A work permit is a term for the legal authorization that allows an individual to gain employment. Though there are a variety of different applications by which an individual would seek a work permit, the most common use is in reference to those individuals seeking employment in a country for which they do not have citizenship. A work permit is also required for minors to get employment, but you usually see this type of document being required most often when an individual hopes to gain employment in a certain job when they do not currently or are in the process of seeking out citizenship in that country. Work permits are usually given for a specific position at a given company and aren't usually transferrable.