Question:

1. Given, Gringo jobs in Belize and Ambergris Caye in particular are scarce; and

2. Given, good-paying jobs in Belize and Ambergris Caye in particular are next to non-existent:

My wife and I have talked before about the "what ifs" of moving to Belize. My wife, good pay, little pay or no pay, would like to use her nursing skills down there if we lived down there part or full-time. She's not seen any nursing jobs advertised. I feel certain that--even if the pay is just peanuts--there's probably a real need for nurses. Does anyone have any thoughts about whether a nurse could find a job on the island--or in Belize as a whole? Yes, we wouldn't want it to be purely volunteer (no pay), but as long as it paid even peanuts it'd be fine.

For starters: She'd need to be fluent in English, Spanish and mainly Kriol. Then she'd need to be here for awhile to establish contacts. I'm not sure about licensing requirements.

With the new hospital opening in San Pedro, there will be a real need for qualified nurses. You would need to contact the Lion's Club to discuss possibilities and licensing requirements. I disagree that she would HAVE to know Spanish, but it would definitely help.

The hospital will not be operated by the Lions Club. They have turned it over to the Government of Belize to be a part of the government medical system. It is not considered a full hospital but rather a high level clinic. Many of the doctors are sent from Cuba and do not necessarily know English.

BelizeLaw,
I have a friend who lives in San Pedro and is a retired nurse. She has tried several times to get a job as a nurse, even offering to volunteer. She has been shut down each and every time, most recently by the GOB. They contend that there are BZ nurses.
But, it never hurts to try....
Cheerz,
Vicki

Thanks everyone for the advice. I'm not surprised that a paying job would be hard to find, but amazed that they wouldn't take your volunteer friend, ibanole.

They will take volunteers

there are currently two hundred and five doctors practicing in Belize, or seven point four to every ten thousand potential patients. On the nursing side, there are four hundred and sixty-five nurses, or seventeen to every ten thousand patients.