Preparing this country profile
This may take a few seconds the first time. That is normal.
The page is being put together and will appear in a moment. It loads instantly the next time.
Saba
Caribbean
Lucky Nomads World Index
67.10 / 100
Global rank
#90
Corporate tax
0%
Personal tax
35.4%
Lucky Nomads Proprietary Indices
22 scoring dimensions scored independently using a deterministic methodology built on primary sources and structured analytical inference.
- SafetyShield Index9.0 / 10
- Affordability Index5.7 / 10
- Entry Ease Index6.2 / 10
- Tax Freedom Index6.3 / 10
- WiFi Index6.9 / 10
- Admin Ease Index7.5 / 10
- Healthcare Index7.4 / 10
- City Comfort Index7.4 / 10
- WeatherComfort Index6.5 / 10
- Banking Index7.8 / 10
- GeoStability Index9.4 / 10
- Justice & Order Index8.3 / 10
- Quality of Life Index7.9 / 10
- Open Society Index8.6 / 10
- Flight Index1.5 / 10
- Environmental Quality Index8.8 / 10
- English Index7.5 / 10
- Wealth Protection Index7.7 / 10
- AI Access Index6.3 / 10
- Economic Openness Index7.7 / 10
- Market Depth Index1.5 / 10
- ClimateShield Index5.7 / 10
Country snapshot
- Capital
- The Bottom
- Population (approx.)
- 2,000
- Area (km²)
- 13 km²
- Currency code (ISO 4217)
- USD
- Currency name
- United States dollar
- Main airport IATA code
- SAB
- Airport name
- Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport
General facts
- Minimum monthly cost
- From $2,150/month
- Main languages
- English
- Jurisdiction type
- Territory
- Region
- Caribbean
- Web TLD
- .bq
- Phone calling code
- +599
Web TLD and phone codes are general references and can differ for territories or special numbering plans.
Tax system
- Marginal CIT (corporate income tax)
- 0%Ultra lowNo corporate income tax
- Marginal PIT (personal income tax)
- 35.4%HighWorldwide
Corporate taxation basis: No corporate income tax. The country has no corporate-level income tax.
Distribution-based regime structurally similar to the Estonian model. Tax is deferred until profits are extracted from the entity. Entities require a vestigingsplaatsbeschikking from the Belastingdienst Caribisch Nederland to confirm BES residence and avoid being treated as European Dutch tax residents subject to the 25.8 percent vennootschapsbelasting.
Saba has no corporate income tax (vennootschapsbelasting) under the Belastingwet BES. Profits are not taxed at the corporate level. A 7.5 percent opbrengstbelasting applies to distributions to shareholders since 1 January 2025 (raised from 5 percent), and a 17.5 percent vastgoedbelasting applies to the imputed rental value of company-held real estate (11 percent for hotel-related real estate from 2025).
Personal income tax basis. Worldwide. Resident individuals are generally taxable on their worldwide income, subject to relief under applicable tax treaties.
Worldwide taxation of BES residents with double-tax relief through the Tax Scheme Netherlands (Belastingregeling Nederland, TSN) for European Netherlands income and the BES Decree on the Prevention of Double Taxation (BvDB BES) for third countries. The penshonado regime that existed under the former Netherlands Antilles was abolished on 1 January 2011 and has no successor.
Progressive personal income tax in two brackets since 1 January 2026 under the Belastingplan BES-eilanden 2026: 29.4 percent on the first USD 50,000 of taxable income, 38.4 percent above USD 50,000. Income from substantial interest (aanmerkelijk belang) is taxed at the 7.5 percent opbrengstbelasting rate aligned with corporate distributions, not at the headline PIT bracket.
Tax percentages here are editorial reference figures for comparison, not individualized tax advice.
Visa and mobility
Your access
Visa need and length of stay for Saba. Saved on your device.
Overview
- Citizenship by investment
Not currently available
- Residence by investment
Not currently available
- Remote work visa (digital nomad visa)
Not currently available
Programmes
Saba lists several residency and mobility routes across work (employer sponsored), work (self sponsored), retirement routes, family and dependant routes, and student and graduate routes. Lucky Nomads tracks these programmes as editorial reference points. Thresholds, documents, and personal eligibility are evaluated in GeoCompass against your exact profile.
7 programmes listed · 7 are marked available in our editorial review
Work (employer sponsored)
1 programmeEmployer-linked permits and skilled employment passes for hired professionals.
- Available
Verblijfsvergunning bepaalde tijd voor arbeid in loondienst (BES)
Work (self sponsored)
1 programmeSelf-sponsored work or freelance routes where you qualify without a local employer.
- Available
Verblijfsvergunning bepaalde tijd voor arbeid als zelfstandige (BES)
Retirement routes
3 programmesRetirement-age or pension-linked residence options.
- Available
Verblijfsvergunning bepaalde tijd voor gepensioneerde (BES)
- Available
Verblijfsvergunning bepaalde tijd voor rentenier (BES)
- Available
Verblijfsvergunning overwinteraar (BES)
Family and dependant routes
1 programmeSpouse, dependant, and family reunion style permits.
- Available
Verblijfsvergunning gezinsvorming en gezinshereniging (BES)
Student and graduate routes
1 programmeStudy-linked permits and post-study transition routes.
- Available
Verblijfsvergunning bepaalde tijd voor studie (BES)
Not all residency routes are accessible. Some require minimum income, investment thresholds, local substance, or strict eligibility conditions. GeoCompass evaluates which options you can actually secure in Saba.
Evaluate my residency optionsVisa and programme labels reflect editorial research, not individualized legal advice. Thresholds, documents, and personal eligibility are evaluated in GeoCompass. Always confirm rules with official government sources before you plan a move.
Dimensions breakdown
Strongest dimensions
- GeoStability Index9.4 / 10Exceptional geostability index
- SafetyShield Index9.0 / 10Exceptional safety and stability
- Environmental Quality Index8.8 / 10Very strong environmental quality index
Weakest dimensions
- Flight Index1.5 / 10
- Market Depth Index1.5 / 10
Published ranks by index
One row per leaderboard we publish (the composite index plus each proprietary dimension). A rank appears only when this country is currently in the published top 10 for that list. Open a row to see the full ranking. Hover an index name for the same short definition as elsewhere on the site.
Compare Saba with…
Bahamas
Peru
Anguilla
Moldova
KuwaitSurprise meDiscover another country at random
Founder, Lucky Nomads · Wealth manager
Researched from official sources, leading global indices and Lucky Nomads' own scoring.
Free diagnostic
Is Saba really your strongest move?
GeoCompass Signal scores you across the dimensions weighted for your profile and ranks 232 jurisdictions by fit for your exact situation. In minutes you get your composite fit score, where your current country really stands, your monthly tax and cost-of-living impact, and the strongest matches your profile unlocks.
~6 minutes, no payment, instant results. The full GeoCompass report puts a name on every match, shows exactly where Saba lands, and opens the complete ranked shortlist across every scoring dimension.