Work Permits
The Department of Economic Development operates and enforces the work permit system under the Control of Employment Act 1975. Employers may employ individuals from within the European Economic Area (EEA) who are not Isle of Man workers, provided that there are no suitable Isle of Man workers available to fill those specific roles.
The EEA states are the 27 member states of the European Union (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom) and Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland. Although Switzerland is not an EEA state, its nationals have the same rights to live and work in the Isle of Man as EEA nationals.
Employment of people from outside the European Economic Area (EEA)
There is a separate system of work controls for persons who are not EEA nationals. Persons seeking to work in the Isle of Man from outside the EEA are subject to control under the Immigration Acts (of Parliament) and in most cases will require permission to work under the system of controls known as the Points Based System. For further information see the page Non EEA Workers.
Exempted employments
Certain employments and temporary employments are exempt from the requirement for a permit. These are detailed on the page Exempted employments
Making an application for a Control of Employment permit
An application for a permit is made by an employer to employ an individual to carry out a particular role or in the case of a self-employed person by that person. In each case, where successful, the permit will be granted for a set period. Where necessary, an application for renewal of a permit can also be made.
Application form for an employee. This form is for employers who are seeking to employ persons who are not Isle of Man Workers. It is to be completed by both the employer and potential employee.
Application form for a self employed person. This form is for persons who are not Isle of Man workers who are seeking to commence self-employment .
The importance of making a comprehensive application
In the overwhelming majority of cases the Department will make its decision as to whether or not to grant an application for a work permit on the basis of documentation supplied by the applicant. The Department strongly recommends that applicants provide all relevant information at the time the application is made.
It is important to bear in mind that should an appeal be made, the role of the Work Permit Appeal Tribunal is limited, its function being to determine whether the decision of the Department was lawfully reached as opposed to redetermining the application. Further, an applicant who has been unsuccessful in obtaining a permit should not assume that he or she will be allowed to rely upon additional evidence when appealing to the Tribunal if such evidence could have been reasonably obtained and presented to the Department when the application was made.
Further information
"A Guide to Work Permits” can be downloaded here
Additional guidance on the Appeal procedure can be downloaded here
More detailed guidance on the Work Permit Appeal Tribunal, produced by the Tribunals Service, which is independent of the Department, can be downloaded from here
Copies of the legislation can be downloaded here
Frequently asked questions
For a list of frequently asked questions on work permits please click here.
Contact details of the Work Permit office
(The Work Permit Office is in the same building as the Job Centre).
Fees for Work Permits and Residential Enquiries
The processing fee for a Work Permit for Employment or Self-Employment is £50
The processing fee for a Residential Status enquiry is £20
The fee for this service is £20. Please click here for the request form.
The Work Permit Committee
The Minister for Economic Development has delegated his power to make decisions on work permits to the Work Permit Committee. This Committee, which consists of a chairperson and two other members, has a wide knowledge of employment matters. Due to the large volume of applications it is impractical for the Committee to consider every case, and straightforward cases are dealt with on behalf of the Committee by its Secretary, acting under delegated authority.
The next meetings of the Work Permit Committee are scheduled to be:
| WPC Dates 2013 |
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| Friday 10th May 2013 |
| Tuesday 21st May 2013 |
| Tuesday 28th May 2013 |
| Wednesday 12th June 2013 |
| Tuesday 25th June 2013 |
If a work permit application is referred to the Committee for consideration, an advisory e mail will be sent, (subject to an email address being supplied) to the applicant.
Employment rights of work permit holders
Isle of Man employment law applies to employees and other workers on work permits. Applicable rights include entitlement to the minimum wage and paid holidays, maternity and paternity leave, and the right to a written statement of terms and conditions of employment. For further information please click here.
New Control of Employment legislation
The Department is working on a new Control of Employment Bill and Regulations. For information on the proposals please see the Consultations: Closed Awaiting Response page.
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