17/03/2026
754 HAITIANS GRANTED VISAS HAVE NOT LEFT TCI, MAKING THEM THE HIGHEST OVERSTAYERS
By Daisy Handfield – TCI SUN
Deputy Premier and Minister for Immigration and Border Services Jamell Robinson revealed in Parliament on Thursday, February 19, 2026, that 93 per cent of Haitian nationals granted visas between January and June 2025 remain in Turks and Caicos Islands beyond their permitted stay. He said the statistic justifies the government’s ongoing Haitian visa moratorium and suspension of first-time unskilled work permits.
Of the 809 visas approved for Haitian nationals during the six-month period, 754 individuals are still in TCI, Robinson told Parliament. Only 14 returned to Haiti, while 41 transitioned to work permits under existing immigration pathways.
“It isn’t about discrimination. It is a reality of the challenges we face,” Robinson said, stressing that the policy is driven by compliance data and enforcement needs rather than nationality.
The figures were disclosed amid continuing debate over the government’s decision to maintain the visa moratorium on Haitian nationals, first imposed more than six months ago as part of a broader national security and crime reduction strategy. Robinson argued that lifting the restrictions now would intensify existing enforcement pressures.
“We could ill afford to open it back up at this time because all we would be doing is adding on more people to the ones that exist already,” he said.
The Deputy Premier said the immigration controls form part of a coordinated security approach that has coincided with a 43 per cent reduction in serious crime. While he did not directly attribute the decline solely to the visa restrictions, he described the measures as part of wider enforcement reforms aimed at strengthening border management, improving intelligence coordination, and increasing compliance monitoring.
Some observers have questioned whether the policy unfairly targets Haitian nationals.
Robinson rejected that characterization and said enforcement decisions are based on overstay rates and intelligence assessments rather than nationality.
“The data and the intelligence have shown that this is necessary to manage overstayers and protect our immigration system,” he said.
Government statistics presented in Parliament show that during the same January to June period, 651 visa applications were received from Dominican nationals, 56 from Jamaican nationals, and five from other countries. Overstay figures for those nationalities were not disclosed during Thursday’s session.
Robinson clarified that while first-time unskilled work permits for Haitian nationals remain suspended, skilled Haitians may continue to apply under existing immigration laws. He also reminded sponsors acting as sureties that they are responsible for ensuring visitors comply with visa conditions and depart when required, noting that visa bonds may be enforced where breaches occur.
“If you are a genuine visitor, visit us. We welcome tourism, enjoy our beautiful beaches, but then return to your home,” Robinson said.
The government has indicated that the moratorium and restrictions on unskilled work permits will remain in effect while compliance reviews and enforcement operations continue, with future adjustments to policy guided by evolving data and national security considerations.
