Haiti
Caribbean
Caribbean
A low-cost Caribbean nation with a 5-year citizenship path and low university tuition, but serious economic and political risk, a weaker passport and a thin job market.
9
Overall score
Low · Penalty applied · 91% data coverage
Language
Haitian Creole, FrenchCurrency
HTGCitizenship
5 yearsPersonal tax
Up to 30%Cost of living
$800 / mo (single; availability varies)Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.
Score breakdown
41
Access
17%35Residence12%
54Citizenship and passport5%
28
Earning power
25%25Salary and work12%
31Buying power13%
34
Business and wealth
20%48Taxes7%
21Business8%
36Investment5%
29
Daily life
25%28Quality of life18%
31Education7%
17
Rights and institutions
13%30Freedom6%
6Rule of law7%
Severe safety risk (12) cut the overall score from 30 to 13.
Healthcare collapse (34) cut the overall score from 13 to 12.
Weak rights and institutions (17) cut the overall score from 12 to 9.
Pros
- A 5-year citizenship path
- Low university tuition
Cons
- Serious economic and political risk
- A weaker passport
- A thin job market
Best for
Students
Score profile
Access
Residence
35
Citizenship
69
Passport
30
Earning power
Salary & work
25
Buying power
31
Cost of living
27
Economy
15
Business and wealth
Taxes
48
Personal tax
45
Corporate tax
14
Business
21
Investment
36
Wealth building
31
Daily life
Safety
12
Healthcare
34
Environment
86
Infrastructure
39
Education
31
HDI
55
Rights and institutions
Freedom
30
Rule of law
6
Access
Residence
Openness to residents
35Limited
Migrant stock0.2% of population (2024)
Regulatory quality-1.46 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Main pathways
EmploymentStudyFamily reunificationBusiness or investment where eligible
| Student | Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting. |
|---|---|
| Work | Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting. |
| Self-employed | Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting. |
| Permanent | Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting. |
Citizenship
Citizenship accessibility
69Good
| Years required | 5 years |
|---|---|
| Dual allowed | Yes |
| Language | Check the current naturalisation rules for the selected route |
| Residence | Typical headline route: 5 years; qualifying residence and absence rules apply |
| Notes | Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting. |
Passport
Passport power
30Limited
60 / 198
Mobility
#81
Global rank
Yes
Biometric
- Visa-free18
- On arrival38
- eTA4
- Visa required138
Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.
Earning power
Salary & work
Labour-market strength
25Low
Output per worker$7,475 PPP (2024)
Unemployment14.9% (2025)
Participation63.9% of 15+ (2025)
| Tech salary (estimate) | Varies substantially by city, seniority, and employer |
|---|---|
| Freelance | Market access depends on language, sector, and work authorisation |
| Job market | Use current local vacancy and salary data for role-specific decisions. |
Buying power
Purchasing power score
31Limited
GNI / person$3,130 PPP (2025)
Consumption / person$2,624 PPP (2024)
Price level102 (US = 100) (2025)
Income inequality41.1 Gini (2012)
Inflation28.6% / yr (2025)
Cost of living
Affordability
27Low
Price level102 (US = 100) (2025)
| Rent | Varies substantially by city and neighbourhood |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $800 / mo (single; availability varies) |
| Cities | Port-au-Prince, Cap-Haïtien |
Economy
Economic strength
15Low
Output & income
GDP$32.1B (2025)
GDP / person$2,694 (2025)
GNI / person$3,130 PPP (2025)
GDP growth-4.2% / yr (2024)
Stability & labour
Inflation28.6% / yr (2025)
Unemployment14.9% (2025)
Output per worker$7,475 PPP (2024)
Sector composition
Agriculture15.8% of GDP (2025)
Industry27.5% of GDP (2025)
Services54.2% of GDP (2025)
Main industries
Apparel manufacturingAgricultureRemittance-fed services
Top exports
Apparel & textilesEssential oilsMangoes
| Type | Low-income, remittance-dependent economy |
|---|---|
| Key sectors | Apparel assembly, Subsistence agriculture, Remittances |
| Summary | The Western Hemisphere's poorest economy, dependent on apparel assembly, farming and remittances amid instability. |
| Currency | Haitian gourde |
Business and wealth
Taxes
Tax friendliness
48Moderate
| Personal | Up to 30% |
|---|---|
| Corporate | Generally 30% |
| Capital gains | Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position |
| Dividends | Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility |
