Panama residency for workers hired within 10% of ordinary staff

If a private company in Panama wants to hire you and still has room within the 10% of its ordinary staff that can be foreign workers, you can apply for this permit to live and work in the country, regardless of your nationality.

Its legal name is the Provisional Permanent Resident Permit for Foreign Personnel Hired by Private Companies within 10% of Ordinary Personnel. It requires a salary of at least B/.850.00 per month and, after two (2) years, you can apply for permanent residency.

How the process works

  • The company must have an available slot within the 10% of foreign staff allowed.
  • Residence and work permit. Once the residence permit is in process or granted, the work permit is requested from the Ministry of Labor (MITRADEL).

If you will hold a specialized position, see the expert or technician category within the 15%.

Official source: Panama National Immigration Service, immigration permit requirements (in Spanish).

Team

Meet the team

You can start the process from abroad: the Legal Solutions Panama team prepares your file and handles it before Panama's National Immigration Service.

  • Kathia Rivera Kathia Rivera CEO / Founder / Attorney in
  • Samuel Chang Samuel Chang Managing Director, Attorney and Partner in
  • Alina González Alina González Immigration Attorney and Legal Advisor in

+10 years of experience · +55 nationalities served · +800 clients

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FAQ about the Visa under the category of 10% of Ordinary Personnel

The price of the Residence Permit under the 10% Category for one (1) applicant is US$2,964.90, including legal fees, ITBMS, government checks and processing expenses:

  • Legal fees: US$1,350.00
  • ITBMS (7% Panama VAT) on legal fees: US$94.50
  • Certified check payable to the National Immigration Service: US$800.00
  • Certified check payable to the National Treasury: US$250.00
  • Check certification: US$21.40
  • Processing expenses (excluding translations): US$359.00
  • Bank charges: US$90.00

Published prices apply to one (1) applicant only. They do not include dependents or official translations, whose costs vary depending on the number of dependents and the number of documents or pages that require translation.

If you are applying with dependents, we will calculate the exact cost of your case based on the number of dependents, their ages and their relationship to you.

The requirements to apply for the Visa under the 10% category are the following:

  1. Power of Attorney and Application through an attorney (notarized).
  2. Three (3) passport-type photographs with the uncovered face of the professional or technician from whom the permit in question will be requested.
  3. Complete copy of the passport verified by a Panamanian notary public. The copy that is accompanied by the certification of the accredited diplomatic representation in the country or the corresponding authority in the place of issue will also be valid.
  4. Criminal record certificate duly apostilled from the country of origin or residence. There are cases in which this type of document does not exist in the country of origin of the applicant, in which case the interested party must provide a certification from a Diplomatic Agent or Consular Agent of their country of origin accredited in the Republic of Panama, said certification must ratify the non-existence of said certificate in the applicant's country of origin.
  5. Health certificate issued by a qualified panamanian professional within the three months prior to submitting the application (we can help you).
  6. Certified check for a total of B/250.00 in favor of the National Treasury as rights for the application for the said immigration category.
  7. Certified check for B/800.00 in favor of the Panamanian National Immigration Service as a repatriation deposit.
  8. Personal History Affidavit Form.
  9. Employment contract endorsed by the Ministry of Labor and Labor Development in favor of the applicant.
  10. Letter of Employment on company letterhead or corporate paper, signed by the company’s legal representative. The document must contain the following:
    1. Position to be performed by the applicant.
    2. Salary to be earned by the interested party.
  11. Copy of the Operations Notice of the company for which the applicant will work.
  12. Simple copy of the company certificate of validity issued by the Public Registry, where the applicant will work.
  13. Work permit.
  14. Proof of affiliation to the Social Security Administration, with a copy of the ID (on the first request).
  15. National certificate of income of the company that will employ the applicant.
  16. Pay a total of B/.50.00 for the Immigration Card.
  17. In the case of dependents:
    1. Letter of responsibility.
    2. Kinship certificate.
    3. Proof of address.
    4. Over 18 years of age, present a certificate of unmarried status and certified studies.