If you're planning to study abroad and are thinking of being a working student in your destination country, you're going to have to get a work permit. Yes, it's additional paperwork before getting your student visa, but it is imperative that you secure permission to work overseas. In the worst case scenario, working without an international permit will get you jailed, fined, and deported. That's a lot of trouble for not having applied for a slip of paper.
Work permits are issued by the countries where you plan to work. As such, the processes and laws in which you can obtain a permit vary. Do some research on getting a permit for your destination before anything else. That way, you can prepare the necessary documents and review the steps you'll need to take so that you don't get forcibly shipped back to the US of A.
Since the laws may vary from country to country, here are some general tips to help make securing your work permit a lot easier:
- Check to see if you even need to apply for a permit. If you're part of a student work exchange program set up by your school or another institution, your permit will be arranged for you, worry-free. If you have an internship waiting for you in another country, the Association for International Practical Training (AIPT) can help you arrange for your work permit. Visit their website at AIPT and see how they can help you.
- Working as a volunteer will also negate the need for a work permit. As long as you aren't being paid, or are being paid by a credible volunteer outfit, you do not need to apply for a work permit.
- Get an offer. In a lot of cases, you'll need a formal job offer from your destination country before its government will even consider issuing you a work permit. What's important is that you get credible proof that you are going to work in that country.
You can get your offer either by visiting the country and applying for a job, or by going the more economical route and applying online. There are pros and cons to either method. While physically applying for a job in your soon-to-be-host country increases the likeliness that you will get an offer to work there, the costs of travel and lodging can set you back a hefty amount. On the flipside, applying online is relatively free of expenses, but you'll probably have to wait longer before you even begin to get feedback.
- Get your papers ready. Get all the papers you'll need based on your host country's requirements. These usually include certification that you'll be working there, your passport and visa, and possibly even proof of lodging. Be sure to fill in any forms with accurate information and double-check the data before submitting your application.
- Sit and wait. These things can take time, so you'll have to be patient regarding the results of your application. If you think that the wait is taking too long, politely follow your application up.
If everything goes well, you'll receive your permit and will be ready to start working through your study abroad period in a foreign land.
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