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Republic of Palau · humanitarian

Trafficking victim — temporary and subsequent work permission

By · Last reviewed:

Guidance updated 15 November 2026. Full-review date shown above.

The Labor Director may grant temporary work with a different employer to a suspected trafficking victim; a later conviction triggers a specific statutory work-visa duty.

Labor Director assessment in consultation with the Attorney GeneralDoes not lead to permanent residencyUntil the legal proceedings against the suspected employer conclude; if none is filed within 180 days, the temporary visa expires after 180 daysIn flux
Processing time
Individual Labor Director assessment in consultation with the Attorney General; no open public intake form, automatic grant or decision deadline established for this specific provision.
Government fees
No separate current section 1346 fee schedule was established by the reviewed provision. Obtain the actual Labor/Immigration assessment and any applicable exemption; do not assume ordinary fees or a blanket zero charge.
Typical duration
Until the legal proceedings against the suspected employer conclude; if none is filed within 180 days, the temporary visa expires after 180 days
Required support
Labor Director assessment in consultation with the Attorney General
Leads to permanent residency
No
Reviewed Republic of Palau National Code Commission ↗

In short

The Labor Director may grant temporary work with a different employer to a suspected trafficking victim; a later conviction triggers a specific statutory work-visa duty. Guidance updated 15 November 2026. Costs, application stages and eligibility conditions are set out with their sources below.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/palau/trafficking-victim-work-permission#answer

What is the Trafficking victim — temporary and subsequent work permission in Republic of Palau?

Labor Director assessment in consultation with the Attorney General. Use the actual Palau category and authority process. Indicative government fees are No separate current section 1346 fee schedule was established by the reviewed provision. Obtain the actual Labor/Immigration assessment and any applicable exemption; do not assume ordinary fees or a blanket zero charge; indicative processing time is Individual Labor Director assessment in consultation with the Attorney General; no open public intake form, automatic grant or decision deadline established for this specific provision; typical duration is Until the legal proceedings against the suspected employer conclude; if none is filed within 180 days, the temporary visa expires after 180 days. This route does not lead to permanent residence.

Primary guidance checked with Republic of Palau National Code Commission on 15 November 2026.

Overview

Title 13 section 1346 allows the Director of Labor, in consultation with the Attorney General, to grant a Temporary Nonresident Work Visa to someone the Director reasonably believes may be a trafficking victim. It permits work for an employer other than the suspected employer. It is distinct from the general 30-day humanitarian Temporary Visa, ordinary temporary work and the Labor Regulations’ hardship/abuse placement mechanism. The statutory protection depends on the actual authority assessment and legal proceedings.

Additional sources

Eligibility

Typical criteria

Common blockers

Typical evidence

Application pathway

  1. Check the route fit

    Seek the actual competent Labor/Attorney General assessment for the circumstances and current status.

  2. Build the evidence pack

    Follow the authority’s case-specific evidence and grant instructions; obtain the issued permission before relying on work rights.

  3. Submit through the official channel

    Work only within the actual new-employer permission and keep the proceedings/180-day limits under review.

  4. After approval

    Where the statutory former-employer conviction condition is met, obtain the subsequent Nonresident Work Visa under section 1346(b).

After approval: prepare for your next step

For Trafficking victim — temporary and subsequent work permission, use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.

  1. 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
  2. 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
  3. 3. Confirm what you may do. Check whether employment, self-employment, remote work or study is permitted under the status granted. Do not infer unrestricted work rights from the absence of an employer sponsor.
  4. 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
  5. 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.
Official Trafficking victim — temporary and subsequent work permission instructionsBuild my moving plan for this routeMoving to Palau

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

  1. Official guidanceApplicant
    Read Palau National Code Title 13 — Code Commission copy current as of 30 September 2026 ↗

    Read section 1346 and obtain the competent case-specific Labor/Attorney General assessment.

    Republic of Palau National Code Commission · verified

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Frequently asked questions

Is this the same as a 30-day humanitarian Temporary Visa?+

No. Section 1346 is a specific Labor protection with different conditions and duration. It also differs from temporary placement under the Labor Regulations.

Does 180 days always apply after a court case?+

No. The temporary permission lasts until proceedings conclude; the 180-day expiry applies if proceedings have not been filed within that period. The actual issued permission and legal events must be checked.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

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How we verified this

We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.

Primary source: Republic of Palau National Code Commission

Last checked: 15 November 2026

See the full evidence trail and methodology

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