Palau Work Visas and Permits
When launching an overseas expansion, you may decide to send some of your international staff members to lead the new office. However, this involves abiding by the country’s legal working and traveling requirements.
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When launching an overseas expansion, you may decide to send some of your international staff members to lead the new office. However, this involves abiding by the country’s legal working and traveling requirements.
Types of Work Visas in Palau
Noncitizens entering the country for employment purposes have a few different work permits to choose from. The most popular work visa types include:
- Provisional identification certificate and provisional labor visa: Nonresident workers entering the country for employment purposes may request a provisional identification certificate. This permit, combined with the provisional labor visa, allows nonresidents to enter the country and work legally.
- Missionary: Visitors undertaking religious work or performing voluntary community service work can apply for a missionary visa.
Requirements to Obtain Palau Work Visas
To legally employ nonresident workers, you must present the following documents:
- An application for a permit to employ a nonresident worker
- An employment contract
- An original police clearance certificate from the employee’s country of residence
- An original health certificate from a certified public health authority
- Signed affidavits from previous employers certifying that the employee has at least two years of work experience in the relevant field
Work visa applications also require a nonrefundable application fee.
Application Process
Obtaining a work visa requires following a series of steps and gathering all the required documentation. To bring a nonresident into the country for employment purposes, you’ll first need to request authorization from the local government, as the country prefers to consider local workers first. Once you’ve been approved to hire internationally, you can apply for a provisional nonresident worker identification certificate. Your employees can enter the country after they have obtained their provisional identification certificate.
Once in the country, your worker, along with any visa dependents, will need to pass a physical examination proving they don’t have any communicable diseases. They must report to the Bureau of Labor and Human Resource within 10 days of entry and show proof of their successful physical exam and social security number. At this point, they will receive a renewable nonresident worker visa valid for one year at a time.
Other Important Considerations
When applying for a provisional identification certificate for your international workers, it’s crucial to pay close attention to your timeline. If a nonresident worker doesn’t enter the country within 60 days of the date of issuance, their certificate is void and they will be denied entry. As a result, you need to be mindful of your employee’s travel schedule and start date when applying for an entry permit. If these dates change, you can apply for a 60-day extension and pay the applicable $50 fee.
Partner With Globalization Partners
Globalization Partners makes it easier than ever to streamline your company’s international expansion process. Are you ready to learn more about our global PEO services and discover how we can change the way you run your company abroad? Reach out to our team today.