Families

Moving abroad to work can be one of the most exciting times of your career. But if you have a family, there’s a lot to consider, and one of your questions may be “Can my partner work there?”

Thankfully the trend is moving in the right direction. Over 35 countries now allow recognised partners to work, depending on the type of permit the employee obtains. However, in other countries, partners may face long and complex procedures, strict conditions and an uncertain outcome. Some also don’t yet recognise unmarried or same-sex partners.

While we continue to lobby for legislative change, we’ve put together some useful resources to help you out.

INFORMATION, WEBLINKS AND DISCUSSION GROUP

• Follow the legislative state of play for partners and spouses as well as Permits Foundation’s advocacy by clicking on the relevant countries in our world map.
• Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. We particularly invite you to join our discussion group on LinkedIn, where you can ask questions, share your experiences and connect with others interested in dual careers and partner employment.
• Keep an eye on our latest news

INTERNATIONAL SURVEYS

• Permits Foundation International Dual Careers Survey 2022 Spouses & Partners
• Permits Foundation International Dual Career Survey 2022 – Employers
• Other international surveys

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE

If you’re going to a country that doesn’t allow spouses and partners to work freely, tell us your story. Whilst we can’t support individual applications, your feedback helps us build evidence to persuade governments to improve their regulations. If you prefer to contact us directly, rather than join a discussion group, we will treat your information confidentially. Please email us at contact@permitsfoundation.com.

MORE SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE

While Permits Foundation focuses on legislative change for partner work permits, we realise this isn’t the only issue.

Accompanying partners encounter multiple challenges. Whereas employees usually transfer within their company as part of their career plan, partners often have to leave their job at a time they themselves have not chosen. As well as language barriers and cultural differences, they often face the loss of their business network and salary levels can vary across the world. They may even find that their qualifications are not recognised in the host country or that their skill set is not relevant in that part of the world. And as the accompanying partner, they often become responsible for setting the family up in their new location.

Employers are increasingly aware of the importance of dual careers and many are willing to offer support. We suggest you contact your HR department staff to see if they have a policy in place. You could also refer them to our Employers section for more information on best practice and how to sponsor Permits Foundation.