he Iranian government has been implementing a “work visa” scheme since the beginning of Mizan 1404 to legalize the employment of foreign nationals and compensate for the shortage of manpower in some economic sectors.
The Iranian Ministry of Cooperation, Labor and Social Welfare announced that employers can apply for foreign workers through the official website of the Ministry of Labor. Applications will only be accepted if there is no Iranian labor available for the desired job.
Foreign nationals applying for this visa must meet certain conditions, including providing valid residence documents, having no criminal record, and being introduced by an authorized employer. Those who have previously voluntarily left Iran are also given priority for receiving visas.
Labor Ministry officials have emphasized that the implementation of this scheme was carried out in cooperation with the Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs and its goal is to provide the manpower needed by various economic sectors.
This measure is being taken at a time when a large number of immigrants, especially Afghans, have been working in Iran in the construction, agriculture, and service sectors in recent years. However, by the middle of this year, nearly two million Afghan migrants had left the country.
Iran has always been a host to foreign workers, who play an important role in filling gaps in the labor market. The shortage of manpower in some industries, especially in sectors requiring medium and low skills, has been cited as one of the main reasons for the introduction of the labor visa scheme.
The program is designed to provide a legal path for foreign nationals to work and reduce informal employment. Labor market experts believe that such measures can both meet labor market needs and provide legal security for foreign workers.
Meen a Habib News Events Agency
