whereTOemigrate
Get your free results
JO country scene

Flexible work permit for Syrian refugees

JordanWork

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

Official link

Get your free results Read the five questions ↓

What type of worker, employment situation, occupation or professional activity is this pathway actually designed for?

This permission is designed for Syrian refugees undertaking self-employed work in authorised occupational groups. It is a flexible work-permit channel, used through an approved cooperative or the General Federation of Jordan Trade Unions. It does not authorise unrestricted work in every occupation.

See recorded sources
  • Work FAQ 3
    The flexible work permit is granted exclusively to self-employed Syrian refugees. Employers are not allowed to apply for these permits except according to the normal permit system, otherwise legal procedures will be applied.
  • Work FAQ 2
    A flexible work permit can be issued as a worker in the following occupational groups (Service and sales workers, Craft and related trades workers, Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers, Elementary occupations, Plant and machine operators, and assemblers).
  • Work FAQ 4
    * Submit a application for issuing a flexible work permit in one of the offices of the General Federation of Jordan Trade Unions distributed over the governorates of the Kingdom, or in the cooperatives approved for the flexible agricultural permit.

Does the applicant need a job offer, employer, sponsor, transfer relationship or other employer involvement? What is important about that employer relationship?

The permit is not tied to one employer. UNHCR says employers cannot apply through this flexible channel and must use the normal permit system. People employed by formal establishments that must issue work permits and register workers with Social Security are excluded. Applications go through the trade-union federation or approved agricultural cooperatives.

See recorded sources
  • Work FAQ 3
    The flexible work permit is granted exclusively to self-employed Syrian refugees. Employers are not allowed to apply for these permits except according to the normal permit system, otherwise legal procedures will be applied.
  • Work FAQ 3
    o Holds a work permit for companies according to the concept of the organized sector.
  • Work FAQ 3
    o He/she works for an employer with a legal capacity in a facility registered with the Social Security.
  • Work FAQ 3
    o Those who will work for establishments that are required by the labour law to issue permits to the worker and to include workers in social security.
  • Work FAQ 4 heading
    ### 4 WHAT ARE THE PROCEDURES TO BE TAKEN TO ISSUE A FLEXIBLE WORK PERMIT FOR SYRIAN REFUGEES (FLEXIBLE WORK PERMIT THAT IS NOT TIED TO A SPECIFIC EMPLOYER)?
  • Work FAQ 4
    * Submit a application for issuing a flexible work permit in one of the offices of the General Federation of Jordan Trade Unions distributed over the governorates of the Kingdom, or in the cooperatives approved for the flexible agricultural permit.

What are the few decisive professional characteristics of the pathway: occupation, qualifications, experience, salary, skill level, shortage status, labour-market condition or equivalent?

Applicants must be at least 18 and work within the occupational group authorised on their permit. The UNHCR FAQ covers service and sales, craft trades, agriculture/forestry/fishery, elementary occupations, and plant/machine-operation or assembly groups. A valid Ministry of Interior service card and the prescribed medical examination are required. For construction, UNHCR says a training course and prior-learning certificate are no longer mandatory.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The accessible UNHCR description is not a complete current list of every permitted or closed occupation. The MOL current annex needs captured PDF verification.
  • Work FAQ 1
    Minimum age for non-Jordanians to work and obtain a work permit is 18.
  • Work FAQ 2
    A flexible work permit can be issued as a worker in the following occupational groups (Service and sales workers, Craft and related trades workers, Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers, Elementary occupations, Plant and machine operators, and assemblers).
  • Work FAQ 1
    1. Valid Service Card issued by the Ministry of Interior (MoI);
  • Work FAQ 1
    3. Medical examination, provided that it is conducted at healthcare directorates and centres accredited by the Ministry of Health in the Governorates.
  • Work FAQ 15
    You do not need to attend a training course and have a certificate to obtain a work permit in the construction sector anymore. However, we encourage everyone to obtain a certificate of prior learning through one of ILO’s programmes, or any other authorized entity.

What work does the permission allow? Is the holder tied to an employer, occupation or sector? Can family accompany where clearly established?

Holders can change sectors without employer authorisation only within the professional group recorded on their flexible permit. Family-accompaniment rights are not established in the official sources.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • No route-specific dependant/family-accompaniment entitlement found. MOL text introduces a specific Aqaba Special Economic Zone exclusion; actual PDF capture was not available to this author, so territorial scope requires coordinator reconciliation.
  • Work FAQ 14
    Yes, without the employer authorization. With flexible work permits, they can change sector at any time- within the professional group stated on their work permits. With Employer-tied work permits, they can cancel the work permit and either apply to a flexible work permits or have their new employer apply to a work permit tied to the employer
  • Work FAQ 10
    There will be no change to the status of Syrians registered with UNHCR once you receive your work permit. UNHCR and partner organizations are committed to continue providing assistance based on needs and vulnerabilities.
  • Work FAQ 11
    Syrian refugees holding work permits may still be considered for UNHCR resettlement to third countries.

How long is the permission normally granted for, how is it renewed, and what longer-term residence direction exists if officially stated?

UNHCR describes the flexible permission as lasting one year. Renewal requires Social Security clearance, but the English and Arabic guidance disagree about payment of past months. The first-permit start date also requires confirmation against the newer Ministry of Labour guide. No longer-term residence or citizenship progression is established in the consulted sources.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • English/Arabic contradiction about contribution arrears.
  • MOL first-permit commencement and renewal timing need integration from a valid ministerial PDF capture.
  • No supported long-term residence/citizenship direction found.
  • Work FAQ 4
    * The worker receives a work permit valid for one year from the date of expiry of his previous permit or from the date of issuing his new permit if he did not hold a previous permit.
  • Social Security FAQ 17
    Yes, non-payment of SSC contributions would affect applications in government departments such as obtaining a work permit, since in order to renew the work permit, a clearance from the Social Security must be obtained.
  • Social Security FAQ 11
    No, the subscription is with immediate effect.

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

Explore more pathways in Jordan · All pathways

Your story.
Your next step.

Get your free results