(Countries are listed in alphabetical order, except for those in Asia and Middle East which are under these two general headings)

For quick country access, click on initial letters below:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Netherlands

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment - General Information
http://english.szw.nl/

Family members of "knowledge migrants" are permitted to work.
The 'Knowledge Migrant Scheme' regulation was introduced in 2005 and applies to foreign workers who earn more than € 51,239 per annum or € 37,575 under the age of 30 years. To qualify for the scheme, companies apply to the Immigration and Naturalisation Service for 'knowledge-migrant' status for the expatriate employee.

The Ministry provides a detailed description of the Law on the employment of foreigners, associated procedures and special concessions for knowledge migrants and their partners.
http://english.szw.nl/index.cfm?menu_item_id=14638&...doctype_id=6&link_id=60717#link5137400

The official text of the legislation, with rationale, is given in the Staatsblad van het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden (187 Jaargang 2005) Besluit van 17 maart 2005 tot wijziging van het Besluit uitvoering Wet arbeid vreemdelingen.
http://docs.minszw.nl/pdf/25/2005/25_2005_2_12997.pdf

Quote:
"Nota van Toelichting, Artikel 1, onderdeel C, onder 1, bevat een wijziging van de arbeidsmarktpositie van de gezinsleden van de kennismigrant. Deze arbeidsmarktpositie bepaalt voor een belangrijk deel de bereidheid van een kennismigrant om in een ander land arbeid te verrichten. Om Nederland voor kennismigranten aantrekkelijker te maken als land van vestiging, heeft het kabinet besloten dat de gezinsleden van een kennismigrant, die recht hebben op een verblijfsvergunning voor verblijf bij de kennismigrant, vrij zijn op de Nederlandse arbeidsmarkt, voor zolang zij over deze vergunning beschikken."
Translation:
"Explanation, Article 1...concerns a change to the employment market position for the family members of the knowledge worker. This employment market position determines to an important extent the preparedness of a knowledge migrant to work in another country. To make The Netherlands more attractive.... for knowledge workers, the cabinet has decided that the family members of a knowledge migrant, who have the right of residence with the knowledge migrant, are free to work in the Dutch employment market for the duration of their residence permit."

The Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND)
The IND publishes a brochure in English "Bringing a Foreign Employee to the Netherlands"
Page 14 explains that family members are free to work without a work permit.
Further information and contact details are available at
http://english.ind.nl/residencewizard/verblijfwijzer_content.asp?proc=halen&lang=en
Fact and Figures IND
http://english.ind.nl/organisatie/cijfers-en-rapportages/
Annual results IND 2007, 2008 and 2009
http://english.ind.nl/organisatie/cijfers-en-rapportages/jaarresultaten/

Family members of staff in international organisations
The following international organisations have entered into a so-called 'seat agreement' with the Dutch Government regulating the legal status of the organisation and its staff.

The International Organisations concerned are: CFC; EOB; ESA/Estec; Europol; Eurocontrol; ICTR; ICTY; ICC; IGH; ISNAR; NC3A; OPCW; UNEP; UNU/INTECH

Under the terms of these agreements, the following persons are authorized to engage in gainful employment during the term of office of the members or officials of the organisation concerned.

• the spouses or registered partners of members or officials of the International organisation.
• children of members or officials who are under the age of 18.
• children of members or officials aged 18 or over, but under 28, provided that they formed part of the member’s or official’s household prior to their first entry into the Netherlands and still form part of this household, and that they are unmarried, financially dependent on the member or official concerned and are attending education in the Netherlands.

Family members or staff should seek further advice from the organisation concerned.

New Zealand

Immigration New Zealand
www.immigration.govt.nz/

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/.../whataboutmypartnerorchildren.htm
"What about my partner or children? Your partner or dependent children cannot be included in your application. They will need to apply for their own Visitor's, Student or Work Visa or Permit to come to New Zealand". Page 20 of the Guide for Working in New Zealand (NZIS 1016) (PDF) covers the family stream and page 21 states:

"Partners of holders of Work Visas and Work Permits. A partner of a person holding a Work Visa or Work Permit allowing a stay in New Zealand of more than six months may apply for and be granted an open Work Visa and Work Permit for the same period as their partner. You do not need to provide an offer of employment."