| Exit tax | Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence |
| Foreign companies | Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply |
Personal tax
Personal tax
45Moderate
| Personal | Up to 30% |
|---|---|
| Freelance | Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply |
| Capital gains | Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position |
| Dividends | Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility |
| Exit tax | Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence |
Corporate tax
Corporate tax
14Low
| Corporate | Generally 30% |
|---|---|
| Capital gains | Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position |
| Dividends | Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility |
| Foreign companies | Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply |
Business
Business friendliness
21Low
Regulation & bureaucracy
Regulatory quality-1.46 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Government effectiveness-2.02 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Operating rules
| Foreign company | Generally possible, subject to sector, registration, tax, and substance rules |
|---|---|
| Local company | Available company forms and capital requirements vary |
| Freelance | Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply |
Investment
Investing environment
36Limited
Private credit3% of GDP (2025)
| Capital gains | Treatment varies by asset, residence, holding period, and treaty position |
|---|---|
| Dividends | Data not available yet |
| ETFs & funds | Data not available yet |
| Wealth tax | Check current national and subnational rules |
| Brokers | Local and international availability varies by residency and compliance checks |
| Foreign access | Data not available yet |
| Tax-advantaged | Data not available yet |
Wealth building
Wealth accumulation
31Limited
Salary & work
25Low
Business
21Low
Investment
36Limited
Tax friendliness
48Moderate
Cost of living
27Low
Daily life
Safety
Safety & stability
12Low
Institutions & stability
Control of corruption-1.54 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Political stability-1.20 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.
Healthcare
Healthcare score
34Limited
Outcomes
Life expectancy65.1 years (2024)
Under-5 mortality52.8 per 1,000 births (2024)
Capacity & resourcing
Physicians0.29 per 1,000 (2022)
Hospital beds4.90 per 1,000 (2023)
Health spending$105 PPP / person (2023)
System & costs
| System | Public/private mix varies by eligibility and residence status |
|---|---|
| Insurance | Check residence-permit and local coverage requirements |
| Average cost | Depends on eligibility, income, insurer, and chosen coverage |
Environment
Environment score
86Excellent
Environmental pressure
PM2.5 exposure15.8 μg/m³ annually (2023)
Water stress13.4% (2022)
Infrastructure
Infrastructure score
39Limited
Digital infrastructure
Internet use47.9% (2024)
Internet resilience35 / 100 (2026)
Fixed speed64 / 100 download index (2026)
Mobile speed33 / 100 download index (2026)
Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index
Utilities
Electricity access51.3% (2023)
Grid losses14.7% of output (2022)
Transport
Transport quality1.80 / 5 (2022)
Air connectivity129 departures / million people (2023)
Education
Education score
31Limited
Attainment
Expected schooling10.9 years (2023)
Mean schooling5.4 years (2023)
Participation & investment
Tertiary enrolment1% gross (1986)
Education spending1.0% of GDP (2023)
| Tuition | $1,000–5,000 / yr |
|---|---|
| Public university | Varies by institution, programme, and student nationality |
| Languages | Haitian Creole, French |
| Student work | Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting. |
HDI
Human development score
55Moderate
HDI0.554 (2023)
Knowledge
Expected schooling10.9 years (2023)
Mean schooling5.4 years (2023)
Rights and institutions
Freedom
Freedom score
30Limited
| Freedom in the World | 30 / 100 (Not free) |
|---|
Sources
Rule of law
Rule of law score
6Low
| Rule of Law percentile | 6 / 100 |
|---|
Sources
Resources
Official references
UN Statistics: M49 country and area codesunstats.un.orgPwC: Worldwide Tax Summariestaxsummaries.pwc.comUNDP Human Development Report 2025hdr.undp.orgInternet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Indexpulse.internetsociety.orgWorld Bank World Development Indicatorsdata.worldbank.org
Quick links
Data is illustrative. Not legal or tax advice.