Employment of dependent spouses and children of members of the Permanent Missions may be granted if the sending state has signed a Bilateral Work Agreement with the United States, or if a de facto reciprocal employment arrangement is in place. As of Feb. 2007, Bilateral Work agreements had been signed between 91 member states, and reciprocal arrangements were in place with 53 additional member states. Although the provisions of the agreements and arrangements vary by country, dependent spouses (regardless of their own nationality), full-time student children under 23, and children over 23 who are disabled from missions whose governments have signed a bilateral agreement are generally able to gain authorization to accept any job they are able to find (although children may only accept part-time employment). Spouses, regardless of nationality, of employees of missions with de facto agreements in place are generally able to gain employment authorization to accept a skilled or professional-level job once a specific job offer has been secured. Dependent children under 23 who are full-time students, and disabled dependent children of any age from missions with de facto arrangements, are normally able to gain authorization to accept part-time skilled or unskilled work with a specific job offer. In the case of de facto arrangements, employment is limited to dependents of nationals of the country represented.

EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION CHECKLIST