Parliament Passes Movement of Factors Act to Advance CARICOM Integration
Parliament has passed the Caribbean Community (Movement of Factors) Act, giving domestic legal effect to the provision of services and the free movement of capital within CARICOM Member States.
The Act removes administrative and legal barriers which previously limited the practical exercise of these rights and creates rules to guide mobility and economic participation across the region.
Addressing the parliament on Monday, Foreign Affairs Minister, Hon. Dr. Vince Henderson noted that the legislation will position Dominica to benefit more fully from cross-border investment and entrepreneurship, improve productivity through the faster deployment of regional expertise and strengthen linkages between firms and markets within the Community.
“For small and vulnerable economies, the Movement of Factors Act is consequently, a practical tool to address demographic constraints; expand the available skills pool; and stimulate innovation, enterprise creation and regional value chains,” he said.
The legislation also preserves safeguards to protect the national interest. It empowers the Minister, consistent with Dominica’s international obligations, to adopt temporary restrictions in circumstances involving serious balance-of-payments challenges, external financial difficulties or sectoral economic hardship. The Act further provides for the transferability of professional qualifications, establishes mechanisms for appeal and outlines penalties for obstructing the lawful enjoyment of rights conferred under the law.
Passage of the Act supports implementation of the CARICOM Enhanced Protocol on Free Movement, which took effect on October 1, 2025, under which Barbados, Belize, Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines agreed to full free movement of CARICOM nationals without separate work or residency permits.
Dr. Henderson reported that since its implementation, Dominica has registered five incoming nationals, four from Barbados and one from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, while Barbados has registered ten Dominicans and Belize one retired Dominican national.
He told the parliament the Caribbean Community Movement of Factors Act aligns with Dominica’s national development objectives, including labour market resilience, private sector development and regional competitiveness.
“At the regional level, it advances CARICOM’s strategic vision of a single economic space capable of responding collectively to global economic uncertainty, climate vulnerability and demographic change. The Act therefore, is not merely a technical legal instrument; it is a statement of intent about the kind of region we are building, one that is integrated, dynamic and people-centred,” he said.
