Work Permit Visas
A visa is an official stamp in your passport authorizing you to travel, work, or study in that country for a specified length of time. All countries, including the US, require a work permit visa for foreign workers; employers will not hire you without one.
It is a type of work permit that enables you to enter into a foreign country and work there for a particular period of time. Without a work visa, you cannot work in a foreign country. Different countries may have different procedures and criteria for issuing work permit visas. Work permit visas are issued either on temporary or permanent basis. A temporary work visa remains valid for a particular period of time after which the visa holder needs to renew, if his employer wants to extend his (employee’s) stay.
The duration of a work visa depends on the amount of work you have and labor market conditions. In countries like New Zealand offers you the facility to apply for a work to residence visa. To turn your work visa into a residence visa, you need to fulfill the age, health and character requirements. Likewise, in the USA, a foreign citizen can get work visa permit for a maximum period of 6 months. All work visas to USA need to be approved by USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services).
For select countries, short-term work permit visas are available by application. In other cases, such as for long-term employment, foreign employers will need to apply for the visa on your behalf. Student work exchange programs can legally assist students in obtaining a short-term work permit visa. Unpaid internships and volunteer positions may or may not require a work permit, depending on the host country’s regulations.
It’s always safe to assume that you’ll need a visa, especially if you’ll be traveling for a purpose other than tourism. Check out the visa requirements for specific countries by checking with the embassy or consulate of the country you will be visiting. Embassy and consulate contact information can be found on US Department of State’s page that lists websites of foreign embassies or the US Department of State’s Country Specific Information
What Else Should I Know?
- A passport is needed to obtain a visa.
- Even if you’ll have an unpaid internship or volunteer position, you may still need a work visa.
- Other types of visas exist including: student visas, volunteer visas, intern visas, and research visas.
- Some countries have specific visas for the category of work; check to make sure you apply for the correct one.
- Special permission may be needed for a specific visa.
- It usually takes longer to get a work visa and requires more documentation than for other types of visas.
- If you do not have the proper visa, you could be deported at the border.
- You will nearly always need to provide a letter from your program, your employer or host organization to obtain a special purpose visa.
- Ask the program (if applicable) for advice on obtaining a visa.
Each year, more than 10,000 foreign workers are facilitated with temporary work permits through Emigrantz. Work can be defined as an activity for which remuneration is earned. Authorities require a Work Permit to be issued for a limited number of work-related / in-demand occupations. A job offer from an employer is usually a necessity for receiving a Work Permit. Do you require a job offer and need a Work Permit? Come and talk to experts and get it done.
