Lithuania seasonal work visa

The Employment Service issues the work permit when no suitable worker is available in Lithuania, the work appears on the list of seasonal works approved by the Minister of Social Security and Labour, you keep your principal residence outside Lithuania, and the contract is concluded directly with the employer, which must be a company established in Lithuania or a natural person permanently resident there. Agency hiring is not possible for seasonal work.

You must also have adequate housing with at least 7 square metres per adult, either your own, rented under a contract recorded in the Real Property Register, or guaranteed by a verified letter of commitment. If the employer provides the housing, the rent may not exceed 30% of your wage after taxes and social contributions and may not be deducted automatically from your pay. Any change of accommodation must be reported to the Employment Service within seven days.

National visa applications from abroad can be lodged only through the external service provider chosen by the Migration Department, VFS Global; Lithuanian consulates stopped processing them. Since 1 December 2024 a VFS branch takes national visa and residence permit applications from citizens of the country where it is located; nationals of countries without a provider cannot use another country’s branch for seasonal or posted work visas. The state fee is EUR 140, VFS adds its own service fee, and the employer pays EUR 50 for the assessment of the mediation letter for seasonal workers.

The Migration Department decides on the visa after consulting the relevant security institutions. Health insurance for a D visa must cover at least EUR 5,792.

A seasonal work permit is issued for up to six months in any 12-month period, either as one block or several shorter periods adding up to six months. The Employment Service examines the application within 28 calendar days. Within the six-month maximum you may extend the contract with the same employer or move to a new employer, but only once.

You may work only for the employer and in the job listed in the permit. The State Labour Inspectorate checks that the housing meets the rules during the permit. When the season ends you must leave; the seasonal route does not count as a basis for family reunification. Lithuania issued 325 national visas to seasonal workers in 2024, compared with 946 for exchange students, so it is a small channel.