Work Visa and Work Permit Requirements

The world over employers looks for the same qualities in their applicants regardless of whether the job is in the USA, Poland or Hong Kong. You should be familiar with basic information related to the country in which you are seeking employment.

You will experience the unfamiliar immigration rules and practices. Therefore you should be aware of subtle conventions associated with the work visa and work permit issues within different countries.

Most visits to foreign countries are trouble-free but you should be aware of the global risk of international terrorist attacks, which could be against civilian targets, including places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers like restaurants, hotels, clubs and shopping areas. You should exercise a high degree of caution due to the deteriorating security situation.
Criminal activity, as well as demonstrations and occasional protests, remain a concern throughout a number of countries. In recent years, many authorities have carried out a number of investigations and operations against drug-related crimes and terrorist networks.
Monitor local news broadcasts and consular messages. Ensure that your travel documents and visas are current, valid and secured in a safe place. Carry a photocopy of your travel documents in lieu of the originals. Maintain a low profile, vary times and routes of travel, and exercise caution while driving. Making local contacts quickly and seeking support from other expatriates will greatly increase your comfort and safety.

Most countries require foreign workers to have a valid work visa. The process of obtaining a work visa can be difficult and time-consuming. The work visa requirements depend upon the foreign individual’s citizenship and his or her intended length of stay in a host country.

It is important to obtain in advance the correct visa that gives you the right to work in the host country. work permits and residence visas are easy to obtain if it can be demonstrated that the relevant skills and experience are in short supply within the host country.

In most cases, work-seekers from overseas must find an employer willing to apply to the immigration authorities on their behalf well in advance of the job’s starting date, while they are still in their home country. Technically, you are not allowed to enter a country to look for work.

Usually, the employer must apply for a work permit with proof that no host country citizen is able to do the job. It takes at least four weeks to process the work permit application. Normally, the foreign worker will receive a work visa or work permit valid only for 1 employer and for one year.

When you are in a host country on a tourist visa, the most effective method of finding work is to walk in and ask. However, most employers who are subject to heavy fines if they hire illegally, will not offer work to a foreigner who does not possess a work permit. In addition, temporary work like apple picking and any work “on black” will never qualify you for a work permit. Furthermore, such unofficial employment can quite often lead to exploitative working conditions. If you are caught, you can be hit with hefty fines or/and even expelled from the country.

Many health, technical and other skilled professionals will need to register with the appropriate regulatory body before allowing them to work legally.

Contact the host country embassy in your home country for more information about the work visa in an international work search.

Remember that most of the successful expatriate professionals are bilingual and many of them are bi-cultural. Because of that, they can comfortably relate to people from different cultures.

Be aware - the processing of some country visa forms may take a long time. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you obtain these forms from an Embassy or Consulate and process them before leaving your home country

Search for international jobs by selecting the keywords like a job, industry or company and location like a city, province, state, zip or postal code.

The job search engine searches for jobs on all of the major job boards, newspapers, niche industry and corporate job sites.

Remember that your CV/resume must be targeted, scannable and generate hits. If you have difficulty with your CV writing or resume writing instead of staring at a blank piece of paper, use CV samples and CV templates, resume samples and resume templates.

Most recruiters expect to receive a cover letter together with your CV or resume. So, prepare a cover letter convincing the reader why you are the best candidate for the interview using cover letter writing tips.

In recent years it becomes increasingly popular to join the LinkedIn or Facebook social networking websites for professionals, where you may search for jobs and have your keyword-optimized, rich content profile with current CV/resume. Hiring managers use them more frequently to consult your profile and supplement or check against the CV/resume you send along. If you do not have an account, create one and include your social media link(s) on your CV/resume.
However, you should manage your online presence. Eliminate any photos and statements that could reflect poorly on you. From an employer’s point of view, someone who emphasizes partying on a social networking site is not focused on jobs and those who post complaints about work or colleagues are less desirable candidates. Online CV/resume should not include sensitive information as they could show a lack of respect for confidentiality and discretion.

After completion of your job application, resume or CV and cover letter you should submit them to headhunters and recruiters in places where you want to work.

Other Work Visa Info

To be successful in your country's job search and get the jobs you want, you need to prepare a cover letter and CV or resume which you must email instantly to the prospective employers selected during a job search.

When you receive an invitation to the interview, you may apply for a visa and work permit. Then prepare yourself for a job interview and take a look at a dress code because how you dress is one of the most important attributes in being hired.

Check the job interview dos & don'ts and other job search skills pages. Find out why people are not hired for available jobs.

In addition, on job search, visas, work permits, cover letters, CV & resume, job interviews and dress codes pages, you will find very useful tips for many different countries.

Good luck with your work visa!