For several years, UNIA has been actively involved in advocating for the right to work of spouses of expatriate intra-company transferees. In these efforts, UNIA has partnered with:
- Local Expatriate Spouse Association (LESA), a global membership organization for UN spouses;
- Permits Foundation, an international not-for-profit organization supported by the private sector working on securing unrestricted permission to work to resident family members of all foreign workers and primarily supported by the private sector.
Currently, UN spouses entering India on a diplomatic visa who wish to work are required to secure a contract for USD25,000 and must convert their diplomatic visa to an employment visa. In the recent past UNIA has been able to work with the Indian government to allow a spouse to change his/her visa status without necessitating a trip to his/her home country. Next steps include garnering support to abolish the USD25,000 requirement for employment visa eligibility. UNIA’s goal is for spouses arriving in India to enjoy unrestricted permission to work for the duration of their assignment.
For more information on UNIA efforts in this area, please email the LESA coordinator.
Links
UNWA United Nations Women's Association - Delhi 