Immigration
Employer-sponsored permits, and a refugee population among the largest per capita anywhere
Residence and work permits are governed by the 1973 Residence and Foreigners Affairs Law and tied to an employer. Jordan hosts very large Syrian and Palestinian refugee populations without being a party to the Refugee Convention.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — National, administered by the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Labour.
Governing law
- Law on Residence and Foreigners Affairs No. 24 of 1973, as amended
- Memorandum of Understanding between Jordan and UNHCR, 1998
In practice
Jordan has not acceded to the 1951 Refugee Convention; protection operates through a 1998 memorandum with UNHCR under which UNHCR conducts status determination and Jordan permits temporary stay. Palestinian refugees fall under UNRWA's separate mandate, and many hold Jordanian nationality, which distinguishes Jordan from neighbouring hosts. The Jordan Compact of 2016 traded trade concessions for work permits for Syrians, opening defined sectors — a notable experiment in linking refugee employment to trade policy. Ordinary work permits remain employer-tied, so changing jobs requires the current employer's release.