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ANDORRA REGULATORY
ENVIRONMENT
- ANDORRA WORK
PERMITS
Andorra
Regulatory Environment
Andorran
employment law is relatively undeveloped, and
industrial relations are mostly conducted in
a straightforward fashion between employer and
employees. Since there is no unemployment in
Andorra, employees are in a good position to
obtain satisfactory pay and conditions of work.
Trade Unions were legalised for the first time
in the 1993 Constitution.
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Andorra Work Permits
All
foreigners wanting to work in Andorra need work
permits. These are obtained by employers, whether
Andorran individuals or companies, on behalf
of employees. Self-employment is not allowed
until after 10 years' residence.or trade in
Andorra.
A
new immigration law finally passed in 2002 was
highly contentious, but legalised the situation
of about 7,000 'pink slip' long-term immigrant
workers, as well as setting new rules for the
issuance of work permit quotas which give preference
first to citizens from Andorra's neighboring
countries, then to citizens from the countries
of the European Union, then to citizens of countries
with which the principality has signed international
agreements, and finally immigrants from third
party states. Under the law, the government
sets annual quotas for new issues of renewable
work permits.
There
are separate types of non-renewable work permit
for temporary and seasonal workers, to which
the quotas don't apply. The holder of such a
work permit must leave the country within one
month of expiry of the permit.
Renewable
work permits are issued first for 6 months,
extensible for a further year; then a temporary
residence card is issued valid for a renewable
2 years; then, a 5-year ordinary residence card
is issued; and finally a 10-year privileged
residence card is issued. Fees are modest, except
that the employer must pay a small amount when
first applying for a permit.
Applications
for work permits must include photographs, home
police certificate, proof of occupational qualifications,
cv, passport, property ownership or rental details
and marital status certificate. The CASS will
conduct a medical examination.
The
Law on Passive Residence Permits November 2006
established that a quota would be determined
periodically according to the “economic
and social needs of the Principality of Andorra”.
An
initial quota of 500 such permits was set. Passive
residents do not work of carry out professional
activity in the principality.
New
entrants to the Principality must:
- Show
minimum annual income of 30,000 Euros for
the head of the family and 7,000 euros for
each dependent family member;
- Prove
good conduct in their previous domicile;
- Produce
health insurance and a pension plan;
- Own
or rent a house or apartment in the Principality;
- Pay
a non-interest-beating deposit of 30,000 Euros
plus 7,000 for each dependent to the Andorran
National Institute of Finances (INAF) which
is refundable on departure.
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