Work Visa: Everything you need to know

If you want to work in a foreign country, you will need a work visa. With the visa, you will be allowed to live and work for as long as specified on it.

To get this visa, it has to be issued to you by the government of the country where you want to enter for work purposes.

When issued a work visa, it means you now have the legal right to have a paying job in the country.

This also means that without the visa, you’re not allowed to work – it is illegal to work without it.

Works visas always come with specific conditions that you as the holder must follow. These conditions exist to protect the integrity of the issuing country’s immigration authority.

If you are found going against the conditions of your work visa, you will be asked to leave the country or face other punishments like a ban.

Work visas come in different types. Some are only for certain types of jobs or people with special skills while others serve general work purposes.

What is a Work Visa?

A work visa is an official document or stamp placed in your passport that gives you legal permission to enter and work in a foreign country.

For example, if you are a South African and you get a job offer in Canada, you cannot just wake up one morning, enter a plane to Canada and start working.

You have to first, apply for a Canadian work visa and get approval. Then, you can move to Canada and start working according to the terms of your visa.

No matter the type of work visa you are going for, each country has its own rules for who can get a work visa and how long it will be valid.

When you get some work visas, they are only for temporary use, like for a few months or years, while with some, you can stay longer and even become a permanent resident of the issuing country.

Types of work visa

The first type of work visa that we will look at is the Temporary Work visa.

• Temporary Work Visa

With a temporary work visa, you can live and work in a country for a limited amount of time.

It usually lasts for just a few months or a few years. How long it lasts depends on the visa and the job you’re doing.

You will find people with this type of visa doing jobs like construction work, hospitality, or short projects.

A perfect example of a temporary visa is the H-2B visa in the United States. It lets foreign workers do non-agricultural jobs like hotel work or landscaping.

Another feature of a temporary visa is that it usually requires you to show that you have a job offer from an employer in the issuing country.

• Skilled Worker Visa

Another type of work visa that you should know about is the skilled work visa.

This type of work visa is for people who have specific skills that are needed in a country.

The skills needed can be in areas like medicine, engineering, teaching, or computer technology.

When countries issue skilled work visas, they want to bring in experts who will help them solve the skill issue in their country and contribute to their economy.

For example, you have Canada’s Express Entry system which allows skilled workers to move to Canada permanently if they meet the visa’s requirements.

One attribute of this visa is that it has faster application processes because the country needs your skills.

• Seasonal Work Visa

You will need a seasonal work visa if the job you are applying for only happens during a particular time of the year.

The job can be in farming, like picking fruits during harvest time, or in tourism, like working at a beach resort in summer.

These jobs are for short term and therefore, the visa is only valid for a few months.

Once the season ends, you will leave the issuing country.

A good example of this visa is Australia’s Seasonal Worker Programme.

With Seasonal work visas, you are usually not allowed to switch to a different job or stay in the issuing country permanently.

• Intra-Company Transfer Visa

An intra-company transfer visa is for people who already work for a company that has offices in more than one country.

If your company needs you to work in their office abroad, you will get this type of visa.

With this visa, companies can move their managers, executives, or workers with special knowledge to another branch.

For example, the L-1 visa in the United States. If you get this visa, you can transfer from your company’s office in your country to an office in the U.S.

• Permanent Work Visa

A permanent work visa lets you live and work in a country permanently. If you have a permanent visa, you are on your way to becoming a citizen of the country.

An example of this is the U.S. Green Card. If you get it, you can live and work in the USA permanently.

One thing you must know about this visa is that it can take long to get it. The process of getting this visa is longer than other types of work visas.

However, once you have it, you will have more rights than people with temporary work visas.

Just like different jobs need different types of work visas, the documents you will submit when applying for a particular type of work visa depend on the type of visa you are applying for.

How to apply for a work visa

If you want to apply for a work visa, start by choosing the right visa type:

• Choose the right work visa type

As we already said, there are different types of work visas and the one you should apply for depends on the job you are going to do in the issuing country.

If the job you want to do is seasonal, then you should apply for the seasonal work visa type. If it is a temporary job, then, go for the standard temporary type of work visa.

• Get a job offer

To get most work visas, you need to get a job offer from an employer in the issuing country before you can apply for your visa.

The offer letter shows that you are needed and that no local worker can do the job.

The job offer letter from the employer is what you will use to apply for the job. With the offer letter, your visa application will get immediate attention.

In a situation where you don’t need a job offer, you will present proof of funds showing that you can sponsor yourself while in the issuing country.

• Get a sponsorship letter from your employer

In some countries, your employer is mandated to sponsor your visa. This means that your employer will handle the processing of your visa.

• Put all your documents in one place 

Before you submit your application, you should gather all your documents in one place to avoid making any mistakes.

You need your international passport, job offer letter, proof of qualifications, proof of work experience, and sometimes a police certificate.

• Submit your visa application

With your documents ready, you can proceed with your application.

You can apply either online or at the embassy or consulate of the country.

• Go for your interview

Some countries require an interview before a decision is made on your application.

During the interview, you will answer questions about your intention, your job and your background.

• Wait for them to decide on your application

After submitting your visa, the processing will start. Visa processing takes time, so you need to give it time.

It can take from a few weeks to several months.

• Get your visa

If your visa is approved, the visa will be stamped in your passport. You can then travel and start working.

Documents you need for a work visa

What you need to know is that the exact documents you need for your work visa depend on the country and type of work visa you are applying for.

Even at this, here are the most common ones:

• Valid passport (with at least 6 months left before it expires)
• Recent passport-sized photographs
• Job offer letter from the employer
• Proof of qualifications (certificates, diplomas)
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resume
• Proof of work experience
• Police clearance certificate (showing no criminal record)
• Medical examination certificate (in some cases)
• Proof of visa application fee payment

Before you submit your application, make sure that all of them are complete and up to date.

Tips for a successful work visa application

When applying for a work visa, keep this in mind:

• Make sure you are honest in your application: Never lie about your documents, experience, qualifications or anything else.
• Ensure you apply early: By now you should know that visa application takes a long time, so, start applying early. Apply at least 3 to 6 months before your travel date.
• Use a visa consultant if you can afford one: Visa applications can be confusing. If the process becomes confusing for you, talk to a licensed visa consultant.
• Make sure you prepare well for your visa interview before going: During the interview, you will be asked questions about your job, your qualifications, your employer, and your plans in the country. Make sure you understand the job role very well and can explain why you are a good fit.
• Make sure you choose the right visa type: Always pick the correct visa type for your job role.

Countries that are popular for work visas

Many people apply for work visas to countries like:

• Canada: They are always in need of workers in areas like nursing, engineering, and IT.
• United States: You can get US work visas if you are a skilled or seasonal worker (e.g., H-1B, H-2B).
• Australia: They have Skilled migration visas and working holiday visas.
• United Kingdom: The UK has different work visas for health workers, engineers, and IT specialists.
• Germany: You have the EU Blue Card.
• United Arab Emirates (UAE).
• New Zealand.

If you want to work in another country, you need a work visa, the type you need depends on the job and the issuing country.

Getting a work visa takes time even if it’s a temporary work visa type.

However, you can make the processing faster by ensuring that your application is complete and contains all necessary documents.

When you are finally issued the visa, do your best to leave the country before it expires or on its expiration unless you renew it.