Jordan's work permit in 2026: the specialist's way in
Jordan paused most foreign hiring in June 2026. Specialists in hard-to-fill roles are exempt, and their one-year permit now costs 1,500 JOD (about $2,115).
There's no applying on your own. A Jordanian employer files for you with the Ministry of Labour, and that permit is what lets you get a residence card. For Americans, the realistic version is a specialist post at a university, hospital, tech firm or bank.
The first gate
Jordan only hires foreigners it can't replace
Jordan's Labour Law only lets an employer hire a foreigner when the work needs experience Jordanian workers don't have, or there aren't enough of them. On June 1, 2026, the government went further and suspended recruitment of non-Jordanians across most sectors. High-skilled professions that need specialized expertise were exempted, along with a few industries such as garment making and domestic work.
So the route that's open is the specialized-skills permit. Your profession has to be on the Minister of Labour's specialized skills list, and the job usually has to involve rare expertise or passing skills on to Jordanian staff. The 2019 version of the list covered engineering, medicine, IT and telecom, university teaching, banking and finance, aviation and tourism.
- Closed to foreigners, per expat guides: sales, clerical and admin work, security guarding, hairdressing and most teaching roles.
- If your job is on the skilled list, a regular permit isn't an option. The ministry stopped renewing those for skilled roles in 2019.
- Regulated professions also need a license or approval from the relevant regulator.
What the specialized-skills permit costs
1,500 JOD
One-year permit, under the 2025 fee regulation
about $2,115
875 JOD
Six-month permit
about $1,235
450 JOD
Three-month permit
about $635
50 JOD
Added to each issue or renewal, plus stamp duty
about $70
Step by step
From job offer to residence card
The fees above were cut in 2025. Dollar figures here use the dinar's fixed rate of about 0.709 to the dollar, so they won't drift. Traditionally the employer pays. The 2025 rules let the fee be collected from either side, so get it in writing in your contract.
Here's the order things happen in. No official processing time is published for Amman; expat guides put the permit at roughly 30 to 60 days, longer if a security check is involved.
- Your employer files with the Ministry of Labour: your passport, a CV or letter proving your expertise, and any regulator approvals.
- You pass a medical exam, recorded as fit in the ministry's system. Foreigners who test positive for HIV are refused residency.
- You enter Jordan. Americans can buy a five-year multiple-entry visa for 110 JOD (about $155).
- Within two weeks of entry, you register your address with the police, or face a 200 JOD fine (about $282).
- With the permit in hand, you apply for the residence card. Permits run one year at most and are renewed each year.
Work Permit and Residency for Non-Jordanian Workers
The standard way to live in Jordan as an employee. Your Jordanian employer applies to the Ministry of Labour for your work permit, which then supports a residency permit. Permits last up to one year and are renewed by the employer; many professions are closed to foreigners.
- Government cost
- $3,120
- Timeline
- 3 months, 6 months or 1 year, renewable yearly by the employer
- Difficulty
- Hard
Key requirements
- Job offer from a licensed Jordanian employer, who files the application
- Profession must be open to non-Jordanians (many are reserved for Jordanians)
- Valid passport and CV or employer letter confirming your expertise
- Approvals from the relevant regulator and a recommendation letter where required
- Medical examination recorded in the Ministry of Labour expatriate labor system
- Specialized-skills permits are limited to professions on the Minister's specialized skills list
About that data card
The cost of $3,120 is close to the old one-year fee of 2,200 JOD (about $3,100). A 2025 regulation lowered it to 1,500 JOD (about $2,115), plus the 50 JOD add-on. The requirements and the 3, 6 or 12-month timeline still hold.
The fines and failure points to know
3 JOD a day
The overstay fine (about $4.25) since Parliament doubled it in 2025. It's collected when you leave.
Two-week registration
Miss the police registration window after entry and the fine is 200 JOD (about $282).
50% late penalty
Added to the permit fee if a permit expires and isn't renewed within 90 days.
Employer fines
100 to 150 JOD a month for each foreigner working without a permit, and the employer pays for deportation.
Medical screening
Required for the permit and residency. A positive HIV test means no residency.
Paperwork delays
Applicants report that apostilles and legalized documents are where files stall most often.
