Armenia Visa & Work Permit Guide

Depending on the foreign national’s status, background, and purpose, Armenia offers several pathways for legal work + residence:

• Temporary work permit + Temporary Resident Card — the standard route for most foreign employees. Valid 1 year, renewable annually. Pebl+2Globalization Partners+2
  
  
• Long-term residence based on employment — for foreign professionals planning extended stay (if employment continues). Playroll+2Papaya Global+2
  

Residence permit based on entrepreneurship / business ownership — for foreigners who set up their own company or register as sole proprietors. In that case, a separate employee-style work permit may not be required. Retrieve+2Globalization Partners+2

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Exemptions

Some persons may be exempt from needing a work permit, including: certain highly skilled specialists, business owners/executives of their own companies, employees of foreign companies (on foreign payroll), and sometimes people under international or bilateral agreements (e.g. citizens of certain free‑movement zones). EURAXESS+2Retrieve+2

In short: While the standard path is work permit + residence permit, the system allows flexibility depending on the person’s role and status.

Depending on the foreign national’s status, background, and purpose, Armenia offers several pathways for legal work + residence:

• Temporary work permit + Temporary Resident Card — the standard route for most foreign employees. Valid 1 year, renewable annually. Pebl+2Globalization Partners+2
  
  
• Long-term residence based on employment — for foreign professionals planning extended stay (if employment continues). Playroll+2Papaya Global+2
  

Residence permit based on entrepreneurship / business ownership — for foreigners who set up their own company or register as sole proprietors. In that case, a separate employee-style work permit may not be required. Retrieve+2Globalization Partners+2

‍

Exemptions

Some persons may be exempt from needing a work permit, including: certain highly skilled specialists, business owners/executives of their own companies, employees of foreign companies (on foreign payroll), and sometimes people under international or bilateral agreements (e.g. citizens of certain free‑movement zones). EURAXESS+2Retrieve+2

In short: While the standard path is work permit + residence permit, the system allows flexibility depending on the person’s role and status.

For companies hiring full-time foreign talent:

• Employer registers the job vacancy and applies for a work permit through the official online system (platform accessible via the government site). Workpermit+1
  
  
• Once the permit is granted, the foreign employee applies for a Temporary Resident Card to obtain legal residence status. Pebl+1
  

This combined route is the standard for foreign nationals relocating to Armenia for employment. Papaya Global+2Playroll+2

Yes. Employer sponsorship is generally required for foreign nationals (who are not exempt). The employer must register the vacancy, justify the need to hire a foreigner (including labor‑market test), and submit the necessary documentation. EURAXESS+2Retrieve+2

However — there are important exemptions: foreign business owners in their own companies, highly skilled specialists, and certain foreign entities’ representatives may not need the standard work permit/residence process. EURAXESS+2Retrieve+2

Who qualifies (employee side)

• Must be a foreign national (non-Armenian passport) unless exempted under certain statuses. EURAXESS+2Pebl+2
  
  
• Valid passport — usually with at least 6 months validity beyond intended stay.
  
  
• Signed employment contract or job offer from an Armenian legal entity (or valid business ownership if self‑employed). Papaya Global+2Pebl+2
  
  
• Relevant academic or professional qualifications and experience for the job. Pebl+2Playroll+2
  
  
• Depending on the case: health / medical certificate, criminal record check, proof of accommodation or accommodation intent, and sometimes proof of financial means. (These are common across residence‑permit systems globally — so earlier details you had remain relevant.)
  
  

What the employer (or business owner) needs to provide

• Employer registration via the official online work‑permit portal. Workpermit+1
  
  
• Vacancy description and justification for hiring a foreign national — including labor market test evidence that no suitable local candidate could be found. EURAXESS+2Retrieve+2
  
  
• Signed employment contract, job details (title, duties, salary, duration). Pebl+1
  

Employer’s business registration and proof of active operations (tax, registrations, or other corporate records). Workpermit+2Globalization Partners+2

Exemptions and alternative pathways

• Foreigners who own or run their own business (e.g. registered sole proprietor) can base their residence on business activity rather than standard employment — bypassing the typical work‑permit route. Retrieve+1
  
  
• Some categories — like highly skilled specialists, executives, certain foreign company representatives — may be exempt from work permit requirements. EURAXESS+2armenian-lawyer.com+2
  
  
• Remote workers hired by foreign (non‑Armenian) companies generally do not need a local Armenian work permit (since they are not working for an Armenian employer). Work From Anywhere+2armenian-lawyer.com+2
  
  

