Last Updated: March 03, 2024
Obtaining a Work Visa
Planning to move to a new country for career advancement can be a challenge for people. The main challenge that one will have to face is obtaining a work visa to move to the country. The requirement for traveling to most countries is to have the right qualification or specialization in their field of work. Candidates will be required to have both educational qualifications and work experience within the field they wish to work in. In most countries, the only way to surpass the required educational qualification is to have additional years of work experience in their specialization.
The details regarding work visas for a few important countries are as follows-
Easier Countries for Getting Work Visas
A few of the countries to which one can easily obtain work visas include-
- Norway
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Canada
- The Netherlands
- Germany
- Cambodia
- Ireland
- Singapore
While it may seem that obtaining a visa to these places is easy, the requirements that one will have to meet, and the processes involved can be similar for most countries. The ease mostly comes from the different kinds of work visas available in these countries.
Australian work visas allow candidates to stay in the country and work for the most part with the distinction in the kind of visa one gets allowing them to stay for different durations of time. The kind of visa one has to apply for is also dependent on the skilled profession of their choice. For Australian work visas, the application fee varies from AUD 335 to AUD 9,455.
Different Kinds of Work Visa
Work visas from Australia will either be for skilled professionals or will be sponsored visas by employers for specific specialized workers. These visas include-
- Temporary Skill Shortage Visa- This visa is issued when employers can prove the genuineness of skill shortage within that field of specialization. They will be able to nominate a foreign national for the job and the visa will have a duration of 2 to 4 years.
- Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) Visa- Highly specialized workers who have stream-specific skills will be able to get this visa if they can help promote Australian businesses. The duration of the visa will be 6 months.
- Temporary Work (International Relations) Visa- This visa is provided to enhance the international relations that Australia. There is a Seasonal Worker Program and a Pacific Labor Scheme under this visa category.
- Skilled Independent Visa- This is a permanent work visa issued to people who can improve the Australian economy. The visa has to be sponsored by an employer in the country.
- Skilled Nominated Visa- It is a permanent work visa that is for nominated skilled workers. The skills they have should fall in the skilled list of the country and they must clear a skills assessment to get the visa.
- Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa- It is a permanent work visa that is for people who have already worked in different parts of the country for the past 2 years.
- Employer Nomination Scheme Visa- This visa is for skilled workers who are sponsored by employers in Australia and they should make up for the skill shortages in the country by working here.
- Business Talent Permanent Visa- This visa is issued to business owners who wish to establish a business venture in the country. One can apply for this visa only if they have been nominated by the Australian state or territory government agency.
Obtaining a work visa for the US can be a challenging task especially with the most popular visa being the H1B visa. Candidates will be able to apply for a visa that suits their specializations. There are temporary non-immigrant visas and permanent immigrant visas that one can take based on which requirements they meet. The application fee for a work visa in the United States is $205.
Different Categories of Work Visa
A few of the popular work visa categories for which one applies include-
- H Visas- H visas are issued to specialized workers, seasonal/temporary workers, and those seeking training in the country. It has to be applied for by an employer.
- H1B Visa- This visa is for specialized workers who have specific academic achievements and is one of the most popular work visas in the country. Only 65,000 H1-B visas are issued in a fiscal year.
- I Visa- This visa is for foreign reporters and people of similar professions who wish to represent their media outlet. They must have their main office in a foreign country and do not have a set duration.
- L Visas- Candidates who are transferring within their own company to a branch in the US will be able to obtain this visa as long as they are at a management level within the company.
- O Visas- People who have exceptional abilities in different industries will be able to obtain this visa.
- P Visas- P visas are for people who have international achievements in sports or other artistic arenas if they have to visit the country for different events.
- E Visas- E visas are provided to people who are nationals of countries that have a treaty of commerce and navigation with the US.
The UK is one of the places where obtaining a work visa can be extremely hard. There is a point-based immigration system in the country that requires candidates to have enough points based on the qualifications that can make them eligible for a work visa. They will also require an employment offer from the country to apply for the visa. The application fee for a UK work visa can range from £180 to £1,490.
Different Kinds of Work Visa
The different types of work visas for the UK include-
- Skilled Worker Visa- This visa is provided to people who have received an employment offer from a UK employer that is recognized by the home office. It is valid for 5 years and can be extended.
- Temporary Worker-Government Authorized Exchange Visa- This visa is for temporary workers, government-authorized officials, and people traveling to the US based on international agreements.
People who wish to work in Canada will be able to apply for the different work permits available. There is the open work permit and the employer-specific work permit where the former does not require the candidate to submit proof of employment offer. The application fee for a work permit in Canada varies from CAN$100 to CAN$155.
Different Kinds of Work Visa
A few different work permits one can apply for include-
- Regular Open Work Permit- This work permit is for people who are not eligible for specialized work permits. It can be applied by people from outside the country also.
- Post-Graduation Work Permit- This is an open work permit that allows students to work in the country after they have completed their post-secondary education in Canada.
- Temporary Foreign Worker Program- This work visa allows employers to hire foreign nationals for skilled professions that do not have enough local workers from the country.
Candidates who wish to work in Germany are required to get a residence permit. A work permit will be issued and included with the residence permit which is also considered to be a visa. Applying for a work visa in Germany can cost anything from 80 to 75 dollars.
Different Kinds of Work Visa
- General Employment Work Permit- Candidates who have a job offer from a German employer will be able to obtain this visa. It is provided only to people who have specialized degrees in their subject.
- Skilled Professional German Work Permit- People who advanced degrees in the fields of Technology, Mathematics, IT, and Natural Sciences will be able to get this visa if they have a job offer from a German employer.
