Local Employment Policy Handbook - ICASS

WORK PERMIT, WORK VISA, OR RESIDENCY PERMIT
Ordinarily Residents (ORs)
Non-host country citizens (including Ordinarily Resident US Citizens and most Members of Household
who do not have official diplomatic status in country) must be legally eligible to work in country.
HR may not hire any individual whose visa or residency status in the host country doesn’t allow
employment. This may require that the individual have a work permit, a residency permit, a work and
residency permit, the appropriate visa stamp in the passport, or other official documentation required by
local labor law in order to work in the host country.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to obtain the required documentation and to pay any associated costs.
Applicants refer to Mission advertised Vacancy Announcements regarding requirements and information
on securing work documents.
Mission Assistance in Obtaining Documentation for Employment
A Mission may establish a Mission-specific policy for HR to assist all Ordinarily Residents who are not
citizens of the host country in obtaining the proper permits, visa stamp, or other documentation for legal
employment once HR extends a conditional offer of employment. Participating agencies under COM
authority must agree to follow the policy before it’s issued. HR must issue this Mission-specific policy in
a Management Notice. HR then applies the Mission-specific policy equitably.
HR must inform the individual that s/he is responsible for any costs or estimations involved in obtaining
the required permits, visa stamp, or other documentation for legal employment in country. HR may
provide the individual with the estimated total amount. HR makes sure the individual understands that the
formal offer of employment is only made after:
A. The individual provides all appropriate documentation to HR; and
B. The individual meets all other conditions of employment (e.g., background investigation, preemployment
medical).
Before establishing the Mission-specific policy, management should carefully consider the impact of an
increased HR staff workload in providing these services. In some countries, the workload could be quite
substantial.
Not Ordinarily Residents (NORs)
Eligible Family Members (See 14 FAM 511.3) on the travel orders of direct hire Foreign, Civil, or
uniformed service members assigned abroad and under Chief of Mission authority are not required to