Tax and compliance considerations

• Foreign employees legally working in Armenia become subject to local income tax and social contributions. Work From Anywhere+1
  
  
• Staying over a certain period (often 183 days) may trigger local tax residency rules — which means employers should coordinate with tax advisors for proper withholding and compliance. Work From Anywhere+1
  
  
• If a foreigner works without proper permit/residence, both they and the employer risk penalties under Armenian law. Pebl+2EURAXESS+2
  
  

Long-term residence, permanent residency and other statuses

• After maintaining legal residence and employment for a period (typically 3 years), foreign nationals may become eligible to apply for a permanent resident card — under conditions such as having stable accommodation, legal income, and sometimes family ties or business activity. armenian-lawyer.com+2Wikipedia+2
  
  
• Entrepreneurs and business owners may qualify for permanent residence more quickly under the business‑activity route, or based on origin for persons of Armenian descent (through special residency status). armenian-lawyer.com+1
  
  
• Permanent residency permits are generally valid for five years (renewable) or ten years in special/residency‑based cases. Wikipedia+2armenian-lawyer.com+2
  
  

Dual citizenship is permitted under Armenian law (for those who obtain it), so if your employee eventually takes Armenian citizenship they may maintain their original nationality — if the other country permits it. Wikipedia

• The employer initiates the work‑permit application via the online portal (as of 2022 this process is fully digitalized). Workpermit+1
  
  
• For straightforward cases, approval of a work permit may take as little as around 2–3 weeks (≈ 13–14 business days). Playroll+2Globalization Partners+2
  
  
• Once the permit is granted, the foreign employee applies for the Temporary Resident Card. Typically, issuing the residence permit takes roughly 30 days after application submission. Pebl+2Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia+2
  
  
• Combined, assuming no complications, the total timeline from employer application to resident permit issuance is frequently 4–6 weeks (for quick cases). But realistically — especially including document collection, translations, contracts, and any delays — many employers plan for 2–3 months.
  
  

Important: Delays may occur if:

• Documentation is missing, incomplete, or not translated into Armenian.
  
  
• Employer or employee must complete labor‑market test or justification process.
  
  
• There is a high volume or backlog at migration authorities.
  
  

Additional requirements (medical certificate, criminal background check, housing proofs) take time to process.

Navigating Armenia’s work permit and residence environment can be complex — but that’s where RemoVisa adds value. We help employers and foreign hires by:

• ✅ Managing employer-sponsored visa applications — we guide your Armenian legal entity registration (if needed), draft compliant job documentation and vacancy justification, and submit work permit requests through the official portal.
  
  
• ⚖️ Ensuring compliant work permit + residence permit processing — we coordinate all required documents (passport, translations, contracts, proof of housing, legal attestations) and monitor approvals.
  
  
• 🌐 Leveraging global coverage (85+ countries) — as part of a broad global EOR network, we make Armenia just one option among many, scaling hiring across regions.
  
  
• 🤝 Providing managed support from immigration experts — our team knows the nuances, common pitfalls, and how to anticipate delays or required follow-ups.
  
  
• 🛠️ Bundling visa support with payroll, benefits, onboarding — foreign hires become fully integrated employees without burdening your internal HR — from employment contract to residency compliance to payroll and benefits delivery.
  
  

Plus: If your new hire has dependents (spouse or minor children), we can help with dependent permits, housing support, and compliance with resident-application requirements.

It’s worth noting that major reforms are planned in Armenia’s immigration system from August 2026 onward. International Investment

Under the draft legislation:

• The permit/residence system will shift toward two primary statuses — temporary and permanent. International Investment
  
  
• The immigration regime for employment may change — introducing a formal work visa for those coming for employment (replacing or supplementing existing work‑permit + residence approach). International Investment+1
  
  
• For entrepreneurs (sole proprietors / IE — individual entrepreneurship), new financial thresholds may apply (e.g. turnover or balance requirements) to qualify for residence under business activity. International Investment
  
  
• Some statuses (e.g. permanent residency for ethnic Armenians or those with business investment) may become more streamlined under the “special residency” or long-term residence permit categories. International Investment+1
  
  

Implication for employers: If your application or hiring plan spans 2026 or later, you’ll want to stay updated on the new rules with support from a compliance partner (like RemoVisa) — we’ll help anticipate changes and guide compliance with the revised system.

• Employer of Record in Armenia — Learn about hiring, payroll, taxes, and employment law in Armenia
  
  
• RemoVisa immigration support — How RemoFirst helps with global work permits and visa processing
  
  

Migration and Citizenship Service of Armenia — Official government resource for residence permits and immigration info