- Job Seeker Permit- Foreign nationals who have a German degree or an equally recognized degree from other parts of the world will be able to get this visa if they wish to find jobs in Germany.
- Au Pair Work Visa Germany- This work visa is provided to people who are hired as live-in nannies for German-based families. It has a duration of 12 months.
Candidates who wish to work in Singapore will be required to take a work visa/pass. There are different work visas for different job specializations depending on the level of skill the person has. These passes have a duration of 1 to 2 years. Candidates will be able to take a Personalized Employment Pass, an Employment Pass, or an EntrePass. A Singaporean work visa application might cost anywhere from $35 to $105.
Different Kinds of Work Visa
A few of the work passes one can take include-
- S Pass - This pass is provided for both skilled and semi-skilled workers who have a degree in their field of specialization along with work experience.
- Work Permit for Migrant Worker- This pass is for semi-skilled workers in the fields of construction or the service sector but can only be applied for by the employer.
- Miscellaneous Work Pass- This pass is issued to people who work on short-term projects in the country. This can be in the form of seminars, conferences, etc.
Work permits for Hong Kong are relatively easy to obtain due to the large number of immigrant populations in the country that apply for work permits year after year. Foreign nationals who have specialized education will still be able to apply for work permits in the country. They are required to have a confirmed job offer and an employer to sponsor them to get the permit. The cost of applying for a Hong Kong work permit is HK$230.
Different Kinds of Work Visa
- Technology Talent Admission Scheme- which is a fast-track method of getting a work permit for people who specialize in fields like technology, artificial intelligence, and financial technologies.
- General Employment Policy- This policy allows people to apply for a specific kind of work visa so they can work in Hong Kong if they have special skills, knowledge, or expertise that Hong Kong needs but is not easily accessible there.
Candidates who wish to work in UAE will be able to get a work visa if they have a residency visa, a health card, and a labor card. They will have the option of getting a work visa by being sponsored by an employer that is based in the UAE. The application fee for a UAE work permit can range from AED250 to AED8,500.
Different Kinds of Work Visa
- Golden Visa- This visa is intended for foreign nationals with advanced degrees and provides them with exclusive perks.
- Green Visa- The UAE Green card is a kind of residency permit that allows its holders to stay in the country for five years without the need for employer sponsorship.
Work visas from Sweden are provided based on the nationality of the candidate who is applying. One can get employer-sponsored work permits, intra-company transfer permits, and even business visas depending on their nationality and their work specialization. The cost of applying for a Swedish work permit ranges from SEK1,500 to SEK2,200.
Different Kinds of Work Visa
The work visas one can apply for include-
- Sweden Work Permit- Employers will be able to sponsor employees from non-EU after providing them with an original job offer letter.
- ICT/Intra-Company Transfer Permit- Candidates who are working in companies situated outside the EU and are being transferred to Sweden within the same company will be able to get this visa. The visa has to be applied for by the employer.
- Self-Employment Visa- Freelance workers and other self-employed candidates who wish to work in the country for 3 months will be able to get this visa. It is like a residence permit and has to be issued before the candidate reaches the country.
Candidates who wish to work in Luxembourg will have different work visa requirements based on whether they are an EU or non-EU national. Those from EU and EEA countries will not require a work visa to work in the country. Third-country nationals have to pay between EUR50 and EUR80 to apply for a work permit in Luxembourg.
Different Kinds of Work Visa
A few of the work visas one can apply for if they are a non-EU-EEA national are-
- Long Stay National Visa - Visa D is for those who wish to work, live, or study in the country for more than 90 days.
- EU Blue Card- Third-country nationals who are highly skilled workers will be able to stay for more than 90 days and work in the country using this visa. People from the fields of mathematics, informatics, natural sciences, technology, and medical sciences are preferred for this visa.
The work visa for Switzerland is provided to people based on their nationality and the qualifications they have in their field of specialization. Work permits and residence permits are not separate documents in the country. Candidates are issued residence permits only which include permission to work. The residence permits issued to EU nationals and non-EU nationals are different. The fee to apply for a work visa in Switzerland is Fr.95.
Different Kinds of Work Visa
A few of the different residence permits issued include-
- L: Short-Term Residence Permit- Non-EU nationals will be able to get this residence permit that allows them to work for 1 year in the country. This permit can be extended based on the employment contract of the candidate.
- B: Resident Foreign Nationals- EU/EFTA nationals will be able to take this permit if they have an employment contract that lasts for a minimum of 12 months. It can have a validity of up to 5 years and is dependent on the employment contract they are under.
- C: Settled Foreign Nationals Permit- This settlement permit will be given to foreign nationals who have been in the country for five or ten years.
Tips for Getting a Work Visa
- Candidates will require a valid passport if they wish to apply for a work visa even if the visa is sponsored by their employer.
- Work visa procedures will require the candidate to attend an interview where they are supposed to produce all the original copies of the documents submitted. Interviews will be taken at the consulate of the country in their country of residence.
- The requirements for a work visa will include obtaining a police clearance certificate from their locality along with degree qualifications and a health certificate depending on the country one is traveling to.
- Destination countries will often have policies that allow candidates to obtain permanent residency if they have stayed in the country for a specific number of years and if they have all the necessary documentation for the same.
- Most countries require candidates to have an original job offer letter from an employer who is based in the destination country. They will also have to meet the minimum wage requirements for their job of choice and other labor requirements depending on the country.
- Work visas can have different implications based on the country and the level of employment one has. Most work visas do not allow the spouses of visa-holders to work in the country.
