Automatic work permits

Work permits are, upon application, granted automatically to the following:

• The spouse, civil partner or cohabiting partner of a work permit holder or an exempt person, provided that the work permit holder or exempt person is engaged in permanent, regular full-time employment;  (the primary employment)
• The cohabiting partner of an Isle of Man worker

An application for an automatic permit is made directly to the Department by the applicant, costs £60 and is issued for one year at a time. Applications for automatic permits in the case of cohabiting couples can only be considered where the couple are living together in a bone fide cohabiting relationship akin to a marriage or civil partnership.

An automatic permit authorises the employment of the person named in it generally, in any capacity, subject to any conditions specified in the permit. The permit is not connected to a specific employment.

Persons with certain unspent criminal convictions have no entitlement to an automatic permit (see further at criminal records).