The full details of the regulations, also clarifying that the application can be made while overseas are given in:
www.immigration.govt.nz/...familystream/

Immigration Information
www.emigratenz.org/

Nigeria

Federal Republic of Nigeria Embassy, Washington D.C (Consular & Immigration)
www.nigeriaembassyusa.org/index.php?page=visas

Embassy of Nigeria in The Hague - visa information
www.nigerianembassy.nl/index_Page486.htm

Norway

Ministry of Labour - Work permits and settlement
www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/aid/topics/.../work-permits-and-settlement.html?id=86695

Norwegian Directorate of Immigration - general information on work and residence
www.udi.no/Norwegian-Directorate-of-Immigration/Central-topics/Work-and-residence/

Panama

Under Law No. 41, (enacted 2007) Special Visas for Permanent Personnel of Multinational Headquarters are issued by the Ministry of Trade and Industry to foreign personnel at a managerial or executive level, and to their dependants (spouse, children up to age 18 years or 25 if studying and dependent parents). The visas are issued for a 5 year non-renewable period. Holders are not required to obtain a labor permit.
http://sem.mici.gob.pa/en/beneficios.php
Full text of Ley 41:
http://sem.mici.gob.pa/doc/Ley 41.pdf

The governement of Panama, in its site PanamaTramita, gives details of various visas for residence and employment.
www.panamatramita.gob.pa/guiaGob_det.php?serv=1&idInst=SNM&orig=busq

Philippines

The Official website of the Republic of the Philippines
FAQs on the omnibus guidelines for the issuance of employment permits to foreign nationals.
www.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2000301&Itemid=41

Living and Working in the Philippines
http://manila.usembassy.gov/wwwha006.html#Work

Poland

The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
www.poland.gov.pl/
Information on visas and work permits for foreigners is given in the section
"Foreigner in Poland"

Since 1st May 2004, a work permit is not required by citizens of EU member states and their accompanying family members.

Embassy of Poland in Washington - visa to Poland
www.polandembassy.org/Links/consular/Visas.htm

Qatar

Qatar Government
Details on visas and work permits and other aspects of doing business in Qatar
www.gov.qa/wps/portal/.../cnt/en/1_home/12_Business

Qatar Embassy in Washington has general information on work permits
www.qatarembassy.net/Work Permits.asp

Romania

Romanian Embassy
www.romania.org/embassy/

Romanian International Business Advisors
www.riba.ro

Russia

Migration Legislation in Russia
www.amcham.ru/doing_business/regulations_and_legislation/migration
The Director of Federal Migration published a document in February 2007 with details of migration legislation in the Russian Federation. It is available via the American Chamber of Commerce in Moscow.

VISTA Foreign Business Support
www.vfbs.ru/migration.htm
This Russian law firm in Moscow has an immigration/work permit department and provides a summary of work permit regulations.

Singapore

The Singapore Ministry of Manpower's site gives full details and (online) procedures for the various categories of work passes for foreigners.
www.mom.gov.sg/foreign-manpower/passes-visas/Pages/default.aspx

The procedures and (online) application forms for dependants of Employment Pass and S Pass holders who wish to work are given in
www.mom.gov.sg/pass-navigator/foreign-national/...i-wish-to-work-here-full-time.aspx

Slovakia

Official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic, see consular section – Stay of Foreign Nationals in Slovakia
www.mzv.sk/en/consular_info/residence_of_aliens_in_territory_of_slovakia

Slovenia

State portal of the Republic of Slovenia - permission for employment
http://e-uprava.gov.si/e-uprava/en/poslovneSituacijeStran.euprava?dogodek.id=324

Employment service of Slovenia
www.ess.gov.si/eng/Presentation/07Foreigners_datoteke/frame.htm
A presentation on Employment and Work of Foreigners and Workers from the EU.

South Africa

South African Department of Home Affairs: Scarce skills & Work Permit Quotas
www.home-affairs.gov.za

Working in SA - Work permits. Advice for foreigners
www.southafrica.info/.../workpermits.htm

Spain

Immigration Legal Services
www.spain-visas.com/

Immigration to Spain
www.workpermit.com/spain/spain.htm

Sweden

The Swedish Migration Board
www.migrationsverket.se/info/start_en.html
Residence and work permit provisions for family members:
www.migrationsverket.se/info/518_en.html

Invest in Sweden Agency
A selection of fact sheets on how to start and run a business in Sweden, including a guide for employees and a guide on entry visas and residence and work permits
www.investsweden.se/world/Doing-business/Fact-sheets/

Switzerland

Federal Office for Migration
Details of the various residence and work permits in Switzerland
www.bfm.admin.ch/bfm/en/home/themen/aufenthalt.html
The Federal Office of Migrations'brochure on living and working conditions in Switzerland
www.swissemigration.ch/themen/schweiz/00191/index.html?lang=en

The Federal Act on Foreign Nationals (Loi fédérale sur les étrangers (LEtr) 16 Dec 2005
www.admin.ch/ch/f/as/2007/5437.pdf
English translation of the Act:
www.admin.ch/ch/e/rs/142_20/a46.html
Art. 46 Employment of spouses and children states:
"The spouse and children of a Swiss national or of a person with a permanent residence permit or a residence permit (Art. 42–44) may work on a salaried or self-employed basis anywhere in Switzerland."

