Immigration to Antigua and Barbuda

At the 2011 census, there were 25,549 immigrants in Antigua and Barbuda, or 30% of the population. Immigrants usually originate from other Caribbean countries and places that have large Antiguan and Barbudan populations.

Immigration policy

Immigration to Antigua and Barbuda is regulated by the Immigration and Passport Act, most recently amended in 2023. For those wishing to become an Antiguan and Barbudan citizen or resident, one must first apply to the immigration department for an extension to their visa. In addition to standard documentation, one must also prove that they will be able to sustain themselves in the country.

Antigua and Barbuda does receive a large amount of illegal immigration. In 2022 and in certain occasions after, immigration amnesties have been held through a 2022 amendment to the immigration law. An illegal immigrant may apply for a grant of amnesty for a fee of EC$200. In the first April 2022 drive, about 2,000 illegal immigrants took advantage of the program, mostly from Jamaica, Guyana, the Dominican Republic, and Syria. Paul Chet Greene, immigration minister in the right-wing Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party, justified this by stating that many of these illegal immigrants had contributed significantly to Antiguan and Barbudan society, and that many of these people had no criminal record and were just trying to support their families. By June 2022, there were 4,000 applications.

Statistics In 2011, about 68% of people living in Antigua and Barbuda were born in that country. Most immigrants to Antigua and Barbuda come from various Caribbean countries, such as Dominica, Jamaica, and Guyana. Additionally, there is a sizable minority of immigrants from the Dominican Republic and the United States. Most immigrants usually come from English-speaking countries that have large Antiguan and Barbudan populations or have lower human development indexes. Place of birth (2011)Population%Africa2960.35%Other Latin or North American countries1650.19%Antigua and Barbuda58,07168.47%Other Caribbean countries7730.91%Canada3570.42%Other Asian countries3890.46%Other European countries3030.36%Dominica3,6544.31%Dominican Republic2,0832.46%Guyana6,0387.12%Jamaica4,4275.22%Monsterrat6330.75%St. Kitts and Nevis3670.43%St. Lucia5980.71%St. Vincent and the Grenadines6690.79%Syria2990.35%Trinidad and Tobago4990.59%United Kingdom8430.99%United States2,6083.07%United States Virgin Islands4050.48%Not Stated1,3411.58%Total84,816100.00%

Demography

By ethnicity Country of birth (2011)Ethnic groupAfrican descendentCaucasian/WhiteEast Indian/IndiaMixed (Black/White)Mixed (Other)HispanicSyrian/LebaneseOtherDon't know/Not statedAfrica80.45%13.00%0.37%0.36%2.90%0.37%2.20%0.36%Other Latin or North American countries29.99%11.85%4.51%2.59%15.06%31.33%2.65%1.31%0.71%Antigua and Barbuda94.11%0.31%0.21%0.77%2.74%0.64%0.31%0.42%0.49%Other Caribbean countries67.65%3.37%0.42%2.10%10.08%13.27%1.28%1.40%0.42%Canada47.21%28.41%4.88%4.28%12.12%3.09%Other Asian countries3.61%5.83%35.61%1.42%7.28%46.24%Other European countries7.53%77.84%1.76%2.80%2.12%0.35%6.16%1.43%Dominica88.81%0.09%0.15%1.01%5.89%0.97%0.03%2.67%0.38%Dominican Republic11.84%0.36%0.15%1.21%3.24%81.89%0.05%0.84%0.41%Guyana78.99%0.18%7.58%1.17%9.99%0.03%0.02%1.58%0.45%Jamaica94.28%0.18%0.43%0.59%3.62%0.02%0.27%0.62%Monsterrat97.95%0.52%0.34%0.85%0.17%0.17%St. Kitts and Nevis91.45%1.19%2.10%4.09%0.29%0.30%0.58%St. Lucia89.51%0.35%1.44%1.60%5.99%0.18%0.57%0.35%St. Vincent and the Grenadines92.06%0.17%0.65%0.95%5.05%0.96%0.17%Syria0.37%0.37%0.37%96.74%1.78%0.37%Trinidad and Tobago53.85%4.78%8.94%3.01%24.18%2.86%2.16%0.21%United Kingdom39.06%48.69%0.39%5.01%6.06%0.52%0.26%USA76.90%10.18%2.86%1.25%4.46%0.84%1.05%1.97%0.49%USVI United States Virgin Islands96.37%2.04%1.32%0.27%Not Stated60.98%2.52%1.78%0.90%2.88%2.46%0.65%1.46%26.38%

By age Country of birth (2011)Age 5 year categories0-45-910-1415-1920-2425-2930-3435-3940-4445-4950-5455-5960-6465-6970-7475-7980 and overTotalAfrica414514244236602615261434421296Other Latin or North American countries3712141617241120128624242165Antigua and Barbuda5,7235,3375,8125,0924,2373,8743,9253,8203,7393,5633,1882,5512,1401,7041,1529261,28858,071Other Caribbean countries2132332556755973577573614720231924773Canada4142303840271921211412161544101357Other Asian countries54617776340363745161693347389Other European countries1081981591625404331232215992303Dominica214481148261366380490590501312142101804940483,654Dominican Republic11445989143226288296295251166108601878142,083Guyana18102293483535673784801707616473270145743316156,038Jamaica199322539345156557555049344929415871461815114,427Monsterrat2232821242750746444424555474262633St. Kitts and Nevis169310101323373852364020241927367St. Lucia41919363452657068615529182821611598St. Vincent and the Grenadines24132337485671132102783036221231669Syria1 -55185753462832161496411299Trinidad and Tobago8171518304633475366502938231098499United Kingdom41646340332337458712085535844241018843USA551500451394266158453428243245391614472,608USVI United States Virgin Islands364369746039122628835 -1 - -1405Not Stated96721021161231148293103108754166422825561,341Total6,6206,4557,3257,0576,4886,5076,5686,6886,6626,2065,0903,6902,9642,2311,4911,1711,60384,816

See also

Demographics of Antigua and Barbuda List of countries by foreign-born population

References