Volunteer Job Opportunities In Belize

It may be attractive to have an international work experience in your job application résumé.

In a tight job market recruiters often look beyond academic qualifications and those who have track record of working overseas can improve their chances or employment of promotion. If this intrigues you, then you may want to investigate volunteer job opportunities in Belize. For those seeking jobs in Belize, this article examines a little known technique, that of getting your foot into the door by volunteering for a job. Like most countries, Belize does its best to make employment opportunities for it citizens first. Foreigners however can get a toe hold by first becoming a volunteer. Then move in as an employee after getting their bearings. There are plenty of opportunities for volunteer work – mainly as a fee-paying member of a conservation expedition – or study at a field study centre or archeological field school. These options generally mean raising a considerable sum for the privilege and committing yourself to weeks (or months) of hard but rewarding work, often in difficult conditions. Many of the expeditions are aimed at students taking time off between school and university, and arrange work on rural infrastructure projects such as schools, health centres and the like, or on trails and visitor centres in nature reserves. Image above: British volunteer teaching glass blowing at Artemis Arts in western Belize.

Academic archeological groups undertake research in Belize each year, and many of them invite paying volunteers.There is also a growing number of field study centres in Belize, aimed primarily at college students on a degree course, though there are opportunities for non-students to learn about the ecology and environment of Belize. If you want to learn Spanish relatively cheaply, you could extend a trip to Tikal by studying at one of the language schools in and around Flores, Guatemala. If the cost of joining a volunteer expedition deters you, there are a handful of organizations that don’t collect fees, as well as opportunities to volunteer independently.

Church and medical-related mission work. This involves a week to several weeks of volunteer work in a medical or dental clinic, building churches or homes or other assistance. Usually these mission groups are based outside of Belize, often at a church or school or as a part of a local medical society, and volunteers travel to Belize at the same time, as a group. In most cases, volunteers pay for their own transportation to the country, along with personal expenses, but food and lodging sometimes is provided by the mission. Because these medical and religious missions are so diverse, it’s not possible to provide a list of them. We suggest you contact your church, college or local medical society and ask if they know of missions to Belize. If not, you may well raise the issue of why not? And perhaps spearhead your group’s first mission here.

Organized volunteer programs. These organized programs are of two types: In the first, which may be run either by a for-profit firm such as a travel company or by a not-for-profit charity or university, volunteers provide for their own transportation to and within the country, pay a fee of around US$10 to $25 a day for lodging and board and may also pay a placement fee or contribution which can be several hundred dollars or more.

These volunteer programs revolve either around conservation, such as working with wildlife or reef preservation, school room repair and renovation or around archeology, with volunteers assisting on a dig at a Maya site. A few programs offer volunteer opportunities in education, animal care or social work. Some of these programs are Belize-based, such as those at the Belize Zoo or Programme for Belize. Others are based in the U.S., U.K. or elsewhere outside Belize.

To arrange this kind of independent volunteer work, it is usually necessary to be in Belize and to make personal contact with the organization you are seeking to help. It is rare that you will be able to arrange satisfactory volunteer work before you arrive. In fact, most of these volunteer opportunities in Belize are in high demand as foreigners have discovered this is an easy ticket for getting into Belize to work. It’s up to you to find out about areas of need and then to go and volunteer your services.

Volunteer Job Organizations

This information was accurate at time of publication, but things change quickly. Check with individual organizations directly for current information. Note that many of these organizations charge fees which may be tax-deductible as contributions, for transportation, room, board and placement.

Belize Audubon Society, 12 Fort St., P.O. Box 1001, Belize City, Belize, C.A.; Tel. 501-223-5004; e-mail base@btl.net For more than 32 years, BAS has long been considered the premier conservation organization in Belize. BAS, which is entirely independent from the National Audubon Society, has 1,700 members. Through an agreement with the Government of Belize, it manages eight parks and protected areas including the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, Crooked Tree, Half Moon Caye and Tapir Mountain. The annual Christmas Bird Count, held in Belize City, Punta Gorda, Belmopan and Gallon Jug, is a time when volunteer birders do their things.

Belize YWCA, 119 St. Thomas & Freetown Road, P.O. Box 158, Belize City, Belize, C.A.; Tel. 501-224-4971; e-mail ywca@btl.net The YWCA accept volunteers for its sports, arts and other other programs. The YWCA is a national, non-governmental, not-for-profit Christian organization committed to making opportunities available for the spiritual, intellectual and physical development of women and girls in Belize.

Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center, P.O. Box 1787, Belize City, Belize, C.A.; Tel. 501-220-8003; e-mail tec@btl.net The Belize Zoo is one of the truly great conservation organizations in Central America, and its director, Sharon Matola, has done a tremendous amount to further eco awareness and education in Belize, though her work has not always been appreciated by the powers-that-be in Belize. The adjoining Tropical Education Center offers a wide range of education and outreach programs. Motivated volunteers may be accepted to assist Belize Zoo and TEC programs. The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center is settled upon 29 acres of tropical savanna and exhibits over 150 animals, representing over 45 species, all native to Belize. The zoo keeps animals which were orphaned, rescued, born at the zoo, rehabilitated animals, or sent to The Belize Zoo as donations from other zoological institutions.

