Work permit in Armenia and who does not need one

How this works overall

The law begins with a right: foreigners freely exercise their labour capacity, choose their profession and field of activity, and may engage in any economic activity not prohibited by law — subject to established restrictions. The principle of equal rights between parties to employment relations is guaranteed regardless of gender, race, nationality, language, citizenship or any other circumstance unrelated to professional qualifications.

The mechanics work as follows. An employer may enter into an employment contract or a service agreement with a foreign national who holds a temporary residence card issued on employment grounds. For two categories listed among the exceptions, a public services identification number suffices in place of the card. There are also separately specified cases where a foreign national does not need either a residence permit or that number at all.

The work permit is not an abstract authorisation: it specifies the role the foreign national is to perform and the employer they are joining. The residence permit is then issued or renewed for the period stated in the work permit.

The recruitment of foreign workers takes place through a unified electronic platform operated by the authorized migration authority: the employer submits an application there using the form prescribed by the government.

• The permit is tied to a specific role and a specific employer
• Residence permit on an employment basis — valid for the term stated in the authorisation
• The agreement is concluded through a unified electronic platform
• The foreigner collects the documents from the migration authority in person

Fifteen working days: labour market test

The mechanism is buried in the third part of Article 22, and both parties would do well to know about it. When completing the application on the platform, the period set for responses to vacancy notices must be at least fifteen working days.

The purpose is stated explicitly in the provision: during this period, the authorised body in the field of labour and employment studies the requirements of the Armenian labour market and, where possible, proposes to the employer that the position be filled by citizens of the Republic of Armenia — in the manner established by the government.

This is the source of the first ground for refusal: the state of the labour market, based on its analysis, does not allow this type of work — including cases where the position could be filled by Armenian citizens.

For those who fall within the list of exceptions, this rule does not apply: the requirement to fill a vacancy with Armenian citizens does not apply to them, nor does the fifteen-day period itself. The one caveat is roles that by law require Armenian citizenship.

Who works without a permit

The list in article 23 is long, and for those who have just arrived it often turns out to be the main practical substance of the entire topic. Below are the categories most commonly encountered in practice.

Holders of permanent and special residence permits in Armenia — no permit required, no conditions. Holders of temporary residence permits issued on the grounds of study, family, or Armenian nationality — for a period not exceeding their permitted stay.

Founders and heads of executive bodies of commercial organisations based in Armenia that include foreign capital conferring voting rights over more than half of the organisation — for work within those same organisations. Employees of foreign commercial organisations — for work at their representative offices in Armenia.

Lecturers, teachers and researchers invited to educational institutions operating in Armenia, as well as foreigners in administrative and managerial positions within the leadership of those institutions. Foreign specialists who come to train staff in the installation, repair or operation of equipment supplied or purchased from foreign organizations.

Foreigners with high-level qualifications meeting government-established criteria. Professional athletes signing sports activity contracts. Artists and performers coming for film, theatre, and concert tours, along with the supporting staff for these events.

Foreign students enrolled at educational institutions in Armenia — within one year of completing their studies. Accredited representatives of foreign media organisations. Asylum seekers, refugees and those granted asylum. Persons exempt from the requirement under Armenia’s international treaties.

A certificate of compliance with the list of exceptions is issued by the authorised government body in the manner prescribed by the government. In other words, the exception is confirmed by a document, not by a verbal declaration.

When the permit will be refused

Article 25 lists exactly five grounds, and the list is exhaustive.

Labour market conditions do not allow this work — including cases where the position can be filled by Armenian citizens. Armenian citizenship is legally required to perform this work. The required information or documents are fraudulent. The employer intending to hire the foreign national has previously violated foreign employment requirements. There are grounds posing a threat to Armenia’s national security.

The fourth ground is worth reading from the applicant’s perspective: a refusal may come not because of anything the applicant did, but because of the employer’s past violations. This is a good reason to find out, before signing, whether the company has hired foreign nationals before and how those cases ended.

The law no longer contains a separate article on appealing a permit refusal — it was repealed in 2021.

• The labour market does not allow this type of work
• Armenian citizenship is required for this work
• False information or documents
• The employer has previously violated rules on hiring foreign nationals
• Threat to state security

The agreement: what the law requires it to include

An employment contract or service agreement may only be concluded for a period not exceeding the term of the residence permit held on employment grounds. A contract longer than the residence permit is not permitted by law.

And then an unusually specific content requirement for labour law: the contract must address matters related to the relocation of the foreign employee and their family members to Armenia, their social welfare and social insurance, their reception, housing, registration at a place of residence, and return.

Within ten working days of signing the contract, the employer uploads the electronic version to the unified electronic platform for record-keeping purposes, with the exception of any information constituting a trade secret.

The residence permit itself: timelines and renewal

A temporary residence permit is granted to a foreigner who has demonstrated circumstances justifying residence in Armenia for one year or more. A work permit is one such circumstance; for certain categories on the exemptions list, a compliance certificate suffices instead.

Period — up to one year, renewed each time for one year.

The fee for granting temporary status and a residence card is 105,000 AMD; each renewal costs the same. These amounts are published by the Migration Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in its official state-fee schedule; applicants under 18 are exempt from the status fee.

🔴 The extension application must be submitted no later than 30 days before the residence permit expires. For study-based permits, the government may set a shorter deadline.

Spouses have separate protection: a person who obtained a temporary residence permit on family grounds may apply for an extension after divorce or annulment of the marriage, provided they were married and resident in Armenia for at least one year.

From 1 November 2026: fifteen working days to sign a new contract

Everything above reflects the current version of the law. From 1 November 2026, the amendment to the Aliens Act adopted on 20 January comes into force, and for employed workers it brings three key changes.

First: temporary status granted on employment grounds is considered lapsed if the employment contract or service agreement is terminated before the end of the status period and a new one is not registered through the digital contracts system within 15 working days. Losing your job starts a two-week countdown.

The second: applications and decisions are handled exclusively through the electronic platform, a decision is issued within 30 days subject to an annual quota, and an exhausted quota becomes grounds for refusal.

Third: the law introduces a work entry visa — allowing stays of up to 120 days, non-renewable, once per calendar year. However, the provisions on this visa and on permission to stay or reside in Armenia for work purposes only take effect once the new electronic visa system is launched, and the law sets no date for this.

Applications submitted before 1 November will be processed under the previous rules. For details, see the guide ’Armenia from 1 November 2026’.

Frequently asked questions

Verified September 11, 2026. The thresholds and amounts are tied to indicators that are reviewed annually — check the official source for your country before filing.