1. Temporary permits for Labor Reasons

The validity of the temporary resident permits will be for periods of one year up to six (6) years. After fulfilling the established term, you will be able to request the permanent residence. It will not apply for the categories of humanitarian reasons, education and for special laws.

   1.1 Foreign personnel Hired by the National Government or Autonomous or Semiautonomous Institutions

You may request it to give services as personnel hired by the national government or by autonomous or semiautonomous organizations.

   1.2 Foreign personnel Hired by Companies Under contract with the Government

The hiring must be direct and will comply with the hiring percentage within the 10 % of ordinary personnel and 15% of specialized personnel.

   1.3 Foreign personnel Hired as Executive by a Colon Free Zone Company

You may request it if he gives services in executive positions, trustworthy, management or specialized technician in companies authorized to operate in the Colon Free Zone, with a salary not less than two thousand balboas (B/.2,000.00).

   1.4 Foreign personnel Hired by Private Companies within the 10 % of Ordinary Personnel

You shall be hired by a private company, receiving a monthly salary of at least eight hundred fifty balboas (B/.850.00).

   1.5 Foreign personnel Hired as Expert or Technician within the 15 % of Specialized Personnel

You shall be hired by a company as expert or technician, receiving a monthly salary of at least eight hundred fifty balboas (B/.850.00).

   1.6 Foreign personnel Paid from Abroad that does not have Diplomatic Status:

You may request it as rented personnel or with apprenticeships from embassies, legations, consulates, delegations, representations of foreign governments, International organisms in credited official mission in the country, not protected by a diplomatic status in virtue of the national laws or international conventions that govern the matter.

1.7 Hired personnel as Press Correspondent for Written Press, Radial or International Television and Compensated from Abroad

This shall be requested by that who is correspondent for written, radio or international television press duly accredited by the authorities of his respective country.
1.8 Personnel Hired by Company in virtue of the Marrakech Agreement:  You may request it if you are hired by a private company with less than ten (10) Panamanian workers in virtue of the Marrakech Agreement, adopted by the Republic of Panama by means of Law 23 of 1997, with a monthly wage that could not be less than one thousand balboas (B/.1, 000.00).

2. Temporary permits for Investment Reasons:   

The validity of these shall be for a period of six (6) years, extended every 2 years. After fulfilling the established term, you may request the permanent residence.

   2.1 Agrarian Investor

Any natural or legal person with a minimum investment of sixty thousand balboas (B/.60,000.00) in the farming or aquaculture industry may request it. Such activities shall be determined in items that are of national interest; in case of including dependents, you shall add five hundred balboas (B/.500.00) to the investment for each one.

   2.2 Forest Investor

Any natural or legal person with a minimum investment of sixty thousand balboas (B/.60.000,00) in activities of reforestation or forest, authorized by the National Environmental Authority may request it with an investment of at least ten (10) hectares. In case of legal person, up to two aliens may request it, provided that they demonstrate that each one made the investment of sixty thousand balboas (B/.60,000.00) each one. In case of bringing dependents, the investment shall be increased to two thousand balboas (B/.2,000.00) for each one.

3. Temporary permits for Special Policies

The validity of these shall be for periods established by its special laws up to a total of six (6) years. Unless any special law establishes another term, it will be granted for six (6) years, extended annually.

   3.1 Foreign personnel Hired by Company of Film and Audiovisual Industry

   You shall be hired as trustworthy employee, producer, actor, technician or expert from foreign companies that make use of Law No. 36 of 2007, Law that promotes the film industry of Panama.

   3.2 City of Knowledge Foundation

You can request it as Investigator, Teacher, Businessman or Executive, Technician or Student; all duly certified by the Executive Director of the City of Knowledge foundation.

   3.3 Foreign personnel Hired by the Panama Canal Authority

You can request it for a defined period or determined work, or by special hiring, all duly certified by the Administrator of the Panama Canal Authority.

   3.4 Personnel Hired by the Panama-Pacific Area

You shall be hired by companies of the Panama-Pacific Special Economic Area, the Developer, the Operator or the Agency and shall be governed by the dispositions in Law 41 of 2004 and its regulations, all duly certified by the Panama-Pacific Special Economic Area.

         3.4.1 Personnel Hired by the Panama-Pacific Area that does not exceed the Fifteen (15%) of Ordinary Workers

You may request it when you are hired as technical personnel and/or in the own business of the administrative management that does not exceed the fifteen percent (15%) of ordinary workers and these are hired by companies located within the Panama-Pacific Area,  by the Developer, the Operator or the Agency.

         3.4.2 Personnel Hired by the Panama-Pacific Area that exceeds the Fifteen (15%) of Ordinary Workers

You may request it when you are hired as technical personnel and/or in the own business of the administrative management that exceeds the fifteen percent (15%) of ordinary workers and these are hired by companies located within the Panama-Pacific Area, by the Developer, the Operator or the Agency.

         3.4.3 Personnel Hired as Trustworthy Personal within the Panama-Pacific Area

You may request it when you are hired as trustworthy personnel within the Panama-Pacific Area that is exclusively dedicated to keep the offices with the purpose of directing transactions that improve, consumes or that has effects abroad.

         3.4.4 Foreign personnel Hired within the Panama-Pacific Area, that does not exceed the Ten (10%) of ordinary workers

You shall work for companies that have less than ten (10) workers within the Panama-Pacific Area.      

    3.5 Personnel Hired in Trustworthy Positions, Executives, Experts, and/or Technicians in Companies Within Export Processing Zones

You may ask for it when you are hired as trustworthy personnel, executive, expert and /or technician in authorized companies as Promoter or Operator of Export Processing Zones or for companies established within the Zones, duly certified.

    3.6 Personnel Hired in Trustworthy Positions, Executives,  Experts and/or Technicians in Calling Center Companies of Commercial Use for Export "Call Center"

You may request it when you are hired to give services in Call Centers for Commercial Use for Export (Call Center), duly certified.

    3.7 Personnel Hired as Executives of International Companies, whose functions have make effects abroad

You shall be hired temporarily as executive or representative of a director-operational level of foreign companies of international character recorded in the Public Registry, with subsidiary or representation offices in Panama but that have their headquarters abroad. The wage shall have to be minimum of one thousand balboas (B/.1,000.00) monthly and not to come from Panamanian source.

    3.8 Personnel Hired for Seat of Multinational Companies

You shall be hired as trustworthy worker, technicians or of training at the headquarters of the Multinational Companies and which income comes from abroad.

4.  Temporary permits for Educational Reasons

You shall be taking regular subjects full time, in public or private learning centers, at basic, intermediate, superior and specialized levels, recognized by the Ministry of Education. Also you shall have to enroll all the subjects corresponding to the bi-monthly, four month, semester or module plan, in day-time schedule. It is prohibited to work, with the exception of the professional practices and apprenticeships, required by the school. If a minor, must demonstrate authorization from his Parents. The validity of this permit will be for a period of (1) year extension up to a total of six years.

5.  Temporary permits for Religious Reasons

The validity of the permits for temporary resident will be for periods of one year up to a total of six (6) years.  

    5.1 As Religious in Service of the Catholic and Orthodox Church

You can request it if they are priests and other members of the clergy, dedicated to the pastoral work and are of consecrated life, duly certified as such. The validity of the temporary resident permits will for annual periods up to a total of six (6) years.  

         5.1.1 As Lay Missionary to the Service of the Catholic and Orthodox Church

You can request it if they are lay missionaries, who dedicate themselves to the pastoral work. The validity of this permit will be for a period of six (6) years, with extension every two (2) years.    

         5.1.2 As Student to be Religious of the Catholic and Orthodox Church

You can request it when studying religious courses of the catholic and orthodox church. The validity of this permit will be for a period of six (6) years, with extension every two (2) years. 

    5.2 As Ministers, Rabbis, Ministers, Leaders or Religious from other Denominations or Religious Associations

You can request it when you belong to churches, missions or religious communities, duly certified and registered as such. The validity of this permit is for a period of six (6) years, with extension every two (2) years. In the case of the ministers or religious authorized by the Panamanian legislation to celebrate marriages or those who have title of religious studies to lead the exercise of their cult, the validity of this permit will be for a period of six (6) years, until his mission ends.

6.  Temporary permits for Humanitarian Reasons

The conditions of the alien shall be evaluated. When he suffers a disease or disability that requires health attention and disables him to return to his home country or residence, suffers of permanent deep disability, being elder of 85 years old, demonstrates that he cannot fend for himself or is in abandon status, is in conditions of notorious indigence (extreme poverty) and that has more than five (5) years in national territory; if a minor undergoes some degree of disability, without documents or in an abandonment situation. Verified the condition, he will be able to extend a temporary permit that will not be greater than six (6) years or authorize his voluntary return to his home country or place of origin.

7. Permit of Temporary Resident because of Familiar Regrouping

Alien spouses, children under eighteen (18) years old and parents of the temporary resident will be able to request this permit. Children over eighteen (18) years old and up to twenty-five (25) years old, may be requested as dependents if they are regular students and are under the economical dependency of the temporary resident. The temporary resident that proves to have the custody or guardianship of a minor child may request him as dependent.