Hyderabad - Post Report Question and Answers
What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?
Most employed family members had consulate jobs. Some teleworked or spent longer periods of time away. The time difference for the US is prohibitive. - Jan 2023
I telecommuted to a company in the U.S. with clients in Europe and elsewhere in Asia. I had to get COM approval (first Hyderabad and then Delhi) but once granted it was all easy. I do not work with Indian clients or companies at all. If I had it would have made things way more complicated. - Dec 2020
The only options for EFMs will be in the Consulate. There are certainly jobs open in the Consulate, but mostly administrative or very dull work. - Jul 2020
While there are multiple jobs at the consulate, they are not created equally. Some are part-time, some are boring, some deplete brain cells, and others are a tremendous amount of work and responsibility. Local jobs are usually not possible. (They are NOT possible for same-sex spouses.) Local salaries can be a tenth or less of what you'd make in the US, so most people aren't searching for paid jobs, but rather volunteer opportunities. - Jul 2019
Jobs in the US Consulate for family members seem to be greater than applicants, a first in all of our tours, so a great situation for most family members who want to work. - Jan 2019
With the current hiring freeze, it's tough. There are definitely positions available, just can't hire currently. One spouse just got a waiver so he started about a month ago. There's another 5 EFMs currently working, a few more waiting for waivers. One spouse works on local economy, but heard it's a difficult process for approval. - Nov 2017
Not on the local economy. Local salaries are low. Part time EFM jobs at the consulate are available and they go unfilled for months. - Sep 2016
Most of the expats I know work at the MNCs and are transferred here from the U.S. - so I'm not sure about local economy. - Mar 2015
The Mission has a reciprocal agreement with the Government of India that authorizes employment on the local economy. - Jan 2015
No. For diplomats, the U.S. and India technically have a bilateral work agreement. Good luck with that. There is employment available at the Consulate for accompanying spouses. Some of the jobs may be more intellectually rewarding than others. - Nov 2014
A lot of multi-nationals have huge operations here (Amazon, Microsoft, Deloitte, Google). Getting work permits can be frustrating, though. - Jul 2014
There are jobs available with NGOs or English training companies, but people have complained about lack of organization. Spouses of diplomats cannot work on the local economy because there is no bilateral work agreement. - Mar 2012
Not unless you've been recruited by an American or other Western company to work here. - Feb 2012
No. You have to have a work permit. And if you do, don't expect American wages or anything close. - Jan 2011
