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Work Permit in Iran

Why is Work Permit Needed?

According to the 2014 statistics, Iran stood in the 83rd position out of 144 countries in the World Economic Forum’s analysis of global competitiveness. Though the United Nations categorizes Iran as a semi-developed country, the country has seen a rise of 3% in its Gross Domestic Product in 2021.  

Any foreign national employee who wishes to work in Iran legally must have a work visa. Working without an Iranian work permit is illegal, no matter the type or duration of the work.

An Iranian work permit allows you to work in the country for a specified amount of time, after which you have to apply for a renewal or return to your home country. Therefore, you must ensure to abide by the rules mentioned in your work permit and work within the specified field of work.

About the Iranian Job Market

Work Permit in Iran

Number of Expats:

2.7 million

Popular Industries for Expats:

Oil, gas and petrochemicals industries

Types of Iranian Work Visas Available

It is tough to obtain a work visa for Iran. Usually, the Department General for Employment of Foreign Nationals issues work permits to foreign nationals interested in employment in Iran only if no Iranian national candidates have the required qualifications and work experience.

Once you get permission for a work permit, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs asks Iranian Embassies to issue a single or a multiple entry visa clearance. Also, it asks for a three-month residence permit at the request of the Organization for Investment Economic and Technical Assistance of Iran (OIETA). The visa clearance has a time validity of three years.

After entering Iran with this type of visa, you can apply to avail a three-year residence permit. Along with this, you will also get a work permit valid for a year but can be renewed once the investor’s FIPPA (Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Act) license is issued.  

Requirements for an Iranian Work Permit

To obtain an Iranian work permit, one must fulfill the specified requirements before applying for a work permit. The requirements were indicated  in articles 120-129 of Iran Labor Law and determined by the Department General for Employment of Foreign Nationals.

The required documents for Iran work permit are listed as follows:

  • Current Passport (with at least six months of validity ahead of time of stay)
  • Two most recently taken photographs (with applicant’s face in clear view)
  • Flight tickets
  • Old Passport (if available)
  • Genuine medical documents approving travel
  • Financial records proving sufficient funds

Iranian Work Permit Application Process

To apply for an Iranian work visa, specific steps have to be followed. The applicant and the employer must fulfil all the requirements together beforehand so that there are no problems.

Foreign nationals who do not have an established enterprise in Iran cannot apply for their work permit. The employer has to submit their application and required documents that the Department General announces for Employment of Foreign Nationals to verify the same.

This list usually includes the applicant’s identification documents, resume, expertise documents and letter of request from the employer. The company’s official papers are also attached, like the registration notice, latest changes, chart, etc.

The employer cannot enter an employment contract with any foreign national before this crucial step. After this, the documents are to be sent to The Technical Board For Employment of Foreign Nationals, who are very strict when issuing Iranian work permits.

Timeframe for Work Permit Application

Iranian work visas have a validity of a year. Hence, after completing a year, the employer has to apply for the work visa renewal if required, with a properly written reason. This must be handed in by the employer at least one month before the work permit expiry date.

Iranian Work Permit Fees

Indian passport holders who are interested in applying for an Iranian work visa have to pay the visa fees as follows:

EntryStay DurationValidityFees (INR)
Business Visa30 days3 months5200
Tourist Visa30 days3 months3000

This is How Multiplier Can Help With an Iranian Work Permit

At Multiplier, a Global EOR firm with a local presence in over 150 countries, we have experienced personnel handling and supplying HR solutions. Our team of experts and professionals can effectively take care of all your employee management requirements when hiring and managing staff in Multinational Corporate Companies.

The process to obtain a work permit in Iran is lengthy and exclusive. Partnering with Multiplier will provide you with our SaaS-based solution. We will help you throughout the work permit application process. Moreover, we will take care of all the applications and permits right from the beginning and keep you updated on all relevant developments.

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Frequently Asked Questions

The first step to obtaining a work visa is first to enter Iran on an entrance visa. You can apply for this visa a maximum of 58 days before you choose to travel and a minimum of 4 days before traveling. After that, you and your employer will have to follow the above mentioned steps to get an Iranian work permit.

Expats in Iran cannot be engaged in any employment unless their entrance visa allows them to do so. After that, you will have to follow specific rules and regulations to be eligible for a work permit in Iran. You will only be granted an Iran work permit after your employer provides all required documents to the Iranian Government proving the company’s need for your services.

You can apply for available job positions in Iran via online mediums or enter the country on an entry visa and then search for a job on the market. But you can only get into an employment contract with the employing company after being cleared for a work visa by the Iranian Government. Therefore, before taking any job offer, take steps of precaution to determine that the request is not fallacious.

An Iran Entry visa is permission granted by the Embassies or Consulate Generals of the Islamic Republic of Iran for foreign nationals to enter the country for a limited amount of time, only after receiving the approval of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In short, you need an entry visa to enter the country and apply for a work permit to extend your stay duration.

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