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Work / Skilled Visas
25 countries covered
A work or skilled visa lets you take up employment abroad, usually with employer sponsorship or through a points-based skilled route. Salary thresholds, a job offer and a skills assessment are typical. Compare work-visa routes, fees and processing times across countries below.
Compare work / skilled visas by country
| Country | Visa | Fee | Processing | Stay | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ฆ๐บ Australia | Skilled & Employer-Sponsored Visas | From AUD 3,000+ (stream-dependent) | Months (varies by stream) | Up to 4 years (482); permanent (186) | View โ |
| ๐จ๐ฆ Canada | Work Permit | CAD 155 (+ CAD 100 open permit holder fee) | Weeks to months by country and stream | Tied to the job offer / LMIA | View โ |
| ๐จ๐ณ China | Work Visa (Z) | Varies by nationality | Several weeks (incl. permit) | Up to 5 years (residence permit) | View โ |
| ๐ซ๐ท France | Talent Passport / Work Visa | From EUR 99+ (route-dependent) | Weeks to a couple of months | Up to 4 years (Talent Passport) | View โ |
| ๐ฉ๐ช Germany | EU Blue Card / Work Visa | EUR 100 | Several weeks to a few months | Up to 4 years (or contract length + 3 months) | View โ |
| ๐ญ๐ฐ Hong Kong | Employment Visa (GEP / Talent) | HKD 230 | ~4 weeks | Typically 2โ3 years, renewable | View โ |
| ๐ฎ๐ช Ireland | Employment Permit | EUR 1,000 (Critical Skills, employer-borne) | Several weeks | Up to 2 years, renewable | View โ |
| ๐ฎ๐น Italy | Work Visa (Decreto Flussi / Blue Card) | EUR 116 (approx.) | Weeks to months | Up to 2 years | View โ |
| ๐ฏ๐ต Japan | Work Visa | JPY 3,000 (single entry) | COE 1โ3 months; visa ~1 week | 1, 3 or 5 years, renewable | View โ |
| ๐ฒ๐พ Malaysia | Employment Pass | From ~RM 1,200 (varies) | 1โ4 weeks | Up to 5 years (category-dependent) | View โ |
| ๐ณ๐ฑ Netherlands | Highly Skilled Migrant Permit | EUR 345 (approx.) | 2โ4 weeks | Up to contract length (max 5 years) | View โ |
| ๐ณ๐ฟ New Zealand | Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) | NZD 750 (approx.) | Weeks | Up to 5 years (role-dependent) | View โ |
| ๐ณ๐ด Norway | Skilled Worker Residence Permit | NOK 6,300 (approx.) | Weeks to months | Up to the job/1โ3 years, renewable | View โ |
| ๐ต๐น Portugal | Work Visa / D7 / Golden Visa | From EUR 90+ (route-dependent) | Weeks to months | 2 years, renewable | View โ |
| ๐ถ๐ฆ Qatar | Work Residence Visa | Employer-borne (varies) | 2โ4 weeks | Up to 5 years, renewable | View โ |
| ๐ธ๐ฆ Saudi Arabia | Work Visa (Iqama) | Employer-borne (varies) | 2โ6 weeks | 1โ2 years, renewable | View โ |
| ๐ธ๐ฌ Singapore | Employment Pass (EP) / S Pass | SGD 105 application + SGD 225 issuance (EP) | ~1โ3 weeks | Up to 2 years (first EP), renewable | View โ |
| ๐ฐ๐ท South Korea | Work Visa (E-7 / E-series) | USD 60 (approx.) | 2โ4 weeks | Up to 3 years, renewable | View โ |
| ๐ช๐ธ Spain | Work & Residence Visa | EUR 80โ200 (route-dependent) | Weeks to a couple of months | Up to 3 years (renewable) | View โ |
| ๐ธ๐ช Sweden | Work Permit | SEK 2,200 | Weeks to months | Up to 2 years, extendable | View โ |
| ๐จ๐ญ Switzerland | Work Permit (L / B) | CHF 95 (approx.) | Several weeks to months | L up to 1 year; B up to 5 years | View โ |
| ๐น๐ท Turkey | Work Permit | Permit + card fees (varies) | ~30 days | Up to 1 year initially, renewable | View โ |
| ๐ฆ๐ช United Arab Emirates | Work / Employment Visa | From AED 5,000 (employer-borne, varies) | 1โ4 weeks | 2 years (mainland), renewable | View โ |
| ๐ฌ๐ง United Kingdom | Skilled Worker Visa | GBP 719โ1,639 (length-dependent) | Usually within 3 weeks (outside the UK) | Up to 5 years, extendable | View โ |
