# permanent employee

CEFR B1 · Compound

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/permanent-employee
Updated: 2026-08-05

## Definition

a worker who has a long-term contract with a company and does not have a set end date for their job.

For teachers: a member of staff hired under an open-ended contract of employment, entitled to full benefits and statutory protections. This status contrasts with temporary, contract, or seasonal labor.

## Examples

- She finally became a permanent employee after six months of temping.
- The company offers better health insurance and a pension plan once you become a permanent employee.
- The restructuring plan aims to reduce the reliance on external consultants by converting several key roles into permanent employee positions.

## Usage notes

- often used in contrast with 'contractor' or 'temporary staff' in professional environments.
- Teaching tip: use this to teach the difference between 'permanent' and 'temporary' in a workplace context; it is a useful collocation for business English learners discussing job security.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.