Juraj:
My friend is attempting to get tourist Visa to a Schengen country, one of the requirements is proof of employment.
He have tried with Offer Letter but it got rejected, when asked at workplace nobody seems to have Employment Contract either.
When asked directly his boss, he is being told that there is only offer letter.

Are they trying to gaslight him or is it common practice to only get an offer letter ?

Work is long term, full time, already there for 2 years +
Thanks

stevolinkon40:


Offer letter requires you to respond, accepting the offer. Then you get an employment contract stating your hours of work, pay rate and probation period and others. In most case, you will have all the information already on the offer letter but you need an employment letter or reference letter from work for visa purposes.

Juraj:
My friend is attempting to get tourist Visa to a Schengen country, one of the requirements is proof of employment.
He have tried with Offer Letter but it got rejected, when asked at workplace nobody seems to have Employment Contract either.
When asked directly his boss, he is being told that there is only offer letter.

Are they trying to gaslight him or is it common practice to only get an offer letter ?

Work is long term, full time, already there for 2 years +
Thanks

Juraj:
My friend is attempting to get tourist Visa to a Schengen country, one of the requirements is proof of employment.
He have tried with Offer Letter but it got rejected, when asked at workplace nobody seems to have Employment Contract either.
When asked directly his boss, he is being told that there is only offer letter.

Are they trying to gaslight him or is it common practice to only get an offer letter ?

Work is long term, full time, already there for 2 years +
Thanks

Juraj:
My friend is attempting to get tourist Visa to a Schengen country, one of the requirements is proof of employment.
He have tried with Offer Letter but it got rejected, when asked at workplace nobody seems to have Employment Contract either.
When asked directly his boss, he is being told that there is only offer letter.

Are they trying to gaslight him or is it common practice to only get an offer letter ?

Work is long term, full time, already there for 2 years +
Thanks

Juraj:
My friend is attempting to get tourist Visa to a Schengen country, one of the requirements is proof of employment.
He have tried with Offer Letter but it got rejected, when asked at workplace nobody seems to have Employment Contract either.
When asked directly his boss, he is being told that there is only offer letter.

Are they trying to gaslight him or is it common practice to only get an offer letter ?

Work is long term, full time, already there for 2 years +
Thanks

SmartyPants:


Well in the West the practice is to send you an initial offer letter outlining the terms of the proposed contract but this is not treated as the final agreement. I'm not sure why they do this, but you still need a subsequent contract.

Also you have used gaslight wrongly.

casualobserver:

It depends, it is not always the case. If I recall correctly, I had jobs in the uk where all there was was the letter of appointment, no contract, no acceptance letter no nothing. I have also had jobs where it was in the form of a fixed term contract where a contract was prepared and signed. I also had jobs with offer letter, acceptance and employment contract. I also had jobs in my student days where there was no contract and no appointment letter but those were not serious jobs..I.e sales staff etc

Juraj:


What you said makes sense, but was giving them benefit of the doubt as I'm not local and there is only limited amount of resources for me online.

SmartyPants:


Yeah but these are all different things: Appointment letters and contracts of employment, are final documents. An offer letter is a preparatory document that outlines terms that you can negotiate. The acceptance of an offer letter doesn't imply an employment relationship, only that any subsequent contract will be in accordance with the terms you have agree upon. An offer letter can be rescinded but a contract of empolment cannot be rescinded without legal consequences.

Originalsly:


Hmmm ... I'm confused ... J though it was your friend trying to get the visa.

Contract Work
Contract work doesn’t last forever. Generally speaking, a contract job lasts three to twelve months. This timeline could vary depending on the company you’re working for. Here are some pros and cons to consider before accepting a contract job.

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A contract job gives you a flexible schedule.
You’ll have an opportunity to learn new skills in a short amount of time.
You can offset lack of benefits by earning higher pay.

You have a chance to work in many different industries.
You can try out different jobs until you find your passion and a career you’ll love.

Contract jobs are a way to get your foot in the door with a company.
A contract job gives you the opportunity to test the waters to see if the company is the right fit for you without a long-term commitment.
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A contract job is a great way to enhance your resume. This has the potential to give you new job opportunities in the future.

Contract Work Cons
Depending on your role, contract work can have less job security. You’ll have to job hunt after the contract work ends.

You may have to learn new skills quickly in a contract job.

Contract workers are not provided benefits, including health care and paid time off.

As a contract employee, your holidays and sick time pay will be different from those in a permanent job position.

You will have to pay for any training and acquire new skills out of your pocket.
Some contract jobs include photography, web developer, virtual assistant, social media marketer, editor, graphic designer, web designer, and online writer.

Permanent Position
Just like contract jobs, permanent positions also have their pros and cons. Here are some things to consider before applying.


Permanent Work Pros
You have job security in a permanent work position. Because your contract is not a fixed-term contract, it will not end on a specific date.
As a permanent employee, you have career opportunities that will help you work your way up the career ladder.
You’ll have training and development opportunities. This will allow you to have training days and other development that your employer pays for.
A permanent position gives you the chance to build professional relationships with colleagues.

Permanent Work Cons
You may get bored in a permanent work position. You may start to feel like the work isn’t challenging or as interesting as it once was. As a contract employee, there’s something new and interesting each time you change roles.
As a permanent employee, there are only so many pay raises and promotions you can achieve.
Your skill set may not grow as much in a permanent position and may become stagnant and stale at times.
You might feel “stuck” in a permanent work position. You may feel the need to be loyal to your company but also desire to move on and expand your horizons.
A permanent job is less flexible than a contract job. Employers expect you to work set hours indefinitely.

stevolinkon40:


Offer letter requires you to respond, accepting the offer. Then you get an employment contract stating your hours of work, pay rate and probation period and others. In most case, you will have all the information already on the offer letter but you need an employment letter or reference letter from work for visa purposes.