Living in Bermuda as a French National: Advantages, Cost of Living and Settling In

Bermuda is a small archipelago of about 21 square miles (54 km²) in the north-western Atlantic, at around 32.30° north latitude. According to the government's climate report, the proximity of the Gulf Stream and the subtropical anticyclone produce mild temperatures that are never cold enough for snow. The territory has an elected government, led by a Premier, with a House of Assembly of 36 elected members and a Senate of 11 appointed members. The Governor, appointed by the King on the advice of the British Prime Minister, is mainly responsible for external affairs and defence, and meets the Premier every week.

The territory has about 64,000 inhabitants, a little over a fifth of whom are non-Bermudians. The updated economic figures appear in the “Economic benchmarks” block above. For a French national, the consular set-up is simple: the Consulate General of France in New York (934 Fifth Avenue) has Connecticut, New Jersey, New York State and Bermuda in its district; the France Consulaire service answers administrative questions on +33 2 14 16 20 31 from abroad. The France Diplomatie (the French foreign ministry) “travel advice” page was not found for this territory at the date of consultation: the consulate remains the point of contact for security advice.

On the advantages side, the employment survey counts more than 33,000 filled jobs, more than 8,000 of them held by non-Bermudians who are neither the spouse of a Bermudian nor holders of a permanent resident's certificate. Median incomes are high: $82,793 for other non-Bermudians against $68,256 for Bermudians, and $169,155 in international business. The government states that individuals do not pay income tax; payroll tax is levied on employers, who may withhold the employee's share. The subtropical climate, English as the working language and a central hospital complete the picture.

On the constraints side, the job market is regulated: the employer must advertise the post for at least eight days in a local newspaper and on the government's job website, and Bermudians always have priority. Housing is under strain, health care is expensive (about 10% of GDP according to the Bermuda Health Council) and the island has no significant surface fresh water source, according to the government's climate report. The hurricane season also requires preparations every year. No social security agreement links France and Bermuda: see the page healthcare reimbursement in Bermuda.

The census is published by parish and by municipality, the two municipalities being Hamilton and St. George's. The Department of Immigration is at 30 Parliament Street and the Labour Relations Section at 23 Parliament Street, in Hamilton. The official sources consulted do not rank neighbourhoods or parishes by attractiveness: the choice depends on the workplace, the cost of rent and proximity to schools.

The territory is small and housing supply is limited. A ministerial statement of 10 November 2023 acknowledges an acute housing shortage, with the decline in private sector supply pushing up rental costs, and states that a large share of the rental stock is subject to rent control legislation. Owners and long-term tenants pay land tax twice a year, in March and September.

The Department of Statistics publishes the consumer price index, by item: health and personal care, food, transport and travel abroad, fuel and electricity. The minimum wage has been $17.13 an hour (about €15.26) since 1 September 2025, with a review every two years capped at 2.5% a year and indexed to prices.

The median gross annual income, close to $71,000, varies by sector: $106,751 in finance and insurance, $99,929 in professional, scientific and technical activities, but $42,704 in administrative and support services. Senior managers and executives show a median income of $120,533 (about €107,379). The conversions on this page are based on the ECB reference rate, the Bermuda dollar being at par with the US dollar.

On health, the public HIP plan (ages 18 and over) costs $459.24 (about €409) for people under 65, and FutureCare (ages 65 and over) $530.14 (about €472) for people eligible for the age subsidy, which is reserved for holders of Bermudian status. The article on the Bermuda healthcare system details these plans.

The work permit is the usual way in. The employer applies for it online with a signed contract; work cannot begin before approval. The standard permit lasts from 1 to 5 years and the fee for 1 year is $1,015 (about €904). The spouse or partner may be allowed to live and work in Bermuda if the permit holder's base salary is at least $60,000 a year and medical insurance is in place. Children under 18, or under 25 if they study full-time at university, may accompany the holder, without working. At the end of the permit, the holder has in principle 90 days to leave the territory.

To settle without a local job, permission to reside on an annual basis (fee of $275 for up to one year, $1,215 for up to five years) is the route offered to those who have no local job; the Department of Immigration publishes the detailed conditions (resources, insurance, length of presence, carrying on an activity). The Economic Investment Residential Certificate (EIRC) requires a minimum of $2.5 million invested in the Bermudian economy, for example in real estate. The Permanent Resident's Certificate (PRC) is a long-term title, associated in particular with 20 years of habitual residence; it allows you to live, work and buy a property with a lower annual rental value, without opening an automatic route to Bermudian status.

The sources consulted do not describe a single identification number for new arrivals. For an employee, the official labour guide states that social insurance, health insurance and private pension are due from the first day of employment, with the forms provided by the employer. Registration on the roll of French nationals living abroad, valid for five years, is done online on service-public; it is compulsory in certain cases, for example to apply for a school grant.

The public system is organised into primary, middle school and senior school, with compulsory schooling from 5 to 16 and free education up to 19. A reform known as “3 to 2” is gradually replacing middle schools with parish schools going up to Year 8. The school year runs from September to June. The official sources consulted mention no accredited French school in Bermuda: families can enquire with the Consulate General of France in New York and the Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE). The enrolment conditions for the children of permit holders should be confirmed with the Ministry of Education.

The working language is English: the work permit policy asks most new applicants for a standard permit to demonstrate a level of English, except nationals of countries where English is the mother tongue or holders of a diploma from an English-speaking institution. Recognised test scales (IELTS, TOEFL, DET, TOEIC, PTE Academic) are published by the Department of Immigration.

The government's climate report describes monthly averages ranging from about fifteen degrees in winter to the late twenties in summer. The Bermuda Weather Service gives normals for L.F. Wade Airport of 26.6 °C for the maximum temperature and 22.4 °C for the minimum. On average 1,490 mm of rain falls a year (1981-2010 average), with rain more frequent but lighter in winter. The hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November. In October 2025, Hurricanes Imelda and Melissa caused power cuts and the closure of the causeway, schools and public offices, and the opening of the emergency shelter; Melissa left about 20,000 homes without electricity, most of them restored within a few days. The government recommends a kit with two weeks of medication, three days of water and food and a portable radio, and broadcasts its instructions on the emergency station 100.1 FM.

The emergency number is 911 (ambulance, fire, police, sea rescue). For insurance, the guide expat health insurance helps compare the options; Expavy lets you match them against your situation.