Developing your international company involves hiring a team of talented employees to help you execute your goals. While you'll likely hire many nationals, you may send a few of your current employees...
Read MoreDeveloping your international company involves hiring a team of talented employees to help you execute your goals. While you'll likely hire many nationals, you may send a few of your current employees abroad to support company growth.
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Developing your international company involves hiring a team of talented employees to help you execute your goals. While you’ll likely hire many nationals, you may send a few of your current employees abroad to support company growth.
Belize only has one work visa type, but individuals can apply for it in two different circumstances — self-employment and standard employment. The application process is the same for both scenarios, but the required documents applicants must attach are slightly different. The visa also lasts for a year and must be renewed.
Self-employment work visas are for people wishing to start and run a company in the country. You should apply for this visa as part of your expansion process and present your registration and trade license with your application.
Regular employment work permits are for nonnationals looking to work in the country. In this circumstance, applicants need a job offer and employment letter to submit with their application. To qualify for the permit, the person must fall into a certain employment category.
As an international employer, you may choose to handle your employee’s work visa application process, but you’re not required to. Applicants will need:
The duration of and fees for the permit depend on the applicant’s profession.
Government officials want to ensure you have done everything possible to hire nationals for your vacancies. The job advertisement clippings should prove that you’ve posted your open position for at least three weeks before requesting the service of a nonnational.
The Department of Immigration and Nationality also wants to ensure the applicant is of good character and provides the necessary skills for the position. The department often asks for police reports, training certificates, and confirmations from different groups to confirm this.
The application process starts with getting a job offer and obtaining all the necessary materials. Applicants should acquire a police report and letter of recommendation from their relevant ministry. Individuals also need a recommendation from an organization in their employment category, which might include a national association or business group.
Once the applicant has compiled all the necessary materials, they can submit them with a completed application to the Department of Immigration and Nationality. Processing could take a few weeks to a few months. When the applicant receives their permit, they can begin legally working in the country.
The application process requires a police report from the country from the past six months. To obtain this document, applicants must reside in the country for that amount of time before applying for a work permit. During these six months, the individual needs to maintain a tourist visa, which requires a monthly renewal.
If the applicant intends on working in the country for longer than a year, they may want to consider applying for permanent residence. To be eligible for this documentation, they need to live in the country for one year without leaving for longer than 14 days. Permanent residents in Belize don’t need a work permit, which can help individuals avoid annual renewal fees.
Globalization Partners offers extensive resources and services to encourage global expansion success. Reach out today to learn more about how we support your international expansion to Belize.
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