Employment Permit Renewal
The process of extending an existing employment permit before it expires so the employee can continue working lawfully.
A first General Employment Permit is typically issued for two years and renewable for a further three. Renewal is the employer's shared responsibility: if the permit lapses, the employee is suddenly working illegally and both parties are exposed. Diarise renewals at least 16 weeks out, confirm the role still meets the current (indexed) salary threshold, and keep employment records ready — renewals are where sloppy payroll practices get discovered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — renewals are assessed against the salary thresholds prevailing at renewal time, which now rise annually through indexation. A salary that cleared the bar at first application may fall short at renewal, so review permit-holder pay against the current thresholds before each renewal window.
The employee's right to work ends with the permit. Continuing to employ them is an offence for both parties, and the employee's immigration permission may also be jeopardised. If a lapse occurs through employer failure, the Reactivation permit route may eventually recover the situation — but prevention via a renewal calendar is vastly cheaper.
Renewal applications can be submitted up to 16 weeks before the current permit expires — and you should use that full window. Late renewals risk a gap during which the employee cannot lawfully work, and processing times are outside your control. Diarise renewals when the original permit is granted, not when the expiry letter arrives.