Expatriate Population: Of the 23,098 people living in The
British Virgin Islands, approximately 50% are expatriate workers. The
expat professionals are primarily from the UK, Canada, South Africa and
the United States.
Law & Order: Due mainly to full employment and
relatively high per capita income, the crime rate in BVI is extremely
low by comparison to most western nations. The BVI are protected by The
British Virgin Islands Police.
Water Sports: The British Virgin Islands are known for their exceptional sailing conditions. The Royal BVI Yacht Club (
www.rbviyc.net)
hosts a number of races and social events each year. The club also
sponsors the annual BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival which is
held in early April and consists of five days of racing. For diving and
snorkelling enthusiasts, The BVI have approximately 100 exotic sites
with countless different reefs. Other popular water sports include
windsurfing, kite boarding, kayaking and fishing.
Travel: Access to the BVI is from either the US Virgin
Islands or Puerto Rico. Once in Puerto Rico, there are numerous flights
to the USA, South America, Europe and other Caribbean islands. There
are affordable ferry services that have routes between the various
British Virgin Islands. This is great for a day trip or a weekend
getaway.
Sports Clubs: The Tortola Sports Club (
www.tortolasportsclub.com) has full tennis, squash and gym facilities. For those who enjoy swimming, biking and running, TRIBVI (
www.tribvi.com )
hosts a number of races each year including a sprint and Olympic
distance triathlon as well as a half marathon. The BVI are also home to
the BVI Rugby Club (
www.bvirugby.com) which organizes a variety of tournaments and social events. The BVI Cycling Federation (
www.bvicycling.com)
has over 40 members who meet for weekly training rides and form teams
to compete in local and international races. Joining a sports club or
team is a quick way to meet people and build a social network with
like-minded professionals.
Night Life: There are a number of popular restaurants
and bars that expats socialize in on the evenings and weekends. A
couple of the most popular ones include The Bat Cave and The Village
Cay. The bars in the BVI are friendly and relaxed and are always open
until the last person leaves.
Transportation: There are no buses in the BVI. Taxis
are available but are most commonly used by tourists. The majority of
professionals commute to work by car. New and used cars are available
for sale and used models are generally available from about $4000 and
up.
Accommodation: Apartments and detached homes are
available for rent and for sale. The majority of expats tend to rent
apartments, at least to start with and then, once established, some
choose to buy. The local newspapers have a list of advertisements and
there are a number of real estate agents who are on hand to assist with
rentals and sales. A 2 bedroom apartment ranges from about US $1,000 -
$3500 per month (plus utilities). Some condominium developments offer
additional amenities such as tennis courts and swimming pools. Monthly
rent for a two bedroom apartment in such a development is usually in the
US$2,500 - $4000 range.
Working in BVI