School attendance in Bahamas is required between the ages of 5 to 16. Out of the 210 primary schools run in the country, 158 are operated by the government. The remaining 52 schools are operated by private owners. Higher education is also offered by many non-Bahamian colleges in the country.
The College of the Bahamas is the main institution that offers post secondary education in the country with several schools including and undergraduate business school, an undergraduate social science. Other tertiary educational institutions in the country include Success Training College, Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute and Nova Southeastern University. The University of The West Indies also has a campus in the Bahamas.
There are also some international universities that offer programs in the country such as the University of Miami's MBA programme.
In most cases non-citizens may not work within The Bahamas. There are exceptions for those possessing skills not available from a Bahamian, as well as migrants of Creole descent who may or may not be in the Bahamas legally. The employer must show legitimate proof of strenuous searching for a suitable Bahamian prior to applying for a work permit for the foreign candidate. However any ordinary position that does not require any specialized skills will not readily qualify as an employment opportunity for a foreigner. Should a foreign nation apply for a position as a maid or anything along that line of employment, they would definitely be denied the occupation. This line of employment shows no necessary skills that a Bahamian could not possess.
Tourism is the main industry followed by banking.
50 percent of the national GDP is generated by tourism.