How to employ a foreigner in Lithuania?
Our advisers team will consult you on how to get a work permit in Lithuania for a foreigner, on taxes applicable to employees and assist you with recruitment of a foreign worker in Lithuania. We will help to obtain a required work permit in Lithuania for your company and an employee who is issued by the Lithuanian Labor Exchange (Lietuvos darbo birža). Our experts will help to prepare all necessary documents for obtaining a work permit of Lithuania.
How Non-European Union citizens can work in Lithuania?
Is it hard to find a job in Lithuania for non-EU citizens? A foreigner who intends to work in the Republic of Lithuania must obtain a Lithuanian work permit before entering the Republic of Lithuania. A work permit may be issued to a foreigner if there is no specialist in Lithuania meeting the employer’s qualification requirements.
The conditions and order of issue a work permit in Lithuania
To employ a foreigner, an employer must apply to the local labour exchange (by the registered office or by the place of residence) and to register a vacancy.
An application to issue a Lithuanian work permit is not considered if an employer has not registered a vacancy one month before submitting an application to the local labour exchange, as specified in legislation.
Formalities to be completed in order to work in Lithuania
To employ a foreigner under a contract of employment, the following documents are needed*:
- Application of the set form;
- Copy of the passport of a foreign citizen or an equivalent document recognised in the Republic of Lithuania;
- Copy of a diploma or an equivalent document confirming person’s qualification;
- Copy of a resolution of a competent institution in proof of recognition of professional qualifications if the profession is regulated in the Republic of Lithuania;
- Qualification assessment certificate issued by the Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education, if a profession is not regulated in the Republic of Lithuania, but higher education is required;
- Copy of a document proving a foreigner’s two years professional work experience during the last three years.
- Copies of documents proving a foreigner’s improvement of a possessed qualification (if any);
- Certificate of studies issued by a Lithuanian higher education institution confirming second and a subsequent year of study in the Republic of Lithuania;
- Certificate signed by the employer informing about:
- need to employ a foreigner;
- dismissals during 6 months before applying for the issue of a work permit in Lithuania);
- employer does not have a valid administrative penalty according to Article 2063 of the Code of Administrative Violations of the Republic of Lithuania;
- copy of an issued Lithuanian work permit and an employer’s certificate on a foreigner’s work in an enterprise indicating his/her functions, salary, the amount of assessed and paid taxes and state social insurance payments for all work period.
To issue a Lithuanian work permit for an employee of a foreign company who was sent for temporary employment, the following documents are needed*:
- Application of the set form;
- Contract on providing services or performing jobs concluded between a local company and a foreign enterprise sending an employee for temporary employment;
- Copy of a foreign country’s Certificate of Registration of Legal Entity or copy of Abstract of Title;
- Detailed description of the project specifying the reasons why a foreign company’s services have been chosen to implement this project and what is the purpose of receiving a foreign employee;
- Copy of the passport of a foreign citizen or an equivalent document intended for travelling to a foreign country and recognised in the Republic of Lithuania;
- Copy of the employment contract between a foreigner and the company sending him for temporary employment;
- Certificate of a competent foreign institution or enterprise proving that a foreigner is covered by social insurance in the sending enterprise;
- Copy of a diploma or an equivalent document confirming person’s qualification.
The procedure and time limits for the examination of applications to issue a work permit
A foreigner’s application to issue a work permit in the Republic of Lithuania must be examined within two months from the date of receipt of the application at the Lithuanian Labour Exchange.
After the work permit is obtained, the employer must pay for the employee’s Social Security and income taxes monthly. The amount of taxes depends on the amount of salary.
How European Union citizens can work in Lithuania?
Is it difficult to find a job for a EUE citizen? A foreign national, who is a citizen of one of the Member States of the European Union, European Economic Area and the Swiss Confederation (hereafter referred to as citizens of the European Union) may arrive and stay in the Republic of Lithuania for up to 3 months within a 6 months period starting from the day of his arrival in the Republic of Lithuania. Citizens of the European Union who wish to stay longer than three months or have already been in Lithuania for longer than three months have to register with the Migration Department. Temporary residence permits are issued for periods of up to five years.
Related information with business immigration
• Buy a business in Lithuania and get Residence Permit (★★★★★)
• How to get Lithuanian Business Visa? (★★★★)
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