Investing in Haiti offers real opportunities but demands a precise understanding of the local legal framework and how it interacts with international standards. Cabinet Chevalier has guided North American, European and Caribbean investors in structuring, establishing and protecting their Haitian operations for three decades.
The Haitian Investment Code (2002) provides a generally favorable framework for foreign investors, with freedom to repatriate profits, guarantees against expropriation, and tax incentives available for certain priority sectors (industry, agriculture, tourism, energy). Our role is to identify the regime that applies to your project and secure approvals where relevant.
The legal form of your presence in Haiti has lasting consequences: branch of a foreign company, Haitian subsidiary, joint venture with a local partner. Each option carries different implications for tax, liability, governance and future exit. We compare the options against your real strategy, not a textbook model.
Protecting an investment means anticipating risk: dispute with a local partner, regulatory change, payment difficulties, operational litigation. We put in place robust shareholder agreements, international arbitration clauses, personal and security interests, and support clients in ongoing compliance monitoring.
Yes. The Investment Code guarantees freedom to transfer profits, dividends and liquidation proceeds, subject to compliance with applicable tax and exchange-control obligations.
Yes, for priority sectors (export industry, agriculture, tourism, renewable energy). Incentives can include partial or full income-tax exemptions for several years, as well as customs benefits.
No — in the vast majority of sectors, 100% foreign ownership is permitted. Certain regulated activities are an exception and require local participation.
The main risks are operational: regulatory volatility, enforcement challenges, currency fluctuations. Sound legal structure, international arbitration clauses and ongoing diligence substantially reduce that exposure.
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