Jordan cuts work permit fees 50% for regularizing expats through Sept. 30

Inside the 50% work permit fee cut

Jordan opened a labor regularization window running June 15 through Sept. 30, with major fee and penalty exemptions for non-Jordanian workers who fix their status before the deadline, the Ministry of Labor announced through Petra.

Employers and workers get a 50% exemption on accumulated work permit fees from prior periods and only the fee for one year or part of a year, on the most recent valid permit is collected. Late-payment penalties for renewing expired permits or transferring workers between employers are fully waived. So are overstay fines under Jordan's foreigners residency law, provided the person regularizes during the window.

The ministry carved out exceptions. Workers in garment and knitwear manufacturing and related production-input industries inside development zones, Qualified Industrial Zones and free zones are excluded, along with holders of specialized-skills permits.

Who the amnesty reaches

The policy targets non-Jordanian workers of all nationalities, employers of foreign labor and domestic workers. It also pulls in expats whose residency has lapsed because of work-permit issues, since the overstay-fine waiver applies across the board for those who regularize.

People who entered Jordan in previous years for non-work reasons may now obtain a first-time work permit during this window, per Petra. Short-term tourists without work or residency violations aren't the focus; this isn't a general tourist visa amnesty.

Workers whose permits have been expired for three months or more and who don't regularize risk deportation once the grace period ends. The Labor Ministry, Interior Ministry and Public Security Directorate are coordinating inspection campaigns during the window.

Settling a file before Sept. 30

Anyone affected should move through the ministry's Work Permit E-service or Immigrant Information E-Service to confirm status and process renewals or transfers. The decision removes the previous-employer clearance certificate requirement in certain transfer cases, which has historically blocked workers from switching jobs.

For those leaving Jordan permanently under a "departure without return" arrangement, prior work permit fees, fines and residency overstay penalties are waived if files are settled before exit.

After Sept. 30, the discounts disappear and enforcement tightens. See current visa updates for parallel regional moves.

Read our full Jordan guide for the complete picture.