Non-citizen children of Jordanian mothers gain work rights

What is the change?

Officials have waived work permit requirements for non-citizen children of Jordanian mothers.

What does the change mean?

Those holding cards identifying them as children of Jordanian mothers are no longer required to obtain work authorization in Jordan.

• Implementation time frame: Ongoing. The change took effect earlier this year. 
• Visas/permits affected: Work permits.
• Who is affected: Non-citizen children of Jordanian mothers working in Jordan.
• Business impact: Employers can now hire non-citizen children of Jordanian mothers without needing to obtain work authorization.

Background:

In Jordan, citizenship does not pass through the mother. This means that children of a non-Jordanian father are not citizens even if their mother is a Jordanian citizen. Up until now, these children were required to obtain work permits to work on local contracts. This changed earlier this year, however, with the publication of an amendment to the Jordanian labour regulations in May.