The City of Basel web site has information working conditions and further references on work permits.
www.basel.ch/en/leben/arbeitsbedingungen.htm

"Why Geneva" web site has information on employing foreigners and further references on work permits.
www.whygeneva.ch/index.php?...id=740&Itemid=235&lang=en

Taiwan

Taiwan National Immigration Agency
Information for foreigners working in Taiwan
http://iff.immigration.gov.tw/enfront/life.php?tr_id=4
Special section for foreigners:
http://iff.immigration.gov.tw/enfront/about.php

Thailand

The Thai Immigration Bureau
www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php?page=alienstay

Business in Asia
www.business-in-asia.com/th_workpermit.html

Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad & Tobago High Commission - Ottawa, Canada
Frequently Asked Questions: work permits
www.ttmissions.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9&Itemid=9

More information can also be found on the official website of the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
www.ttconnect.gov.tt/.../Working+in+T+and+T/Applying+for+a+Work+Permit

Turkey

Types of Work Permits
www.todayszaman.com/news-110643-working-foreigners-3types-of-work-permits.html

Visa information Consulate General London - UK
www.turkishconsulate.org.uk/en/visa.asp

United Kingdom

The Border and Immigration Agency (BIA), an executive agency of the UK Home Office, gives details of all the routes open to Foreign Nationals who want to work or study in the United Kingdom.
www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/

From April 2008, the UK is starting to phase in a new 5-tier points based system which will radically change UK immigration practice and procedures, replacing around 80 different work permit and entry schemes. Details of the new scheme, which may be modified slightly during implementation, are given at
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/command-points-based-migration?view=Binary.

The first category to be phased in is Tier 1, for highly skilled workers. At the same time, the previous Highly Skilled Migrant Programme is being phased out. Tier 2, skilled staff with a job offer, includes intra-company transferees, and will be phased in later in 2008.

The general position on family members of work permit holders is stated at www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/tier2/work-permit-holders/dependants/

"The spouse or civil partner, unmarried or same sex partner of a work permit holder will be given conditions of stay, which do not place any restrictions, other than those that would apply to a resident worker, on their taking employment or engaging in business. This normally applies when a dependant is granted more than 6 months leave to remain. However, if a dependant is granted less than 6 months leave they will not normally be allowed to take up employment. Dependants over 18 years of age have to complete their own form and pay the appropriate fee."

See also sub-sections on dependants in each of the individual categories, for example.
www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/.../employmentandswitching/
www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/.../workingandconditions/
www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/.../internationalagreement/

United States of America

US Citizenship and Immigration Services
www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis

The spouses of the following visa holders may apply to the US Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). The spouse does not need to meet any special conditions with respect to his or her employment.

• L1 (inter-company transfers with a minimum of 12 months pre-employment).
• E1/E2 (treaty traders and investors) and E3 (Australian nationals in a specialty occupation).
• J1 (exchange visitors), provided their income is not needed to support the J-1 principal alien.
• Spouses of employees working for UN, NATO and foreign government missions may also be eligible and should contact their organisation regarding the application procedure.

Application for Employment Authorization
(including Form I-765 and instructions on completion)
www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem...

US Immigration and Nationality Act
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/...

Definition of L visa holder. Section 101(a)(15)(L)
"....subject to section 214(c)(2), an alien who, within 3 years preceding the time of his application for admission into the United States, has been employed continuously for one year by a firm or corporation or other legal entity or an affiliate or subsidiary thereof and who seeks to enter the United States temporarily in order to continue to render his services to the same employer or a subsidiary or affiliate thereof in a capacity that is managerial, executive, or involves specialized knowledge, and the alien spouse and minor children of any such alien if accompanying him or following to join him".

Eligibility of L spouse to employment authorisation. Section 214(c)(2)(E)
"In the case of an alien spouse admitted under section 101(a)(15)(L)[1], who is accompanying or following to join a principal alien admitted under such section, the Attorney General shall authorize the alien spouse to engage in employment in the United States and provide the spouse with an `employment authorized' endorsement or other appropriate work permit."

American visas for investors and treaty traders
www.immigration-usa.com/investor_treaty_trader_visa.html

U.S. Business Visas for French Executives
www.paris-law.com/articles/us_visas.htm

Venezuela

Visa Requirements to enter Venezuela
http://www.embavenez-us.org/...%20Services