3 THINGS AN EXPAT NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT EMPLOYMENT IN INDIA

There are only two types of work-related(employment) visas that are issued to expats for coming to work in India:

1. ‘B’ visa, also called the Business Visa
2. ‘E’ visa or the employment Visa.

Business visa is for expat entrepreneurs or people who want to do business in India. Holders of this type of visa usually work on behalf of a foreign company and won’t be working for a local company. It is usually issued with six month’s validity or more along with multiple entries. This visa cannot be converted into an employment visa.

Employment visas for expats are issued to those who are working for an Indian organization. Eligibility is possible if they are relocating to India on an intra-company transfer or if there is a guaranteed transfer of employ.

What are the 3 the important things that an expat needs to know about their employment visas:

1. Expats coming to India for employment, i.e. on a work visa, should apply for a visa even before their arrival. Applications for this is available from your country’s Indian embassy or you can also approach a VFS Global private processing agency (it is a private agency appointed by the Indian government to process visa applications)
2. Expats coming on a work visa to India are required to provide a proof of employment. It could be a contract with an Indian employer and business visa applicants are supposed to furnish letters from the applicant’s employer and the local company that they will be doing business with.
3. Can the employment visa be extended? Yes. The State Governments/Union Territories/FRROs/FROs wield the power to extend it beyond the initial visa validity period, up to a total of 5 years from the date the initial It was issued. This is done on an annual basis and it is binding on the conduct of the applicant plus furnishing of necessary documents that support the applicant’s continued It with the firm, the filing of income tax on time and his/her behavior in the society.
4. The Minimum salary for getting a work visa in India is 16.30 lakhs per annum.

Please do note that an employment visa is subject to a lot of terms. The applicant should be skilled and the visa is normally not granted for ordinary, low-skilled or clerical jobs.