Work Permits For Expat Spouses The Permits Foundation
The Permits Foundation is an international non-profit corporate initiative to promote access of accompanying expat spouses and partners of international staff to employment through an improvement of work permit regulations.
This issue is a concern to international companies and organisations which, in view of the increasing number of dual careers, experience work permit barriers as a hurdle to employee diversity and mobility.
For an at-a-glance indication of the length of time it takes for a spouse or partner to get a work permit in various countries once granted a resident visa as an accompanying family member, please see the chart below.
Current Situation For Spouses*
Once family member resident visa obtained * Definition of spouse and partner vary
Open Work Permit
- Can Work For Any
Employer
Europeans in EU/EEA**,
Argentina, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France
Germany (settlement permit), Hong Kong,
Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, UK, US (L/E visas) **excl. transition arrangements for new member states
Work Permit Linked To
Employer
Procedure < 4 Weeks
Belgium, Germany (intra-company transferees)
Ireland, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Japan (< 28 hr./week), Singapore
Work Permit Linked To
Employer
Procedure > 4 Weeks,
Employment Market Test,
Skills, Quotas
Brazil, Brunei, China, Colombia, Egypt, Gabon,
India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan (>28 hr./wk.), Korea,Malaysia,
Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey,
US (H1B visa)
Disclaimer: This information was reprinted from The Permits Foundation
website in August 2008. Please check The Permits Foundation website for
up-to-date information. ExpatWomen.com is not responsible for out-of-date information. ExpatWomen.com provides this article only for the general interest of its audience.