Birds Without Borders – Aves Sin Fronteras, c/o 10005 West Blue Mound Road, Milwaukee, WI 53226 • 414-258-2333; Birds Without Borders is a research, education and conservation organization coordinated by the Zoological Society of Milwaukee County (Wisconsin). It operates in Belize in association with the Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center and with private landowners. The group was formed in 1996 to study migratory birds common to both Wisconsin and Belize there are at least 114 of these common species). Occasional volunteer opportunities may be available.

Cornerstone Foundation Belize, 90 Burns Avenue, San Ignacio, Cayo, Belize, C.A.; Tel. 501-824-2373; e-mail peace@btl.net This non-profit organization is one of the best-known volunteer organizations in Belize. Its programs include various cultural, community service, and peace-related volunteer programs in Cayo District. Volunteers commit for a minimum of three weeks (three months in the longer-term programs). For longer-term programs, individuals pay US$300 to $400 a month for housing, couples and families US$600. There is a US$100 application fee, a weekly meal fee of around US$15 and other fees. Those involved in three-week programs such as the AIDS Education or Natural Healing programs pay a fee of around US$550 to $650. At any one time, the foundation may have from one to 18 volunteers in Belize, plus local administers and staff.

Green Reef Belize, 100 Coconut Drive, San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, Belize, C.A.; Tel. 501-226-3254 ext 243; e-mail greenreef@btl.net Founded in 1996, Green Reef is a private, non-profit group based in San Pedro, devoted to protecting Belize’s marine and coastal resources. Among its projects are establishing mooring buoys to protect the barrier reef, the management of two cayes near Ambergris as bird sanctuaries and monitoring Jewfish populations in Belize.

King’s Children Home, 38/40 Unity Blvd., P.O. Box 144, Belmopan, Belize, C.A.; Tel. 501-822-2021: The King’s Children Home is a non-profit organization which assists children in Belize who have lost their parent(s) through death, have been abandoned, abused and/or neglected. KCH needs volunteers to help out, for any period of time, but preferable for 2-6 month periods or longer. Volunteers work with kids from 1-18 years of age. Activities may include tutoring, counseling, clerical duties and pre-schooling.

Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, P.O. Box 187, Belmopan, Belize, C.A.; Tel. 501-820-3032; e-mail mbay@btl.net Monkey Bay is a private wildlife sanctuary and environmental education center on 1,070 acres near the Belize Zoo. Links to other conservation organizations in Belize and Monkey Bay’s own programs provide some volunteer opportunities in conservation and community service.

Mount Carmel High School Belize, Benque Viejo del Carmen, Cayo, Belize, C.A.; e-mail mchs@btl.net This school is highly unusual in that it has an all-volunteer faculty. Volunteers, who must be four-year university graduates and be willing to teach in a Catholic environment, commit to teach for a period of one to two years, and in return they receive room, board and US$12.50/week in spending money. The minimum commitment is one school year, from mid-August until mid-June and the typical length is two years with the summer off. Living arrangements are spartan but clean. Meals are taken together in the rectory. Mt. Carmel High School is a grant-aided institution under the patronage of the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT). The Philosophy of education institutions managed by SOLT is rooted in the sacred mystery of the Blessed Trinity. As such, SOLT institutions are committed to a wholesome education whereby the individual is led towards Trinitarian relationships to bear fruit for God’s Kingdom.

Programme for Belize, 1 Eyre Street, P.O. Box 749, Belize City, Belize, C.A.; Tel. 501-227-5616; e-mail: pfbel@btl.net This completely Belizean-run organization manages the 260,000-acre Rio Bravo Conservation and Management area, the country’s second-largest protected reserve, representing about 4% of Belize’s land area. Programme for Belize accepts paying guests at its Rio Bravo and Hill Bank research stations, where visitors enjoy simple but pleasant accommodations and hearty local fare. Volunteer opportunities may occasionally be available, both in conservation and in archeology.

SAGA Society Belize, Coconut Drive, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize, C.A.; Tel. 501-226-3266; e-mail saga@btl.net Saga is a non-profit organization, founded in 1999, whose purpose is to assist homeless and suffering dogs, cats and other animals on Ambergris Caye.

Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE), P.O. Box 150, Punta Gorda Town, Toledo District, Belize, C.A.; Tel. 501-722-2274 ; e-mail tidetours@btl.net Formed in 1997, TIDE focuses on conservation in the Toledo District.

The Scout Association of Belize at times has openings for volunteers, especially those with scouting experience in their home countries. Central America Boulevard, Belize City Center, Belize City, Belize, Central America. The Scout Association of Belize exists by virtue of the Scout Association of Belize Act, 1987 passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate of Belize and assented to by the Governor-General of Belize on 25 January 1988.

