Collins has been an effective performer for West Indies in the past

The 31-year-old, who has played 32 Tests and 30 one-day internationals, has agreed a two-year contract.

And the Barbadian is available as a non-overseas player under the terms of the Kolpak ruling.

"We have been looking for a quality left-arm seamer and Pedro fits the bill perfectly," Surrey manager Alan Butcher told the club's website.

"He is a proven performer at Test and first-class level and will add variety to our attack. The captain [Mark Butcher] thinks he was the West Indies' best bowler on England's last tour of the Caribbean," he added.

The Kolpak ruling states that "any citizen of a country with an associate agreement with the EU [European Union] has the same rights as a European worker".

It is named after Slovakian handball player Maros Kolpak, who went to the European Court in a bid to play in Germany without being classed as a foreigner, claiming restraint of trade.

Barbados is one a number of Caribbean nations to have an agreement with the EU, along with South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Collins is currently preparing for the start of the West Indies' domestic season, having previously taken 167 wickets in 45 first-class games for his island at a cost of less than 20 runs each.

He is the third major signing announced by Surrey since the end of the 2007 county season and will be joined at The Oval next summer by former England batsman Usman Afzaal and Pakistan spin bowler Saqlain Mushtaq.