Working in Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha as a French National: Permits, Contracts, Tax and Contributions

Saint Helena. The rules rest on the Immigration Ordinance of 2011. An employer recruiting an immigrant applies to the Immigration Control Board for an immigrant employment certificate, valid for one to five years; the employer arranges the employee’s housing, health and well-being and provides for their repatriation at the end of the contract. Each immigrant employee holds a long-term entry permit and goes through a points-based assessment system (forms Q and Q1). The Board examines the state of the labour market, the skills sought, the arrangements made to receive the employee and the public interest. A list of shortage occupations is published by the government. Dependants of a migrant are not exempt from work authorisation and submit their own application.

Ascension. There is no right of residence: anyone over 18 must hold a fixed-term employment contract, or be the partner of a holder. The employment visa is issued only to people who work under a local contract with the island’s organisations, and its length follows the end of the contract. Contractors have visas of three months (single entry), six months or one year (multiple entry). The FCDO (the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) indicates that work requires the Administrator’s authorisation. The Administrator is responsible for good governance towards the public and the island’s main “users”: the US Air Force, the British Ministry of Defence, the Composite Signals Organisation, the BBC and Sure South Atlantic.

Tristan da Cunha. Outsiders can neither buy land nor settle. Salaried jobs are mainly those of the government, the fishing company and domestic service; doctors and other expatriate staff are recruited by the government, with an enhanced criminal record certificate for those who work in contact with children.

On Saint Helena, the government sets two hourly minimum wage rates, one for workers aged 18 and over, the other for 16-17 year olds. The Executive Council approves each increase after consulting employers, employees and the chamber of commerce. The amount in force can be read on the government website when signing a contract. The statistics office publishes the median income of full-time jobs every year, as well as a quarterly price index.

On Ascension, the government’s job offers show a global package that combines salary and benefits, depending on qualifications and experience; accommodation and allowances are often provided. On Tristan da Cunha, many adults hold salaried jobs with the government, the fishing company or domestic service, with no pay scale published on the pages read. Economic indicators and the exchange rate are shown in the “Economic benchmarks” block above.

On Saint Helena, the Employment Rights Ordinance of 2010 guarantees the right to a written contract setting out the terms of employment, detailed payslips and protection against unfair dismissal, while regulations of 2010 govern the minimum wage. The Labour Regulating Authority publishes guides on the contract, disciplinary procedures and grievances, with model contracts. The government put out for consultation a document listing the British-inspired rights still to be added (rest time, maximum working time, redundancy pay): the contract and the Labour Regulating Authority guides are therefore the practical references.

On Ascension, the contract is concluded with the employer on the island and determines the housing, whether the post is “single” or “accompanied” (only accompanied contracts allow you to come with your family) and the health cover. On Tristan da Cunha, local law rests on the territory’s own legislation, supplemented by Saint Helena law where compatible. See the glossary entry on the local contract.

Saint Helena: tax applies to income received or earned in Saint Helena or arising from the island (employment, self-employment, trade, real estate, dividends, capital gains). The scale for individuals has two successive rates, with a first band taxed more lightly, and reduced rates apply to certain local products (fishing, coffee, honey, agriculture, crafts, brewing). Employees file their return before 31 July; the employer declares the withholding (PAYE) each month within 15 days of the end of the month. The income tax office is housed in the post office building in Jamestown; the rates and allowances in force can be read on its page.

Ascension: the government indicates that income tax is levied on income earned on the island by civilian staff; it applies to the income of anyone who works or profits from their presence, including pensions, and spouses can transfer their allowance to each other. The recruitment office answers tax questions (recruitment@ascension.gov.ac).

French side: the list of tax treaties published by the BOFiP (the French tax administration’s official guidance) includes none of these islands, and the entry for the United Kingdom mentions no extension to a territory. Tax residence remains defined by article 4 B of the General Tax Code (home or main place of stay, professional activity, centre of economic interests); a single criterion is enough. According to service-public, a person whose tax residence remains in France is taxable in France on all of their income, whereas a non-resident is in principle taxable only on income of French source. Without a treaty, each state applies its domestic law: the non-resident individuals tax office can shed light on an individual situation.

No social security scheme with employee contributions was identified on Saint Helena in the sources read. The island’s basic pension (Basic Island Pension) is funded by no employee or employer contribution: it is paid from the government budget and reserved for residents aged 65 and over who have worked at least 20 years on the island and have small supplementary pensions. The government’s defined-benefit pension scheme is closed to new entrants, and a voluntary private scheme exists for employees. For Ascension, it is the contract that provides health insurance and benefits.

For a French national, CLEISS (the French centre for European and international social security liaison) distinguishes two situations. Secondment maintains membership of the French scheme for three years renewable once, contributions being paid in France without exempting the person from any local contributions. Expatriation places the employee under the local scheme: they are no longer covered by French social security, but may contribute voluntarily to the CFE (Caisse des Français de l’Étranger, the French overseas social security fund) for sickness, maternity, disability, work accidents and basic retirement. Without an agreement, local periods do not count towards the French pension. See seconded or expatriate and the page healthcare reimbursement.

On Saint Helena, a person who works for themselves for more than six months applies for a work permit from the Immigration Control Board (form O; forms O1 for the entrepreneur and O2 for the self-employed). The permit does not authorise entry: a long-term entry permit is applied for separately. It can be extended for up to five years, with an application filed three months before expiry, and ceases to be valid after a continuous absence of more than six months. The Board takes into account the labour market, skills, a points-based assessment system and the public interest. The sectors the government is seeking to develop are fishing and its processing, tourism, high-value agriculture, professional services and remote working, digital infrastructure and hosting film shoots.

On connectivity, the government mentions the Equiano submarine cable, landed in August 2021. For remote work for a foreign employer, the pages read describe no dedicated visa; the immigration policy published cites digital nomads, entrepreneurs and consultants among the possible beneficiaries of a residence and work permit, and the immigration service confirms the scheme that applies before any project. Neither Ascension nor Tristan da Cunha allows a self-employed person to settle without a contract or authorisation. See also digital nomad insurance.

The economy of Saint Helena is that of a small island turning to tourism since the opening of the airport, with fishing, high-value agriculture, professional services and hosting film shoots as targeted sectors. The government offers incentives: a reduced corporation tax for exported goods and services, a reduction in taxation of the self-employed in the targeted sectors and an approved investment scheme for customs duties. The pound sterling and the Saint Helena pound circulate there.

Ascension is a “working island”: the island government, the US Air Force, the Ministry of Defence, the BBC and Sure South Atlantic are its main players, and the population is made up of their employees and their families. Tristan da Cunha is largely self-sufficient: farming and fishing feed the inhabitants, the lobster, sold under the name “Tristan Rock Lobster”, is the main export, and fishing fees as well as the sale of stamps and coins fund public services, in particular health and education. Tourism brings limited income.