go, you don’t find much better than this.

With white sandy beaches and aqua-coloured waters, it’s the ideal place to travel to. And there are volunteer opportunities in Anguilla.

Let’s take a look at what you can do with our travel guide to Anguilla.

1. Turtle Conservation in Anguilla

Anguilla is one of a number of Caribbean islands that receive thousands of sea turtles every year. Like so many other islands, the turtles are finding it more difficult than ever to find places to hatch their young without worry of harassment.

Turtle conservation organisations are there to help these endangered animals. You could play a part in that story as you work and travel in Anguilla.

Join a turtle conservation programme and get up and close with some of the most amazing creatures in the world.

2. Rejuvenate Dog Island in Anguilla

Dog Island is one of the uninhabited islands that make up Anguilla. Lately, a lot of attention has been paid to the state of Dog Island because of the rare birds that make it their home.

Pollution has done a lot to make it more difficult for these birds to function there. A variety of NGOs have stepped in to help rejuvenate Dog Island.

No matter which organisation you join, your time in Anguilla will leave a mark.

3. Work in the Resorts of Anguilla

Anguilla receives thousands of tourists every year who want to experience the pristine paradise that is this island. Resorts always require additional workers to handle the increase in demand during peak season.

What skills do you have that a resort in the Caribbean might want?

You may want be a qualified scuba diving instructor, you may be good at surfing, or you might just have experience working as a receptionist or cleaner.

Whatever you can do, it’s possible to work in Anguilla at the resorts if you apply well in advance of high season.

VOLUNTEER WORK VISA / PERMIT REQUIREMENTS FOR ANGUILLA

Anguilla maintains a distinct visa policy to the rest of the UK. Bear in mind that it doesn’t differ greatly, but you won’t have to go through the same stringent process as you would if you were going to the UK.

Anyone from North America, the UK, the European Union (EU), Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea can visit Anguilla for 90 days without a visa.

Citizens of Russia, South Africa, and China will need to apply for a formal visa to visit Anguilla.

Take note that there’s no eVisa system for Anguilla.

SEASONAL BACKPACKER SKILLS NEEDED IN ANGUILLA

SPRING WORK

Spring in Anguilla is one of the most pleasant times to be in Anguilla. The peak season rush starts to decline and from March rainfall is relatively light.

Spring in Anguilla is an ideal time for conservation work on areas like Dog Island. It’s the easiest time to work outside and there tends to be fewer applicants for jobs, so you should find it easier to secure one of the volunteer opportunities in Anguilla.

It’s also possible to find conventional homestays across the island. Believe it or not, the whole island isn’t just resorts. It’s easy to think that as a normal holidaymaker. However, if you opt for a homestay you could find yourself working on a small farm or homestead.

You’ll be able to get in touch with the local culture and discover much more about the island than if you hadn’t left the tourist areas.

SUMMER JOBS

Summer in the Caribbean is when the hurricane season hits. As we saw recently, Anguilla was particularly badly hit by hurricanes. The island is still cleaning up the damage, as a result. But most years don’t pose a threat to life, so it shouldn’t put you off travel in Anguilla.

Summer may be considered the low season. But it’s a great time to indulge in turtle conservation. It’s a critical time of year for this industry because this is the season where the turtles begin to hatch.

And the industry is growing as there becomes even bigger problems with protecting these turtles. There’s a big demand for volunteers who want to travel in Anguilla right now.

AUTUMN

Autumn represents the continuation of the hurricane season. It’s when most hurricanes tend to hit. So this is not an ideal time to work and travel in Anguilla. You can find conservation work in the country, but this is usually the time to prepare for the peak season.

Begin applying for peak season jobs during autumn. The majority of hotels and resorts prefer to have their workforce established by this time. Apply during peak season and the chances are you’ll already be too late.

WINTER

Winter is the peak season. It’s filled with high net worth individuals and tourists from all over the world. Winter is where the tourism industry booms and where you can find practically any type of work within it.

Some of the more interesting jobs involve teaching scuba diving, surfing, and snorkelling. If you have any experience in this, you’ll have no problems securing a position.

You can also take on more conventional resort work, such as cleaning and reception work. However, unqualified people tend to find it harder to find these types of volunteer opportunities in Anguilla.

ATTITUDE TO FOREIGNERS WORKING OR VOLUNTEERING IN ANGUILLA

Anguilla is the type of country that has a long colonial history but has become something of a playground for tourists. It’s the picture perfect Caribbean island, so it’s become extremely cosmopolitan over the years.

For this reason, foreigners working or volunteering in Anguilla should expect to experience no problems in the country.

Visit Anguilla today for the dream Caribbean island. And if you work and travel in Anguilla you can spend more time than most in this expensive part of the world.