The trade-offs
What this permit doesn't give you
One employer, one job
The permit covers a specific employer and a specific occupation. Do different work, or work for someone else, and it isn't valid. So a new job means new paperwork.
A paycheck for one
A spouse who comes on family residency can't work on your permit. They'd need their own employer and their own permit, under the same rules and the same hiring pause.
Two tax systems
You become a Jordanian tax resident after 183 days in a year. Rates start at 5% on the first 5,000 JOD and reach 25% above 20,000 JOD. Where you're enrolled in social security, you pay 7.5% and your employer 14.25%. The U.S. has no Social Security agreement with Jordan, and you'll still file a U.S. return every April.
No easy path to a passport
Naturalization is at the Cabinet's discretion and requires reading and writing Arabic. Treat this permit as a posting, not a step toward settling for good.
Help with the parts your employer won't handle
Hunter Schultz
Healthcare Coach
A healthcare coach who builds a care plan for your destination, including which hospitals and specialists to use once you're in Amman.
ExpatInsure
Global Health Insurance
International health insurance that works outside the U.S., worth comparing with whatever plan your Jordanian employer offers.
MyExpatTaxes
U.S. Expat Tax Service
Prepares U.S. expat tax returns, including the reporting that comes with earning a foreign salary.
Moneycorp
Currency Exchange
Currency exchange and international transfers, for moving dinars home to cover U.S. bills and savings.
Jordan work permit questions
Can I work remotely for a U.S. company while living in Jordan?
Jordan has no remote work or digital nomad visa, and working in Jordan without an employer-sponsored permit is treated as illegal work. Get local legal advice before planning to do this.
Can I teach English in Jordan?
Usually not. Most teaching roles are closed to foreigners, according to expat guides. University teaching appeared on the Ministry of Labour's 2019 skilled professions list, so a university post is the more realistic option than a language school job.
Can I get a Jordanian work permit without a job offer?
No. A Jordanian employer applies to the Ministry of Labour for you, and the permit is tied to that employer and that job. Jordan also has no digital nomad or self-sponsored work visa.
Is Jordan still hiring foreign workers?
Only in some areas. From June 1, 2026, Jordan suspended recruitment of non-Jordanian workers across most sectors. High-skilled professions that require specialized expertise were exempted, so specialist roles remain possible. Check the current status with your employer before you resign from a U.S. job.
Can my spouse work in Jordan if I have a work permit?
Not on your permit. A spouse living in Jordan as your dependent needs their own job offer and their own employer-sponsored work permit.
How much does a Jordan work permit cost in 2026?
For the specialized-skills permit most Americans would use, a 2025 regulation set the fee at 1,500 JOD (about $2,115) for one year, 875 JOD for six months and 450 JOD for three months, plus a 50 JOD add-on and stamp duty. The dinar is fixed at about 0.709 to the U.S. dollar.
What happens if I overstay in Jordan?
The fine is 3 JOD (about $4.25) a day since Parliament doubled it in 2025, and it's collected when you leave. Separately, failing to register your address with the police within two weeks of arrival can bring a 200 JOD fine (about $282).
Do Americans working in Jordan pay Jordanian income tax?
Yes. Jordan taxes income earned in Jordan, and you count as a tax resident once you spend 183 days there in a year. Rates run from 5% on the first 5,000 JOD to 25% above 20,000 JOD, and 30% above 1 million JOD. U.S. citizens also keep filing a U.S. tax return every year.
Other ways to live in Jordan
Jordan Citizenship by Investment Program
- Start a new project with capital of at least JOD 700,000 (about $987,000) in Amman or JOD 500,000 (about $705,000) in other governorates
- Or buy JOD 1,500,000 (about $2.1 million) of newly issued listed shares, at most 10% of any one company, held for 5 years
- Or employ 150 Jordanians in Amman, or 100 outside Amman, with no fixed capital amount
Property Investor Residency Permit (5-Year)
- Buy residential property worth at least JOD 200,000 (about $282,000) from a licensed developer, as assessed by the Department of Lands and Survey
- JOD 300,000 (about $423,000) if bought from a non-developer, or JOD 150,000 (about $212,000) for property outside Amman (Cabinet decision of 15 July 2026)
- Hold the property for at least 5 years without selling, mortgaging or transferring it
Is Jordan the right place for your career move?
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