What the data shows across these countries
- 116 documented routes in total
- 44 countries have at least one route that leads to permanent residence
- 44 countries have at least one route that leads on to citizenship
- 9 countries document at least one route with no language requirement
- 27 EU members, 29 in the Schengen Area, 6 in the Persian Gulf
- Official government fees range from 5 to 1,900 EUR across the 23 countries that publish one
These figures are counted from the routes documented on this site, not estimated. Each country page states its own sources.
Countries offering this route
Andorra
- Residence and Work as an Employee (Active Residence, Art. 28)
1 pathway
Official fee from 214 EUR
Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
United Arab Emirates
- Standard Employment Residence Visa (Work Permit + Residence)
1 pathway
No language needed
See requirements
Albania
- Single (Unique) Work & Residence Permit — Employee
- Seasonal Worker Unique Permit
- Intra-Company Transferee Unique Permit
- and 2 more
5 pathways
Official fee from 4,500 ALL
Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Austria
- Red-White-Red Card - Very Highly Qualified Workers (with Jobseeker Visa option)
- Red-White-Red Card - Skilled Workers in Shortage Occupations
- Red-White-Red Card - Other Key Workers
- and 4 more
7 pathways
Official fee from 218 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Temporary Residence for Employment (with Work Permit)
- Temporary Residence for Work WITHOUT a Work Permit (Exempt Categories)
2 pathways
Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Belgium
- Single Permit (Combined Work and Residence Permit)
1 pathway
Official fee from 152 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Bulgaria
- Employment (Single Permit / Work Permit + Type D visa)
1 pathway
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Bahrain
- New Work Permit and linked Residence Permit (LMRA)
- Flexi Permit
2 pathways
Official fee from 479 BHD
No language needed
See requirements
Switzerland
- EU/EFTA Free Movement Residence Permit (AFMP)
- Third-Country Skilled Worker Permit
- Foreign Graduates of Swiss Universities
- and 2 more
5 pathways
Official fee from 95 CHF
Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Cyprus
- Immigration / Employment Residence Permit (Categories A-F)
1 pathway
EU Leads to PR / citizenship No language needed
See requirements
Czech Republic
- Employee Card
- Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) Card
2 pathways
Official fee from 10,000 CZK
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Germany
- Skilled Worker Visa (Qualified Professional, §§18a/18b AufenthG)
- Experienced Professionals Visa (§19c(2) AufenthG)
- Intra-Corporate Transfer (ICT) Card (§19 AufenthG)
3 pathways
Official fee from 175 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Denmark
- Pay Limit Scheme
- Supplementary Pay Limit Scheme
- Positive List for People with a Higher Education
- and 5 more
8 pathways
Official fee from 6,810 DKK
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Estonia
- Temporary Residence Permit for Employment
1 pathway
Official fee from 220 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Spain
- Highly Qualified Professional (HQP / PAC) Work Visa
1 pathway
Official fee from 106 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Finland
- Residence permit for an employed person
1 pathway
Official fee from 490 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
France
- Talent Passport — Qualified Employee (Passeport Talent, salarié qualifié)
1 pathway
Official fee from 650 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
United Kingdom
- Skilled Worker visa
- Health and Care Worker visa
- Scale-up Worker visa
- and 2 more
5 pathways
Official fee from 894 GBP
Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Greece
- Dependent Employment / Work Permit (Category E)
1 pathway
Official fee from 166 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Croatia
- Residence and Work Permit (Stay and Work Permit) for Third-Country Nationals
- Intra-Corporate Transferee (ICT) Permit
- Seasonal Worker Permit
3 pathways
Official fee from 166 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Hungary
- Single Permit (Employment) — 3 skill tiers
- Guest Worker Permit
- Hungarian Card
- and 3 more
6 pathways
Official fee from 65,000 HUF
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Ireland
- Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP)
- General Employment Permit (GEP)
- Intra-Company Transfer Employment Permit
3 pathways
Official fee from 1,900 EUR
EU Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Iceland
- Residence permit based on work (non-EEA)
- Working Holiday / Youth Mobility Residence Permit
2 pathways
Official fee from 40,000 ISK
Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Italy
- Work permit via the Decreto Flussi (subordinate employment quota)
