Jamaica or Panama
Two countries side by side across the same rows as the full comparison. A dash means the value is missing: fields are not filled with guesses. about the data
| Jamaica | Panama | |
|---|---|---|
| Salary in IT | — | — |
| Citizenship | 5 years | 5 years |
| Partner can work | yes | — |
| Parents | — | — |
| Pets | difficult | no trouble |
| Pet limit | no limit | no limit |
| Quarantine | 14 days | no |
| Residence permit fee | — | — |
| Rent, 2 bedrooms | $ 1 149 · estimate | $ 1 418 · estimate |
| Basket | $ 40,0 | $ 36,7 |
| Life expectancy | 71.61 | 79.78 |
| Homicides/100k | 40.36 | 12.78 |
| Natural hazards, 0–10 | 5 | 5.2 |
How the two sets of routes differ
Long-stay routes in this reference: Jamaica — 18, Panama — 65. Types present in both: work, study, family and retirement. Jamaica adds: repatriation. Panama adds: remote work, investment and talent.
Fees, thresholds and deadlines
Jamaica: fees range from 2,000 to 100,000 JMD. Routes with a published decision deadline: 11; the shortest is 3 days. Panama: fees range from 100 to 250 PAB. Routes stating an income threshold: 10; the lowest is 850 PAB a month.
Beyond the first permit
Permanent status: Jamaica after 3 years, Panama after 2 years. Citizenship: both after 5 years. Jamaica allows a second citizenship, Panama does not.
Jamaica in brief
Jamaica is the most populous English-speaking island in the Caribbean, with an economy built on tourism (Montego Bay and Negril are the main resort destinations), the bauxite industry, and diaspora remittances. A work permit for foreigners is required under the Foreign Nationals and Commonwealth Citizens (Employment) Act and is issued by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security; CARICOM nationals holding a CARICOM Skills Certificate work without a permit under the CSME free movement of skilled persons regime. Permanent residence through employment is available after more than 3 years of work in the country; naturalisation requires 5 years of cumulative residence, and citizenship by marriage to a Jamaican citizen can be applied for immediately after the marriage is registered. Dual citizenship is permitted without restriction to a list of countries. Importing dogs and cats is mandatory through the sole legal port of entry (Kingston), with 14-day quarantine and a mandatory rabies antibody test (FAVN) regardless of country of origin — no exemption for 'rabies-free countries' was found. The homicide rate is one of the highest in the world, 40.36 per 100,000 population (UNODC, 2024). The territory lies within the tropical cyclone season zone (June–November, INFORM risk 8.2 out of 10) — in 2026, Hurricane Melissa affected seven parishes and over a third of the country's population — and in a seismically active part of the Caribbean (INFORM earthquake risk 7.9 out of 10).
Panama in brief
Panama rests on three things its neighbours lack: the dollar in circulation, the canal with the region's largest banking and logistics hub, and a position south of the hurricane belt — INFORM rates its cyclone risk at zero. Panama's famous "friendly nations" route is not open to everyone: the list of countries is closed. And since 2021 it has not been quick even for those on it: two years of temporary residence come first and permanent status only after, with an economic basis required — an employment contract or property worth at least 200,000 dollars. Citizenship takes five years after permanent residence, three with a Panamanian spouse or Panamanian children, and the previous passport must be renounced expressly and irrevocably; a basic-knowledge exam was added in August 2025. Homicide above the regional average and seismicity also weigh: earthquakes 7.8 and tsunamis 8.6 out of 10.
Other comparisons
Jamaica or… Costa Rica · Peru · Ecuador · Trinidad and Tobago · El Salvador · Cuba · Guyana · Honduras
Panama or… Nicaragua · Belize · Bolivia · Colombia · Greenland · Bahamas · Guatemala · Dominican Republic
More on each: Jamaica · Panama. Build your own comparison — up to four countries
This material is for reference and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Visa rules, tax thresholds and prices change. Before deciding anything, check the official sources and consult a licensed professional in the relevant country.