Sint Maarten

Non-national employment permit. A Sint Maarten employer can apply to hire a US worker using the mandatory 2026 permit form.

Free, with the law behind every answer

Non-national employment permit

Employment under the issued local permit for the approved duration, subject to separate admission/residence permission.

Who qualifies

From 1 April 2026 the employer must use version 1.0 of the employment-permit form, giving the role, qualifications, duration and initial off-island address.
Sint Maarten Labour Affairs: 2026 employment-permit form
The employer must explain the need for a non-national hire and recruitment efforts in the local and Dutch Kingdom labour markets; residence permission is separate.
Sint Maarten Labour Affairs: 2026 employment-permit form

You keep your U.S. citizenship.

Does it fit your family?

One question, from the program’s own rules.

Do you have a binding job offer in that country?

Not legal advice.

What it takes.

Time: Processing starts after the authority accepts a complete application; travel and work begin only after the required permission issues.
Cost: The authority assesses its filing charge under the fee schedule in force on submission, plus document costs.
The hard part: Employer evidence of local and Kingdom recruitment and the separate immigration filing.

Citizens by 2033.

If your first permit is issued in 2027 and you keep living there, this is the road.

2027
First residence permit
1 year, renewable for 1 year at a time.
2028
Renew the permit
Filed before the old one lapses; renews for 1 year.
2029
Renew the permit
Filed before the old one lapses; renews for 1 year.
2030
Renew the permit
Filed before the old one lapses; renews for 1 year.
2031
Renew the permit
Filed before the old one lapses; renews for 1 year.
2032
Permanent residence
Five uninterrupted years of legal residence, a valid residence permit, income, recent bank statements and good-conduct evidence.
2032
Apply for citizenship
With a language test and a civics test.
2033
Citizenship
The decision usually takes 1–12 months.

Language: A2 in both Dutch and English for Sint Maarten.
Civics: The Caribbean naturalisation test includes knowledge of the island’s society.
Time away: Five uninterrupted years with timely-renewed residence permits, and at filing a permit that allows permanent continued residence on Sint Maarten. The IND must decide within 12 months.
Two passports: It depends on the rules at the time and on your home country.

Employment and residence permissions are separate and must be renewed without gaps; five uninterrupted residence years support both permanent residence and Dutch naturalisation if the filing permit allows permanent stay.
Whether you can keep your current citizenship depends on the rules at the time and your home country.

The law behind these dates

Living there.

Time you must spend there: The program sets no minimum number of days. Renewal still expects it to be your home.
Tax: Where you become tax resident follows the days you spend there and where your home is. We map it for your family before you move.

We never file a tax return. We tell you what applies and brief the professional who does.

Start today.

Request the 2026 employment-permit form from Labour Affairs.Open sintmaartengov.org ↗
Gather these documents.
- The signed job offer, salary, and recognized qualifications
- Health cover for the move

Postern can’t run this for you yet.

The official application forms, submission and recovery specification are not complete. Postern cannot run this application yet.

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