1 pathway
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Kuwait
- Private-Sector Work Residence Permit (Article 18 Iqama)
- Government-Sector Work Residence Permit (Article 17 Iqama)
- Domestic Worker Residence Permit (Article 20 Iqama)
3 pathways
Official fee from 20 KWD
No language needed
See requirements
Liechtenstein
- EEA work residence permit (B) — government grant
- EEA work residence permit (B) — lottery / draw
- Swiss nationals — residence permit (B)
- and 3 more
6 pathways
Official fee from 1,140 CHF
Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Lithuania
- National Visa (Type D / long-stay, over 90 days)
- Temporary Residence Permit (TRP)
2 pathways
Official fee from 260 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Luxembourg
- EU / EEA / Swiss Citizens — Stay and Work Over 90 Days
- Third-Country Salaried Worker Residence Permit
2 pathways
Official fee from 80 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Latvia
- Standard Work (Employment) Residence Permit
1 pathway
Official fee from 1,157 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Monaco
- Work Permit (Permis de travail) and Employee Residence
1 pathway
Official fee from 5 EUR
Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Moldova
- Work (employment) residence permit - ANOFM work permit + IGM provisional residence
1 pathway
Official fee from 6,000 MDL
Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Montenegro
- Temporary Residence + Work Permit (TRWP)
- Staff Leasing / Temporary Agency Work Permit
2 pathways
Official fee from 67 EUR
Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
North Macedonia
- Work / Employment Residence Permit
- Seasonal Work Residence Permit
- Seconded / Intra-Company Transfer Residence Permit
3 pathways
Official fee from 120 MKD
Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Malta
- Single Permit (combined work + residence)
- Highly Qualified Individuals - Key Employee Initiative (KEI) & Specialist Employee Initiative (SEI)
2 pathways
Official fee from 750 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Netherlands
- Highly Skilled Migrant (Kennismigrant)
- Single Permit (GVVA)
- Intra-Corporate Transferee (ICT)
3 pathways
Official fee from 423 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Norway
- Skilled Worker Residence Permit
- Seasonal Worker Permit
- EU/EEA/EFTA & Nordic Nationals - Free Movement (Registration)
3 pathways
Official fee from 6,300 NOK
Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship No language needed
See requirements
Oman
- Work Visa (Employment Residence)
1 pathway
Official fee from 70 OMR
No language needed
See requirements
Poland
- Single Permit (temporary residence + work)
- Seasonal work permit and residence
- Intra-corporate transfer (ICT)
3 pathways
Official fee from 520 PLN
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Portugal
- Work residence visa - subordinate employment (D1) and independent/entrepreneur (D2)
- D3 Visa – Highly Qualified Activity (Atividade Altamente Qualificada)
2 pathways
Official fee from 194 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Qatar
- Work Residence Permit (Employment / Qatar ID)
1 pathway
Leads to PR / citizenship No language needed
See requirements
Romania
- Employed Worker — Single Permit (Long-Stay Visa D/AM)
- Posted Worker / Intra-Corporate Transferee (ICT)
- Seasonal Worker Permit (D/AM2 — Seasonal Worker)
3 pathways
Official fee from 300 RON
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Serbia
- Single Permit (combined residence and work permit)
- Long-stay (D) visa
2 pathways
Official fee from 22,000 RSD
Leads to PR / citizenship No language needed
See requirements
Saudi Arabia
- Sponsored Work Visa and Iqama (Employment Residence Permit)
- Temporary Work Visa
2 pathways
Official fee from 19,050 SAR
No language needed
See requirements
Sweden
- Work permit for employees
1 pathway
Official fee from 2,200 SEK
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Slovenia
- Single Permit (Employment or Work)
- Intra-Corporate Transfer (ICT) Permit
2 pathways
Official fee from 130 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Slovakia
- Temporary Residence for Employment (Single Permit)
- Seasonal Worker / Work Permit
2 pathways
Official fee from 299 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
San Marino
- Work Stay Permit (Permesso di Soggiorno per lavoro) - Law 118/2010 / DD 151/2010
1 pathway
Official fee from 145 EUR
Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Ukraine
- Work Permit + Temporary Residence Permit (Employment)
- Military Service TRP (Foreigners in the Armed Forces)
2 pathways
Official fee from 1,140 UAH
Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Republic of Kosovo
- Work / Employment Residence (work permit + employment-purpose temporary residence)
1 pathway
Official fee from 150 EUR
Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements