Country work visa age limits & residency permit information below to see if you can qualify for a job overseas.
Minimum work visa age is generally 18 for many countries or 21 years old for some and you also apply separately for a residency permit which is issued to people at least 18 years old in a majority of countries.
European Union countries minimum working visa age is 16 years old (without restrictions), 15 years and above age to start work officially in some African, Asian and South American countries.
Work visa age limit for jobs abroad
UAE
Minimum age work visa United Arab Emirates 18 years old (Your own visa). Residencies permit 21 years for a person alone in some cases; for example heavy lifting and night working jobs.
United Arab Emirates does not have an official work visa age limit, although difficult to obtain once you reach 65 years old.
The UAE’s Labour Law No. 8 of 1980, as amended doesn’t state a certain age limit to cancel a work contract or hire a foreign employee in relation to what they call “age or seniority! when applying for a UAE work permit. Source: Official UAE government website.
Reported in a gulf regional newspaper The National, since January 2011 the Ministry of Labour in United Arab Emirates schools can request an over 60 year old worker be given a work related residency.
After 65 one year work visa, case by case on need, qualifications, skills and experience. You would receive a 12 months visa, this is for example; senior, management positions or a university lecturer.
Soon (2021/2022 sometime) students in UAE aged 15 and over will be allowed to work part-time with a temporary work permit to gain work experience,
Some other types of jobs in UAE for a working visa would be maximum age 60, including manual labour, house maids, guards, drivers and store assistants. Although over 60 years old domestic workers in Dubai/UAE can renew their work permit under certain conditions.
India national Maid’s 30 at least years old for UAE work. Indian Consulate ruling that helps to protect you. Dubai housemaid visa only for Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Philippines and India nationals.
“Female Sri Lankan domestic workers must be aged 23 to accept employment abroad, according to the Sri Lankan government” Source.
Saudi Arabia
Work visa age limit in Saudi Arabia 60 years old maximum for public sector jobs. Private sector company jobs overseas workers gain work permits and residence in their mid 60’s. Foreign workers under 58 years old and for some work 55 depends if manual work or highly skilled and shortage occupation.
Minimum age work visa in Saudi Arabia 21 years old. Residency permit around same age.
Working age in KSA starts at 16 and official retirement in public sector jobs at 60 years old.
Qatar
Minimum age Qatar work visa 21 years old.
Qatar work visa age limit 60 years old officially. Some manual workers and other types of jobs 50 years old. Older than 50? employers are finding it more difficult to obtain a work visa for foreigners, as the Qatar government are looking for a younger skilled and qualified work force.
Some employers and international schools can only get you a work visa if you are under 50 years old.
Kuwait
Kuwait work visa maximum age limit under 60 years old for foreign employees. Some job industries 50 years old, such as domestic foreign workers. Expat workers will not receive a work visa or residency permit at age 60 years or above.
Kuwait has no official working age limit, although they do have a hiring limit to age under 60 years old for foreign employees. You must be under 60 years old.
Minimum age Kuwait work permit is 21 years old. Kuwait labor law.
Unskilled minimum age work in Kuwait 18 years old in theory. Employees must be 18 and over to start work.
Professional/skilled workers minimum age work visa in Kuwait 30 years old (degree holders). Recommended (Not law yet).
Bahrain
Working age visa Bahrain work permit 20 years old minimum, 65 maximum years old with over 60 years old requiring to apply or renew online.
Oman
21 years old work visa minimum age & officially maximum 60 years old for foreigner work visa.
Minimum and maximum age limit for work visa/permit by country guide
Typical documents required for a visa to work in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Dubai/UAE, plus many other countries
- Police clearance check can take 30 days + to process, then it requires to be authenticated and then legalised.
- Full medical check with blood test and possible chest x ray
- Colour passport scan & copy
- Employer reference
- Signed offer of employment and contract from the proposed sponsor company in the country you are going
- Qualifications & certification qualifications and transcripts colour copy & scan
- Documents (Police certificate, qualifications, medical record) authenticated and legalised at the countries embassy
- 5 plus colour photographs
For a good number of countries before you can work you require your qualifications certified and medical check up before taking up a job., always leave plenty time to process a visa, permit.
Country age restrictions for foreign workers
You’ll not be offered so many jobs when you reach 60 years old. Why, more expensive to employ you and medical insurance cost are far higher than a younger employee. Over 60 years old medical cover for employees may not be offered by insurance companies.
When you reach 60 years old Europe, North & South America and a few other countries are you’re only option for employment.
There are countries that restrict work and residency visa permission after a certain age, effectively imposing an age limit.
Age limit for a working abroad visa
Yes, it’s good you are offered a job and told to start the paperwork, medical, arrive by a certain date. Some things are out of an employers control, namely obtaining a work & residency permit for the country you have been offered a job.
How to search for jobs overseas
This guidance is from my personal experience teaching overseas. Can be for any job working abroad:
- Conduct through research on the legal requirements to work and stay in the country you wish. You could contact the embassy, look/ask questions on forums
- Be realistic of what you can achieve. Some countries give older people permission to work case by case, for example you have specialist/shortage skills, no younger person applied to fill the post.
- Make a list of countries to work where age is not an issue for a younger or older worker, see if one or more fits in with what you are looking for.
- Do not be tempted to work on a visit or business visa. You would not be legal.
- Look at paying for your own medical insurance or top up. Employers in some countries can not get insurance to cover you for accident or other eventualities over a certain age, as it is much more expensive.
- Apply for jobs in countries and areas where there is a greater need for your skills. Maybe you wish to spend time working in China, but you are too old for Beijing, Shanghai or Chengdu. Why not look to experience other provinces in China that older teachers are readily accepted by schools and issued legal Z visa’s by the immigration department. You can then visit the area during holidays or when you complete your contract.
- Don’t apply, or at least expect to be offered a job during peak recruitment time of January to April. Wait until May on wards or even until just before schools start. A school can ask immigration in certain countries, such as Oman for permission to sponsor a teacher above the standard age limit. Oman is always looking for English teachers to work in government training colleges.
- State your specialist knowledge, skills, experience, and cultural awareness, up to date.
- Ask an employer or recruitment agent if they have obtained or been denied a working visa for foreigners over the standard age limit requirement.
Think very carefully before flying off to a country, starting or looking for a job, completing all paperwork and medical in that foreign country.
Recruiters and some employers are looking to fill a post and may not have your best interests to mind.
Do you wish to fly out to Qatar or Taiwan on a tourist visa, as you can, arriving and finding out you can not obtain a work permit?
This happened to me for Qatar. I was informed a 12 week wait before the school can start the process for my paperwork.
The school had used up it’s allocation of British people for visas.
Was I happy after giving notice on my house rental and giving away most of my possessions to start a new chapter in my life?