The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Iranian authorities say they have approved 6,000 work visa applications for Afghan nationals since the beginning of the current year, out of nearly 20,000 requests submitted by Iranian employers seeking to hire foreign workers.
Nader Yar Ahmadi, head of Iran’s Center for Foreign Nationals and Immigrants Affairs at the Interior Ministry, said on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in comments to the ISNA news agency that work visas are issued only to heads of households and that visa holders are not permitted to bring their families to Iran.
According to Yar Ahmadi, individuals granted work visas are allowed to work in Iran for nine months, after which they must return to Afghanistan for three months. He said that if applicants comply with Iranian laws, pay taxes and insurance, and receive a renewed request from an employer, they may be allowed to return to Iran to continue working.
He added that employers can submit requests through Iran’s Foreign Nationals Transfer System, noting that applications are first made available to Iranian job seekers for 15 days. If no domestic labor is available, foreign nationals are then allowed to apply for the positions.
Yar Ahmadi stressed that illegal entry by Afghan nationals for work purposes is not accepted, warning that those found to have entered Iran irregularly will be detained and deported after identification.
