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Glite Dictionary
work papers

work papers

1 4.3
Official documents that show a person may have a job, often for immigrants or young workers
  • noun
  • Formal
translation icon : documentos laborales
  • Before she could start her job in the country, she needed to obtain her work papers.

Examples

  • Slaski X, Thurber M. 2009. Research Note: Cookstoves and Obstacles to Technology Adoption by the Poor. Program on Energy and Sustainable Development Working Paper No. 89. Stanford, CA: Program on Energy and Sustainable Development.

    Academic text (2012)

  • Barnett J, Webber M. 2010. Accommodating Migration to Promote Adaptation to Climate Change. World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 5270. Washington, DC: World Bank.

    Academic text (2012)

  • I don't need work papers.

    Marathon Man (1976)

  • She sits on her bed, surrounded by some work papers.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • I don't speak English, I don't have work papers, so I have to put up with this, said a third.

  • Like I've got, I have Kurdish work papers, I have an American passport and I have an ID for as a third grade teacher.

  • Black R. 2001. New Issues in Refugee Research. Working Paper No. 34. Environmental Refugees: Myth or Reality? University of Sussex Working Paper 34. Geneva: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Evaluation and Policy Analysis Unit.

    Academic text (2012)

  • Jaggars, S. S. (2011). Online learning: Does it help low-income and underprepared students? (CCRC Working Paper No. 26). Retrieved from http: **34;29470;TOOLONG asp? UID=846 </p>

    Academic text (2012)

  • Without the proper work papers, minors are not allowed to work legally.

  • The manager checked all the employees' work papers to ensure they were valid and up to date.

Synonyms

document
vswork papers
∞ 2.0

A paper or electronic file that gives official information

is specifically for employment authorization rather than general information records
paperwork
vswork papers
381 2.4

Documents and forms that are needed for official work

is a specific legal authorization, not merely routine administrative forms
credential
vswork papers
165 5.3

An official paper that shows a person's identity or qualifications

proves right to work specifically rather than general qualifications or identity
papers
vswork papers
23 1.9

Official documents that show who you are or give legal information

is more specific, focusing on employment authorization rather than general records
legal document
vswork papers
  • Formal
18 3.1

An official paper that records an agreement, right, or contract

is focused on employment proof and authorization rather than any legal agreement
work permit
vswork papers
  • Formal
11 3.2

Official paper that lets a person from another country work in that country for a time

is broader, covering authorization for minors as well as foreign workers
credentials
vswork papers
1 3.8

Documents or certificates that show who a person is, their qualifications and their role

serve to allow employment but focus on authorization, not only proof of skill
working papers
vswork papers
  • Formal
4.1

An official document that gives a person permission to have a job

is the same meaning but is a variant form used interchangeably

Surface Forms

work papers singular
work papers plural

Morphology

work + papers

The meaning is directly compositional: 'papers' denotes official documents and 'work' specifies their relation to employment, so the phrase denotes documents needed for a job. A B1 learner who knows both constituent words can readily infer that these are documents authorizing or proving eligibility to work, making the expression immediately understandable.

Etymology

Work papers comes from the simple idea of real work papers that prove a person has the right 'to work'. So, the phrase means official documents that give someone permission to have a job.