| ๐บ๐ธ United States | H-1B Specialty Occupation Visa | USD 205 (visa) + employer petition fees | Lottery in March; petitions from April; premium processing 15 days | Up to 3 years, extendable to 6 | View โ |
๐ฆ๐บ
Australia
Skilled & Employer-Sponsored Visas
- Fee: From AUD 3,000+ (stream-dependent)
- Processing: Months (varies by stream)
๐จ๐ฆ
Canada
Work Permit
- Fee: CAD 155 (+ CAD 100 open permit holder fee)
- Processing: Weeks to months by country and stream
๐จ๐ณ
China
Work Visa (Z)
- Fee: Varies by nationality
- Processing: Several weeks (incl. permit)
๐ซ๐ท
France
Talent Passport / Work Visa
- Fee: From EUR 99+ (route-dependent)
- Processing: Weeks to a couple of months
๐ฉ๐ช
Germany
EU Blue Card / Work Visa
- Fee: EUR 100
- Processing: Several weeks to a few months
๐ญ๐ฐ
Hong Kong
Employment Visa (GEP / Talent)
- Fee: HKD 230
- Processing: ~4 weeks
๐ฎ๐ช
Ireland
Employment Permit
- Fee: EUR 1,000 (Critical Skills, employer-borne)
- Processing: Several weeks
๐ฎ๐น
Italy
Work Visa (Decreto Flussi / Blue Card)
- Fee: EUR 116 (approx.)
- Processing: Weeks to months
๐ฏ๐ต
Japan
Work Visa
- Fee: JPY 3,000 (single entry)
- Processing: COE 1โ3 months; visa ~1 week
๐ฒ๐พ
Malaysia
Employment Pass
- Fee: From ~RM 1,200 (varies)
- Processing: 1โ4 weeks
๐ณ๐ฑ
Netherlands
Highly Skilled Migrant Permit
- Fee: EUR 345 (approx.)
- Processing: 2โ4 weeks
๐ณ๐ฟ
New Zealand
Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)
- Fee: NZD 750 (approx.)
- Processing: Weeks
๐ณ๐ด
Norway
Skilled Worker Residence Permit
- Fee: NOK 6,300 (approx.)
- Processing: Weeks to months
๐ต๐น
Portugal
Work Visa / D7 / Golden Visa
- Fee: From EUR 90+ (route-dependent)
- Processing: Weeks to months
๐ถ๐ฆ
Qatar
Work Residence Visa
- Fee: Employer-borne (varies)
- Processing: 2โ4 weeks
๐ธ๐ฆ
Saudi Arabia
Work Visa (Iqama)
- Fee: Employer-borne (varies)
- Processing: 2โ6 weeks
๐ธ๐ฌ
Singapore
Employment Pass (EP) / S Pass
- Fee: SGD 105 application + SGD 225 issuance (EP)
- Processing: ~1โ3 weeks
๐ฐ๐ท
South Korea
Work Visa (E-7 / E-series)
- Fee: USD 60 (approx.)
- Processing: 2โ4 weeks
๐ช๐ธ
Spain
Work & Residence Visa
- Fee: EUR 80โ200 (route-dependent)
- Processing: Weeks to a couple of months
๐ธ๐ช
Sweden
Work Permit
- Fee: SEK 2,200
- Processing: Weeks to months
๐จ๐ญ
Switzerland
Work Permit (L / B)
- Fee: CHF 95 (approx.)
- Processing: Several weeks to months
๐น๐ท
Turkey
Work Permit
- Fee: Permit + card fees (varies)
- Processing: ~30 days
๐ฆ๐ช
United Arab Emirates
Work / Employment Visa
- Fee: From AED 5,000 (employer-borne, varies)
- Processing: 1โ4 weeks
๐ฌ๐ง
United Kingdom
Skilled Worker Visa
- Fee: GBP 719โ1,639 (length-dependent)
- Processing: Usually within 3 weeks (outside the UK)
๐บ๐ธ
United States
H-1B Specialty Occupation Visa
- Fee: USD 205 (visa) + employer petition fees
- Processing: Lottery in March; petitions from April; premium processing 15 days
Work / Skilled visa FAQs
What is a Work / Skilled visa?๏ผ
A work or skilled visa lets you take up employment abroad, usually with employer sponsorship or through a points-based skilled route.
How many countries' Work / Skilled visas can I compare here?๏ผ
VisaViews currently covers Work / Skilled visa requirements for 25 destination countries, each with fees, processing times, eligibility and how to apply.
Do Work / Skilled visa requirements differ by country?๏ผ
Yes โ fees, eligibility, processing times, work rights and application steps vary significantly by destination and often by your nationality. Always check the specific country page and the official government source.