By Senior Partner Amit Acco |
Kan-Tor & Acco is proud to supports the case led by Permits Foundation, to encourage ‘open’ work permit or authorisation for legally resident expatriate partners.
On November 2020, the Foundation launched a new interactive feature available on the Permits Foundation website. This map of partner work access legislation around the world is the only one of its kind, providing a hub of information on country legislation and key criteria on this particular issue. Government authorities and global mobility professionals can instantly identify those best practice countries which enable direct work access for dependants of mobile employees.
Permits Foundations Agenda
Permits Foundation promotes the best practice of an ‘open’ work permit or authorisation for legally resident expatriate partners. This gives them immediate access to the employment market for the same duration as the main work permit holder, once they have obtained their accompanying family member residence status. They can then apply for jobs freely, and take temporary project work or part-time work, without the uncertainty and time consuming bureaucracy of a work permit application. It also reduces bureaucracy for the authorities and helps employers fill urgent and temporary vacancies.
About Permits Foundations
Permits Foundations is a not-for-profit organisation campaigning globally to improve work permit regulations to make it easier for partners of expatriate staff to gain employment during an international assignment.
Since our start-up in 2001, Permits Foundations have been progressively successful in influencing change throughout the European Union, as well as in the USA, Asia (India, Japan, Hong Kong) and Latin America (Brazil and Peru). Thirty-five countries now allow accompanying spouses or partners to work. Permits Foundations continue to promote best practice and monitor legislative improvements in all these countries, as well as setting up new projects (for example, in South Africa and China) in our global campaign.
Permits Foundations surveys show that governments that allow partners to work attract highly skilled employees associated with international business, investment and development; creating a ‘triple win’ for host countries, employers and families alike.
Spouses Work in Israel
Spouse/ partner of Hi-Tech (HIT) Visa holder can access employment via the Employment Authorization for Spouse (EAS) Visa. The EAS visa, type Hi-Tech B-1 will allow the spouse to work for any employer without a requirement for a prevailing wage. This cover self-employment, in certain conditions.
Children (under the age of 18) of a Hi-Tech (HIT) visa holder are not allowed to work in Israel.
The one-year Hi-Tech (HIT) visa is granted to foreign experts of visa-waiver nationality who will work for qualified high-tech companies in Israel.
Dependants of B-1 Foreign Expert Visa holder may reside in Israel on a B-2 Visitor Visa. Spouse/ partners are not allowed to work on this visa and must obtain their own B-1 Foreign Expert visa based on their own eligibility and sponsored by their prospective employer
Dependants of Hi-Tech (HIT) visa and B-1 Foreign Expert visa holders include:
1. the spouse
2. non-married partner (subject to the discretion of the Ministry of Interior)
3. same-sex spouse (subject to the discretion of the Ministry of Interior)
4. children under the age of 18.
