{"id":3428,"date":"2024-06-14T14:06:35","date_gmt":"2024-06-14T14:06:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/legaliapanama.com\/how-to-legalize-a-foreign-domestic-worker\/"},"modified":"2025-01-04T05:20:33","modified_gmt":"2025-01-04T05:20:33","slug":"how-to-legalize-a-foreign-domestic-worker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legaliapanama.com\/en\/how-to-legalize-a-foreign-domestic-worker\/","title":{"rendered":"HOW TO LEGALIZE A FOREIGN DOMESTIC WORKER"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

STEP BY STEP IN PANAMA<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Why is it important to legalize foreign domestic workers? What are the advantages of having personnel affiliated to the Social Security Fund and with a valid visa? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

We know that any procedure before government entities requires an effort of time and money, however, we consider it extremely important that they know the importance of having these foreign workers in compliance with the Law. <\/p>\n\n

The Domestic Worker Visa is a type of visa that allows foreign nationals to legally work in Panamanian households as domestic staff. This visa applies to nannies, elderly care personnel, cooks, drivers, gardeners, general assistants, butlers and even guards. <\/p>\n\n

MAIN ADVANTAGES OF LEGALIZING DOMESTIC STAFF:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

1. La persona podr\u00e1 ejercer sus laborales de forma tranquila, sin el riesgo de ser detenido e inclusive deportado a su pa\u00eds de origen por falta de documentaci\u00f3n; <\/p>\n\n

2. By being affiliated to the CSS, she will be able to receive medical care from the Social Security Fund and in the case of pregnancy, the CSS would cover maternity leave instead of the employer. Similarly, it would have protection from the SSC against occupational accidents. <\/p>\n\n

WHO CAN APPLY FOR THE VISA?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

This visa must be applied for by a Panamanian employer, or by foreigners who are permanent residents or temporary residents who hire a foreigner to work as a domestic service worker, who must submit the application to the National Immigration Service of Panama. <\/p>\n\n

It is important to emphasize that this process begins by requesting the registration of the employee with the Social Security Fund. In other words, from the moment of affiliation, the employer acquires the commitment to make payments to the CSS in a timely manner. <\/p>\n\n

The minimum wage for domestic workers in Panama City is three hundred and fifteen dollars ($315.00).<\/p>\n\n

REQUIREMENTS:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

On the part of the worker:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

    \n
  • Five (5) passport-size photos;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Copy of the identity document of the country of origin or residence permit;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Criminal Record Certificate from your country of origin, apostilled;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Health certificate issued by a Panamanian doctor;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Copy of all passport pages, duly notarized;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Copy of Panama’s Social Security Fund card.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n

    On the employer’s side:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

      \n
    • Employment Contract (minimum wage for domestic employee $340.00 per month);<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Copy of identity (migration card, ID card or permanent resident card);<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Proof of utility bill (water, electricity, or telephone);<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Economic solvency of the responsible party proven through one of the following options:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n

      1) Letter of Employment with your form or proof of payment;<\/p>\n\n

      2) Income tax return with its respective peace and security;<\/p>\n\n

      3) Bank reference letter from a local bank.<\/p>\n\n

        \n
      • Comply with the payment of the fee for the application for immigration service ($100.00) and Guarantee Deposit ($500.00);<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Letter of responsibility.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n

        EXTENSIONS:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

          \n
        • Power of attorney and visa extension request;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Employer’s Letter of Responsibility;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Payment of fifty dollars ($50.00) to the National Immigration Service;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Proof of affiliation to the Social Security Fund;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Proof of utility bill (water, electricity or telephone).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n

          Once the application for a Domestic Worker Visa is accepted by the National Migration Service, the foreign worker will be entitled to a card in process (valid for six months) and after the completion of the process will be granted a card for a term of one (1) year, renewable annually up to four (4) times, as long as it is maintained with the same Employer. <\/p>\n\n

          DURATION OF THE PROCEDURE:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

          The process takes approximately 1-3 months.<\/p>\n\n

          CONCLUSION:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

          The Domestic Worker Visa in Panama is a mechanism that allows the regularization of the employment situation of foreign workers in Panamanian households, providing protection and guaranteeing their labor rights while they are working in the country, thus improving the quality of life of the domestic worker and their family.<\/p>\n\n

          By: Krisnia Haydee Lopez<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

          LEGALIA PANAMA<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          STEP BY STEP IN PANAMA Why is it important to legalize foreign domestic workers? What are the advantages of having personnel affiliated to the Social Security Fund and with a valid visa? We know that any procedure before government entities requires an effort of time and money, however, we consider it extremely important that they […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3319,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3428","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sin-categorizar"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/legaliapanama.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3428","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/legaliapanama.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/legaliapanama.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legaliapanama.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legaliapanama.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3428"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/legaliapanama.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3428\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3432,"href":"https:\/\/legaliapanama.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3428\/revisions\/3432"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legaliapanama.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3319"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/legaliapanama.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3428"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legaliapanama.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3428"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legaliapanama.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3428"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}