Gibraltar might be small, but those wishing to live and work on the famous Rock will be pleased to hear that it is not a closed shop. Depending on your country of origin, however, you might need a residence permit.

Residence Permits

Only Gibraltarians and British citizens are allowed to live and work in Gibraltar without a residence permit. Nationals from other EU member states are issued residence permits upon providing proof that they will not become a burden to the state. Non-EU citizens will find it more difficult to obtain a residence permit in Gibraltar as they must first produce a work contract, and that can only be issued if the employer can prove that no Gibraltarian or EU citizen is able or willing to do the job.

Surprisingly, marriage to a Gibraltarian does not automatically grant the right to a residence permit - not for women at least. Under current law a non-Gibraltarian man married to a woman from Gibraltar receives a residence permit as part of the package. Non-Gibraltarian women marrying local men will have to apply for a permit. But this is theory, in practice a wife receives permission to remain on The Rock as long as her husband is living there.

And, of course, the door is always open to those with money to invest. If this is your case, then apply now to receive your official classification as a "High Net Worth Individual" or HNWI, as you'll be known by the local government. You will need to prove that you are wealthy, and you must provide two references, at least one of which must come from a bank.

Health Care

The Gibraltar Health Authority operates a Group Practice Medical Scheme whereby contributors to the system receive free health benefits. Should you become a contributor, all your medical needs will be met either on The Rock itself, or by outside providers, which are arranged by the scheme.

You will find general practice surgeons at the Health Centre, while more specialised services are located at the St. Bernard's Hospital. The latter has more than 180 beds and also offers outpatient services. Due to the size of the local population, some specialists can not be maintained on a permanent basis. Therefore, highly specialised doctors such as paediatric neurosurgeons are flown in from the UK when necessary. The Health Authority also provides essential dental and ophthalmic services as well as subsidised medicine and doctor house calls.

There is a psychiatric unit on The Rock as well. The King George V Psych Unit has facilities ready to serve up to 60 in patients at a time. The centre also has outpatient services and deals with a wide array of psychiatric ailments.

Healthcare Eligibility

As mentioned earlier, you are eligible for free service from this public health scheme if you are a contributor. However, UK citizens visiting you during your residence can also use the system during periods of "temporary residency", i.e. visits of 30 days or less. To access the healthcare system, your visitor must have a valid UK passport stamped upon arrival. Your visitor will then be eligible for free health benefits during the next 30 days. (Note, this applies to all UK citizens stopping in Gibraltar, whether or not they are visiting someone.)

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