Finding Work in Belize As A Foreigner

If you’re a foreigner and looking to work in Belize, here’s a step-by-step guide based on official rules and real-world insights. It’s not hyperbole—just practical.

1. Understand the legal requirement

To be employed in Belize you’ll generally need to obtain a Temporary Employment Permit through the Ministry of Labour, Local Government and Rural Development.
A key reality: the employer usually must show that the job could not be filled by a Belizean citizen first.
As one social media user in Belize noted:

“It’s a lot of work to get an employment visa … If a Belizean could do the job, it’s hard to justify.”

2. Secure an employer / business setup

If you’re going to work for a Belize-based company, that company must initiate the permit application (or you need to be self-employed and apply under that route).
If you plan to set up your own business in Belize and work for it, you’ll still need to apply and satisfy the self-employed permit criteria (business plan, registration, etc.).
Many expats point out: “Remote work for a US company while living in Belize” is commonly done — but it may not strictly meet the local employment laws unless structured properly.

3. Prepare documentation and meet criteria

Typical requirements include:

Valid passport and any required visa/entry permit.
Application form for the permit, full job description (for employment route) or business plan (for self-employed route) and supporting documents (e.g., diplomas, police clearance, company registration).
Evidence of local recruitment efforts in the case of an employer hiring a foreigner.
Payment of permit fees: these vary based on job type and duration.

4. Submit the application and wait for approval

The application goes to the Labour Department first; once approved you visit the Immigration Office.
Timeframes can vary; plan ahead. Delays are common. Be aware that even if you qualify you may face hurdles.

5. Consider remote work or alternative strategies

If you’re planning to live in Belize but work remotely for a foreign company, many expats take that route. One post explains:

“You can absolutely work for a US company in Belize… but you still need to check local and employer requirements.”
Advantages: you’re paid from abroad, not competing in the local job market. Caveat: you must check tax, visa and local legal implications.
If you go this route, it’s wise to keep your status simple (visitor/retirement visa) while ensuring you’re not formally employed locally without permit.

6. Be aware of salary expectations and cost of living

Even if you find a job, local pay may be far lower than what you expect from your home country:

“You DO NOT need to be a resident to get a work permit … but those jobs … literally don’t exist (in tourism economy) … you’re going to make about US$100 a week.”
Make sure your income (especially for remote work) covers local living costs and any legal/tax obligations.

Here’s a consolidated checklist and fee overview for work permits in Belize. (Fees are in Belize Dollars (BZD) unless otherwise noted.)

✅ Checklist for a Work Permit in Belize

What to have ready:

Valid passport (with sufficient validity) and any required visitor/entry visa.
Job offer from a Belize-based employer or a business plan if you’ll be self-employed.
Proof the job cannot be filled by a Belizean (employer-led recruitment efforts).
Relevant qualifications: diplomas, licences, CV or résumé.
Police clearance certificate from your home country (if required).
Medical certificate (if required).
Trade licence and business registration documents (if self-employed).
Income tax letter from the Belize Tax Service after work-permit approval.
Pay the permit fee at the Belize Immigration Department or designated office.
After approval: apply for Social Security card.
If you change employer or role, verify whether a new permit or amendment is needed.
Start the process well ahead of your intended start date (processing can take weeks).

💰 Typical Fee Structure

As of recent sources:

For a 1-year permit for Professional Workers (holders of a university degree) the fee is BZ$ 3,000.
For Technical Workers (1-year) the fee is also BZ$ 3,000.
For General Workers in banana/sugar/citrus (1-year) the fee is BZ$ 1,500. ([Belize][1])
For General Workers in other industries (1-year) the fee is BZ$ 750.
For Seasonal Agricultural Workers (one crop season) the fee is BZ$ 150.
Some other sources (for comparison) list fees like US$ 500-1,000 for ordinary permits.
Note: There may also be smaller administrative fees (e.g., BZ$ 25 for application processing) per older freesheet documents.

ℹ️ Important Notes

The type of worker (professional, technical, general, seasonal) has a major impact on fee and requirements.
Self-employed persons have specific requirements: valid trade licence, registration, business plan, etc.
Even if you work remotely for a foreign employer and live in Belize, you should check whether you’re required to hold a permit for local employment. Many expats work remotely without a local employer but the legal interpretation can be unclear.
Fees and rules may get updated — always verify with the official site (Belize Immigration Department or Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Labour & Local Government) before submitting.

Backdoors For Immigrants Seeking Employment In Belize

Like with any country, Belize has backdoors enabling foreigners to migrate to Belize. One of the more obvious, is using the boyfriend and girlfriend, also known as the fiancée or fiancé ploy. See our Getting Married In Belize page and Residency In Belize pages for related options.

Getting a job with local Call Centres, also known as Business Process Outsourcing or Global Digital Services is now easier than ever for foreigners. The Belize Government has in place special legislation to encourage foreigners to move to Belize and work in call centres. Free importation of household effects, equipment and no income tax are part of the Fiscal Incentives For Foreign Managers And Workers Act.