Work Visa Age Limits & Residency Permit for Jobs Abroad

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 Limits

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.

Work visa age limit is 65 years old for Vietnam, Cambodia, Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan.

Minimum and maximum age limit for work visa/permit by country guide

CountryMinimum AgeMaximum Age LimitInformation
Middle East
United Arab Emirates1865UAE no official work visa age limit, although difficult to obtain once 65 years old.
Saudi Arabia2160Under 58- 60 years old, for some work 55 depends if manual work or highly skilled & shortage occupation.
Qatar2150 maximum, very few people under 60 for work visaQatar work visa age limit officially 60 years old, Many types of jobs under 50 years old.
Kuwait2160Kuwait hiring limit to age under 60 years old for foreign employees.
Bahrain2160First work visa 60 max age, renew up to 65
Oman2160Officially maximum 60 years old
Lebanon ?NoneWork visa for foreign workers age limit is none
Jordan?No age limitNo age limit for a foreigner working visa issue
Palestine??
Africa
Algeria16+ ?60 maxLegal working minimum age Algeria 16 years old, Must be skilled foreign worker with certification for work visa.
Benin? Any
Botswana ? Any
Burundi? Any
Cameron ? Any
Djibouti? Any
Egypt ?60 max, more difficult after 60 years old for work visa
Kenya1855(Only for skilled workers) minimum 18 work visa, maximum age around 55 (Few people up to 60 years old) & residency permit. Kenya retirement age 60 for government employees.
Ethiopia ?60-65
Gabon?Early 60s
Gambia??
Ghana?60 max
Guinea??
Madagascar??
Malawi?60 max work visa age, Case by case after 60
Mauritania??
Morocco?60 years old max for work permit
Mozambique?No age limit
Namibia?No age limit
Niger??
Nigeria?No limit, although case by case for work visa after 60
Seychelles??
South Africa?No age limit
Swaziland?No age limit
Tanzania?55 age limit work visa
Togo? No age limit
Tunisia??
Uganda?No age limit
Zambia?No upper age limitNo limit, although they look at shortage occupations and what you offer
Saint Helena?Early 60s age limit
Asia
Armenia?No limit
Azerbaijan?No limit
Bangladesh?No limit
Bhutan?No limit
Brunei?54 max age first work permit54 (government restrictions) Work until 60 in Brunei
Cambodia?65
China18China max 60 or no limitMaximum age 60 years B, C permit, although A category work visa no age limit
Cyprus?Any age
Georgia?Any age
India?Any age
IndonesiaMinimum 27 years state school teachers/other job rolesMax 60 years old work visa agePossible work visa at 21 years old, No officially age limit, not easy after 60
Israel?Early 60s
Japan?65
Kazakhstan?Any ageNo limit, They look at what offer against requirements
Laos??
MalaysiaMinimum age 18 work visa60 work visa max ageDepends on work visa type, skill and qualifications
Maldives??
Mongolia?Max 60Visa & residency for a few older than 60 with right skills
Myanmar (Burma)?Max 62Depends on you, skills and shortage if older
Nepal??
Pakistan?Max 60
Philippines?Maximum under 60 for work visa
SingaporeMinimum age 18 years work visaMaximum age under 50, highly skilled to 60 work visaMaximum age under 50 (Malaysians 58 max age) service SG pass work permit. Depends on visa type, Highly skilled 60 + max skilled (Very few)
South Korea?Maximum 65 work permit, difficult up to 65More difficult from 60 to 65
Sri Lanka??
Taiwan18Under 65 maximum for a work permitMin age 18 visa/residency, 60+ No official age limit, Labour Standards Act Taiwan employer can refuse work 60-65 years old
Thailand?60Work visa age limit, 60 countries official retirement. Very difficult after 60 to obtain a work visa
Turkey?60 maximum age
Uzbekistan?No age limit
Vietnam18 years old minimum65Min 18 years of age, under 65 years old work visa issued
Hong Kong18 years old minimum60-65Min 18, 60 years old max, 65 for private schools. Possible benefits loss
Europe
Albania?Not official limit for work visa
Andorra??
Austria ?No limit for work visa
Azerbaijan?Any ageAge limit depends on skills and occupation shortage
Belgium18No limit for work visa
Bulgaria?65, not officialRetirement at 65, Difficult work visa after this
Croatia?65, nothing official
Czech Republic?No upper age limit for a work visa
Denmark?No age limit for a work visa
Estonia?63Possible up to 63 for a work visa
Finland?Maximum 68 years oldMaximum limit of 68, case by case for work visa
France?No limit for work visa
Germany
?No limit for work visa
Greece?No working visa limit on age
Hungary?No workers age limit
Iceland?No worker age limit
Italy?Not an official work age limit for a work permit
Latvia?No official age limit
Liechtenstein?Any age
Lithuania?No age limit
Luxembourg?No upper limit on age for a work visa
Macedonia?Maximum 60sMid 60s maximum for a visa for work
Malta?Appears to be 65, nothing official
Moldova?Any age
Monaco?No limit on a workers visa age
Montenegro?Not official, although late 60s possible
Netherlands??
Norway?None, any age
Poland?No official work visa limit on age
Portugal?No age limitNo limit on work visa age, country retirement age men around 66
Romania ?No upper age worker limit
Russia?Any age limit
Slovakia?No age limitState pension 62, work visa around same age
Slovenia?Late 60s at leastPeople retire around 64, no visa after late 60s mainly
Spain?No age limit
Sweden?Any age limit
Switzerland?No work permit age limit
Turkey?60Difficult after 60 retirement age, 65 maybe
Ukraine?Mid 60sPossible to mid 60s with right skills
United Kingdom16No official work permit age limit in UK
South America
Argentina?None
Bolivia?None
Brazil?None
Chile?None
Colombia?62 ?
Ecuador?No limit
Falkland Islands?No limit
Paraguay?No limit
Peru?No limit
Uruguay?No limit
Central America
Belize?No limit on age
Costa Rica?No age limit for worker
Honduras?Any age limit
Nicaragua? Any age limit
Panama? Any age limit
North America
Canada?No official age limit
Mexico?No limit on age
United States?No official age limit for a workers visa
Australasia
Australia?44, although dependsMaximum age permanent skills visa Australia 44 years old, Employer sponsor temporary visa (Subclass 482) No official age limit
Fiji?NoneCommittee meets weekly case by case for approve work visa & age
New Caledonia?No age limitTo get a work visa is difficult at any age
New Zealand?Maximum 5050 years old work visa age, 55 for residency!!
Solomon Islands?No age limit Depends on skills and island requirements

Typical documents required for a visa to work in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Dubai/UAE, plus many other countries

  • 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?

Education Tay
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