Opening a new location in Pakistan is an exciting time for your company, but you also need to consider how you’ll build a talented team. Do you want to hire locals in Pakistan, bring employees with you from your parent company, or hire nationals from other countries to move and work in the country? If you choose to hire any non-nationals, you will need to get them a Pakistan work permit.
Types of work visas in Pakistan
Pakistan has a variety of work-related visa categories, including:
- Business visa: for international workers visiting Pakistan for business purposes
- Official visa: for government officials of other governments
- Diplomatic visa: for diplomats of international governments
- Work visa: for non-Pakistani nationals who have a valid job offer and meet the eligibility requirements
- CPEC work visa: for Chinese citizens working on China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects in Pakistan
- Journalist visa: for journalists, and requires a consultation feedback from press attaches and link offices
- NGO/INGO visa: for NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) and INGOs (International Non-Governmental Organizations) workers and their family members to carry out development work
- Missionary visa: for Christian missionaries
- Domestic aide visa: for domestic workers who want to work and live in the country under the sponsorship of their employers
- Driver/transporter visa
International employees will likely fall under the general work visas to live and work in Pakistan legally. They must have a job offer and meet certain requirements to apply for a visa. An entry work visa can be granted for up to 3 months (single entry), while an extension work visa can be granted for up to 2 years (multiple entries). For Chinese passport holders, an entry work visa can be granted for up to 2 years (single/multiple entries).
Requirements to obtain Pakistan work visas
There are several requirements to get a work visa or permit in Pakistan. Some of the necessary documents include:
- The employee’s passport
- A photograph of the employee
- The company’s SECP registration letter
- Recommendation letter by the Board of Investment (BOI)/Ministry of Interior (MOI), for an extension
- The company’s contact details
- Undertaking on company letterhead
- The employee’s CV
- Covering letter on the company’s letterhead
- The company’s profile
- The employment agreement
- The company’s FBR NTN certificate
Before forwarding the forms to the embassy, the applicant will need to make 5 identical sets of their application, the first 2 pages of their passport, and 4 copies of the letter of guarantee that the applicant is employed with the company. They must fill out all forms in English, regardless of their country of origin.
Application process
It can take 3 to 4 months to obtain a work visa in Pakistan. The Directorate General of Immigration & Passports, Ministry Interior, and Government of Pakistan encourage all applicants to contact the Jurisdiction of Consular Services to find the right consulate office in their state.
After submitting the documents listed above, applicants must pay the application fee according to Pakistan’s visa fee schedule. This will be done as a step within the application process and can be paid via credit card. Every nationality has a different visa fee requirement.
Employees must complete every column on the application during this stage. Pakistan will not accept incomplete application forms with insufficient entries. If there’s not enough space in the columns on the visa form, applicants can use extra sheets of paper. Applicants may also need to attend an interview.
After submitting the entire application, the BOI will process it. Then, the Visa Committee and Chairman of the BOI will approve the work visa and give their recommendation to the MOI. The ministry has final authorization and will use the BOI’s advice to determine their conclusion. If they approve, the authorization will go to the Regional Passport Offices for finalization and issuance of the visa.
Other important considerations
The majority of the Pakistan working visa application process occurs online. If the employee does not possess a valid Pakistan visa, they can apply for a new visa online. People with a valid Pakistan visa that live in the country can also complete visa extensions online — extensions are valid for 2 years at a time and will require the re-submission of business documents. Longer extensions may be granted by the Ministry of Interior in certain circumstances.
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At this moment, G-P does not sponsor or offer support in the processing of work visas or permits in this particular location.