Employment of aliens in Lithuania

For employing third country nationals in Lithuania, they should obtain the documents that provide a right to work and reside in Lithuania. For issuing the documents, an alien shall apply to the territorial Labour Exchange, the Migration Departmentand, other competent governmental institutions. The list of the required documents and the procedure of their issue depend on the qualification of the person planned for employment, the size of the agreed salary and other circumstances.

If a Lithuanian enterprise wishes to engage a highly qualified specialist from a foreign state, it should first of all carry out a search for a candidate to the vacancy in Lithuania. Prior to applying of an alien to the Labour Exchange for a Work Permit or making a decision on conformity of the alien to the needs of the labour market by the Labour Exchange, an announcement on the vacancy at the Lithuanian enterprise shall be published. If within the period of validity of the announcement (no less than 5 working days), no likely candidate is found in Lithuania, the alien shall apply to the Labour Exchange for the above-mentioned purpose. When the Work Permit is obtained, the alien may apply for the national visa D. After issue the national visa D, the alien may reside and work in Lithuania for a period up to 1 year. After expiry of 1 year, the alien shall apply for issue a Residence Permit. If the Labour Exchange passes a decision on conformity of the alien to the needs of the labour market, the alien may apply for issue a Residence Permit. The term for making a decision on issue a Residence Permit: up to 2-4 months. The term for making a decision on issue the national visa D: up to 15 days.

If a Lithuanian enterprise plans to engage a highly qualified specialist from a foreign state and pay him (her) the agreed salary no less than 1,5 average gross salary of employees of the sector of national economy according to the recent data published by Lithuanian Department of Statistics, it shall apply to the Labour Exchange for issue a decision on conformity of the alien to the needs of the labour market. Prior to application to the Labour Exchange, a search for the required specialist shall be carried out in Lithuania. The diploma of higher education issued to the alien in the foreign state should pass a procedure of recognition in Lithuania. If a likely candidate is not found in Lithuania, the documents for obtaining the said decision shall be submitted to the Labour Exchange. After a completion of the procedure at the Labour Exchange, application to competent institutions for issue a Temporary Residence Permit follows. For an alien is issued a BLUE CARD.

If a Lithuanian enterprise plans to engage a highly qualified specialist most in-demand in Lithuania or his (her) agreed salary in Lithuania will be no less than 3 average gross salaries of employees of the sector of national economy according to the recent data published by Lithuanian Department of Statistics, the alien may apply for issue the BLUE CARD according to the simplified procedure (where applying to the Labour Exchange is eliminated).

All employment procedures shall be initiated by the employer. So, a citizen of a foreign state should, first of all, find a job and then the employment procedures may be started.

It is notable that an employer assumes certain obligations on an engagement of a third country national. In addition to other obligations, an employer having engaged a citizen of a foreign state shall provide the relevant documents to competent institutions. Moreover, the employer commits itself to cover any possible expenses related to search of the employed alien and his (her) deportation from the territory of Lithuania, if the alien would hide out or run away to another European Union Member State.