Promote:
Invest in Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
A short guide for companies expanding into Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba: the economy at a glance, the rules and steps to set up, and who can help, each with its source.
1. Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba at a glance
Population
33,229
The three islands had 33,229 people on December 31, 2025: 27,611 on Bonaire, 3,348 on Sint Eustatius and 2,270 on Saba.
Source: CBS StatLine, population development, 2025 (in Dutch) (opens in a new tab) · as of December 31, 2025
GDP
US$941 million
Gross domestic product of the three islands was US$941 million in 2024 at current prices: US$785 million on Bonaire, US$102 million on Sint Eustatius and US$55 million on Saba.
Source: CBS StatLine, gross domestic product, 2024 (in Dutch) (opens in a new tab) · as of 2024
GDP per person
US$30,200
Gross domestic product per inhabitant was US$30,200 in 2024 for the three islands: US$30,400 on Bonaire, US$31,500 on Sint Eustatius and US$25,800 on Saba.
Source: CBS StatLine, GDP per inhabitant, 2024 (in Dutch) (opens in a new tab) · as of 2024
Real GDP growth
3.3%
Real GDP growth, as the volume change of gross domestic product, was 3.3 percent in 2024 for the three islands together; CBS marks the figures definitive.
Source: CBS StatLine, gross domestic product, 2024 (in Dutch) (opens in a new tab) · as of 2024
InflationEstimate
5.9%
Consumer prices on Bonaire were 5.9 percent higher in the third quarter of 2026 than a year earlier (provisional); CBS gives no three-island rate.
Source: CBS StatLine, consumer price index, third quarter 2026 (in Dutch) (opens in a new tab) · as of third quarter 2026
The currency is the United States dollar (USD); payments on all three islands are made in dollars.
Source: De Nederlandsche Bank, payments in Caribbean Netherlands (in Dutch) (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
2. Before you set up
The investment agency, any one-stop route, the sectors reserved for nationals and the zones, as the guide found them.
No investment promotion agency is listed on the national office's doing-business page, which names the Chambers of Commerce and the business license rules; none was found elsewhere.
Source: Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland, doing business page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
No investment agency runs a one-stop shop; Bonaire's Chamber of Commerce runs a Business Affairs Desk in its Business House, which aims to house several services in one building.
Source: KvK Bonaire, about page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
The Wet vestiging bedrijven BES lists no sectors reserved for nationals; a license can be refused for clearly insufficient skills or financial means, and Article 3 exempts some small activities.
Source: Staatsblad 2010, 442, Wet vestiging bedrijven BES text (in Dutch) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 1, 2010
Trade and service warehouses are designated under the BES Customs and Excise Duties Act, but Customs publishes no list or count of their sites.
Source: Belastingdienst Caribisch Nederland, trade and service warehouse locations (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
3. Steps to set up
The main steps, in order, each with the body responsible and its official page.
Setting up in Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
- Register the company or sole proprietorship with the Bonaire Chamber of Commerce, or with the Statia-Saba Chamber on Sint Eustatius and Saba.Kamer van Koophandel en Nijverheid Bonaire; Chamber of Commerce & Industry St Eustatius - SabaOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: KvK Bonaire, permits and licenses guide (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
- Apply to the public entity of your island for the business establishment license.Executive Council of each island's public entityEight weeks by law; six working days online on BonaireOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland, establishment of companies page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
- Register for taxes with the tax and customs office, and register as an employer before you hire.Belastingdienst Caribisch NederlandOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Belastingdienst Caribisch Nederland, registering with the tax administration page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
- Apply for a work permit before you employ a foreign national.Rijksdienst Caribisch NederlandOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland, work permits page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
Show 2 more set-up steps
- Apply for a residence permit if you or your staff will stay longer than three months.Immigration and Naturalisation Service CNOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland, residence permit page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
- If you buy real estate, expect transfer tax on the transfer.Belastingdienst Caribisch NederlandOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Belastingdienst Caribisch Nederland, transfer tax page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
4. Organizations that help investors
Start with RCN and BCN. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
Each card says what it can help with:Get adviceFind financeMeet requirementsResearch markets
- Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba have 33,229 people, so this guide lists every body found with evidence dated 2025 or later. Source (opens in a new tab)
Investment and business setup
National government service organization
RCN
Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland
Publishes the national rules for business licenses, work permits and agriculture on the three islands on behalf of the Dutch ministries.
Visit RCN (opens in a new tab)Source: Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland, establishment of companies page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
Island public entity
Statia Government
Openbaar Lichaam Sint Eustatius
Takes business permit applications on Sint Eustatius through its Licensing, Supervision & Enforcement Unit.
Visit Statia Government (opens in a new tab)Source: Statia Government, business permit overview page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
Show 2 more organizations
- Meet requirements
Immigration service
IND-CN
Immigration and Naturalisation Service CN
Handles residence permit applications from people who want to live or work on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba.
Visit IND-CN (opens in a new tab)Source: Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland, residence permit page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
Island public entity
Public Entity Bonaire
Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire
Issues the business permit every company on Bonaire needs, and other permits such as environmental and alcohol licenses, with applications made online.
Visit Public Entity Bonaire (opens in a new tab)Source: KvK Bonaire, permits and licenses guide (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
Customs and tax
- Meet requirements
Tax and customs authority
BCN
Belastingdienst Caribisch Nederland
Combines the tax office and customs for the three islands; businesses register for taxes and file customs declarations there.
Visit BCN (opens in a new tab)Source: Belastingdienst Caribisch Nederland, home page with 2026 news (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
Chambers and industry associations
- Get advice
Chamber of commerce and registry
KvK Bonaire
Kamer van Koophandel en Nijverheid Bonaire
Keeps the Bonaire trade register, issues certificates of origin for goods made on Bonaire, and advises on permits through its Business Affairs Desk.
Visit KvK Bonaire (opens in a new tab)Source: KvK Bonaire, other services and rates page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
- Get advice
Chamber of commerce and registry
Statia-Saba Chamber
Chamber of Commerce & Industry St Eustatius - Saba
Keeps the trade register for Sint Eustatius and Saba and explains legal forms, permits and fees to people who start or expand a business there.
Visit Statia-Saba Chamber (opens in a new tab)Source: Statia-Saba Chamber, about page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
5. Worth knowing
Currency and settlement
The central bank says payments are in United States dollars, new cash machines opened on Saba and Sint Eustatius in June 2026, and business cash deposit points are planned.
What to do: Ask your bank how business cash deposits work on your island before you set up cash handling.
Source: De Nederlandsche Bank, payments in Caribbean Netherlands (in Dutch) (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
Customs between islands and Netherlands
The islands have their own customs rules, and the formalities apply fully to goods moved from the European Netherlands to an island.
What to do: File a customs declaration for every shipment, including shipments to and from the European Netherlands.
Source: Belastingdienst Caribisch Nederland, customs business page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
Import tax and expenditure tax
Import tax is set at 0 percent, and the general expenditure tax on goods is 8 percent on Bonaire and 6 percent on Saba and Sint Eustatius, with exceptions.
What to do: Confirm current tax rates with Customs before you price imported inputs.
Source: Belastingdienst Caribisch Nederland, company import tax page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
Business license timing
The decision period is eight weeks by law, a license is granted by operation of law without a decision, and the clock starts only when the application is complete.
What to do: Submit every required document with the application, and keep proof of the date.
Sources: Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland, establishment of companies page (opens in a new tab); KvK Bonaire, permits and licenses guide (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
Show 2 more
Work permits for staff
Employers must recruit locally first, and from November 1, 2026 some work and residence applications need extra documents from the tax and customs office.
What to do: Ask the tax and customs office for the extra documents before you apply.
Sources: Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland, immigration service page, November 2026 notice (opens in a new tab); Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland, work permits page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
Diverging island economies
CBS reports 2024 growth of 4.0 percent on Bonaire, 1.6 percent on Sint Eustatius and a 4.4 percent fall on Saba; Sint Eustatius's GDP was nearly 30 percent below 2014.
What to do: Check the figures for your own island before you size a project.
Sources: CBS news release, island GDP growth in 2024, 2026-10-26 (opens in a new tab); CBS StatLine, gross domestic product, 2024 (in Dutch) (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
6. How Promote:Global helps
- Compare Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba with other countriesSet Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba beside other countries on investment momentum, fundamentals and trade access, before site, tax and legal work.
- Find advisors and service firmsAsk an advisory firm a scoped, paid question, or browse firms that list their own services, from legal work to logistics.
- Organize your next stepsKeep each product and market in a project, with a roadmap of steps you work through.
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Promote:Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba is an independent guide by Promote:Global, not an official government portal. The organizations named here are independent public and membership bodies, not Promote:Global partners, and every link goes to their own site.
Facts read from public sources, with an editorial cut-off of November 1, 2026. Nothing here is investment, legal, tax or sanctions advice. Check current status with the organization before you rely on it.