How to Hire a Foreign Worker in Gibraltar (2026)
It depends on the worker’s nationality. Gibraltarian, British and EU/EEA citizens are entitled workers, you hire them with no permit. Non-EU nationals need a work permit that you, the employer, apply for, after showing no local or EU worker was available. Get it wrong and the fine is up to £3,000 per worker.
| Hire without a permit? | Gibraltarian, British, EU/EEA and Swiss citizens |
|---|---|
| Need a permit? | All other (non-EU) nationals |
| Who applies? | You, the employer, not the worker |
| The test | Show no Gibraltarian or EU/EEA worker was available (labour-market test) |
| Penalty for no permit | Up to £3,000 per worker |
Sponsoring a non-EU worker, step by step
- Register the vacancy with the Department of Employment before you engage anyone.
- Run the labour-market test: show no Gibraltarian or EU/EEA worker was available, and that the terms are not less favourable than a good employer would offer.
- Apply for the work permit (work.permits@gibraltar.gov.gi) and lodge a repatriation deposit covering the cost of the worker’s return home when the job ends.
- The permit is tied to that one job, up to 12 months (up to 36 months for financial services and gaming), and is renewable.
- If the hire is a new business under a year old, or you are a first-time self-employed sponsor, expect a deposit covering the first year’s social insurance plus tax.
The residency angle you need to know
A work permit lets someone work, not necessarily live in Gibraltar. Under the 2026 rules, to actually live in Gibraltar a new resident needs a residence permit, generally a job paying around £37,500 and being 55 or under. So a lower-paid non-EU hire can work but may have to commute, and an EU hire who earns under £37,500 will usually live in La Línea and commute anyway. One useful lever: if your hire is under 30, you can cover their tax and social insurance as if they earned £37,500, which lets them qualify for residency under the under-30 waiver.
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Post a job for freeFrequently asked questions
Who can I hire in Gibraltar without a work permit?
Gibraltarian, British, EU/EEA and Swiss citizens. They are entitled workers, so you can hire them with no permit, just the standard engagement paperwork.
Who needs a work permit?
Any non-EU, non-British national. You, the employer, apply for it, and only after showing the Department of Employment that no Gibraltarian or EU/EEA worker was available for the role.
How long does a work permit take and how long does it last?
Processing typically takes about 4 to 8 weeks. The permit is tied to the specific job for up to 12 months, or up to 36 months for financial-services and gaming roles, and is renewable.
What is the penalty for hiring without a permit?
Hiring a non-EU worker without a valid permit carries a fixed penalty of up to £3,000 per worker, so the permit must be in place before they start.
Can I hire a young non-EU worker who earns under £37,500?
For the work permit there is no salary floor. For that worker to also live in Gibraltar, if they are under 30 you can cover their tax and social insurance as if they earned £37,500 (the under-30 waiver); otherwise they would commute from Spain.
Sources
- Department of Employment: Employment Service Registration
- HM Government of Gibraltar: Visas and Immigration
- HMGoG Residency Policy Paper (June 2026)
Last updated: 22 June 2026
Ethan Roworth is a Gibraltar-based writer and one of the founders of Norry Group. He covers the Gibraltar and Spain border region: cross-border work, daily life, business, and the markets that move between the two.