Is a Work Permit Required in Egypt?
In Egypt, a work permit is essential for foreign nationals due to the country’s economic structure and labor market conditions. One of the primary reasons for this requirement is to protect employment opportunities for Egyptian citizens. With a large and youthful population, the Egyptian government prioritizes local job opportunities to ensure that its citizens benefit from the country’s economic activities. By requiring work permits, the government ensures that foreign workers are employed only in positions where there is a clear shortage of local expertise, thereby safeguarding jobs for Egyptians.
Another significant reason for the work permit requirement in Egypt is to support the country’s economic development and modernization goals. Egypt is actively working to enhance its infrastructure, technology, and tourism sectors, among others. The work permit system allows the government to attract skilled foreign professionals who can contribute to these key areas, filling critical skill gaps and promoting innovation. This targeted approach is crucial for boosting productivity, fostering economic growth, and facilitating the transfer of knowledge and expertise to the local workforce.
Ensuring compliance with labor laws and standards is also a fundamental aspect of Egypt’s work permit system. The government uses the work permit process to ensure that foreign workers are employed under conditions that comply with Egyptian labor laws. This includes guaranteeing fair wages, safe working conditions, and access to social security benefits. By enforcing these standards, the government aims to prevent the exploitation and abuse of foreign workers, ensuring that all employees in Egypt are treated with respect and fairness.
The work permit system in Egypt involves thorough background checks and verification of qualifications to maintain national security and professional standards. The government ensures that foreign workers possess the necessary skills and credentials and do not pose any security risks. This scrutiny helps maintain the integrity of the Egyptian workforce and ensures that foreign workers contribute positively to the economy and society.
Egypt’s work permit system supports its broader goals of social stability and economic resilience. By managing the entry of foreign workers, Egypt can better control the economic impact and social integration of these individuals. This regulation helps maintain social cohesion and supports the government’s objectives of balanced development and social harmony.
About the Egypt Job Market
Types of Egypt Visa Available
Many businesses that expand to Egypt want to send employees from their home country to Egypt. But the Egypt work visa processing time is lengthy and takes a lot of time. Therefore, understanding how to obtain a work visa in Egypt is crucial to a smooth expansion.
Egypt offers four different types of visas:
Work visa
When a foreign national obtains a work permit, their temporary/tourist visa is converted to a work visa.
Temporary/tourist visa
This option is a single-entry, renewable 30-day tourist visa obtained at Egyptian airports. It’s also the type of visa that people need to work.
Ordinary visa
A standard visa is valid for three to five years and grants a residency permit to an employee’s spouse for the period specified on their work permit.
Special visa
This visa is only for expats born in Egypt before May 26, 1952, or who have lived in Egypt for more than 20 years. It has a ten-year validity period and can be used several times.
You can avail any of these visas for your employees depending on your requirements. The Egypt work visa processing time is about a month. Therefore, you need to apply well in advance.
You can also apply for a short-term work visa for Egypt if you want your employees to travel to Egypt for a contractual job.
Requirements for an Egyptian Work Permit and by Egypt Employers
Employers in Egypt are encouraged to hire Egyptians instead of foreigners, which could affect work permits. Egypt also has a quota system so that work permit restrictions could affect your employees.
For example, non-Egyptian workers should not make more than 10% of a company’s entire semi-skilled or unskilled workforce. For skilled workers, the cap is set at 25%. Additionally, foreign employees’ overall salary should not exceed 35% of your entire payroll.
If no Egyptians are qualified for a particular post, your employees can apply for a one-year work permit. They can renew it for up to three years. Each employee must obtain a security clearance from Egypt’s National Security Agency before applying for a work permit.
Additional Requirements
There are several documents needed to apply for Egypt work visas and work permits. Some of them are:
- A complete application
- A valid passport
- Some passport sized photographs
- A copy of the company’s incorporation contract
- Employee’s tax ID
- Academic degrees and certificates
- License for the profession if required
- A justification to explain why the employee was hired
- A proof that a company’s representative is applying for the work permit on behalf of the employee
- A negative HIV test
Egypt Work Permit and Visa Application Process
The Ministry of Manpower and Immigration will notify the nearest Egyptian embassy to grant a tourist visa after the work permit request has been approved. Then your staff can travel to Egypt and apply for a work permit for four to six weeks. They are allowed to work during this time if they submit the required documentation for a work permit.
Obtaining approval from the Egyptian Labour Authorities is the first step in applying for a work visa in Egypt. After that, the candidate can request an entry visa at an Egyptian diplomatic station abroad. The applicant can then apply for a temporary work permit and must take an HIV test upon arrival. After receiving a temporary work permit, the applicant may apply for a status change to a temporary residence permit.
The employer must show a labor market analysis which explains that no residents are qualified enough for the position. Only then a work permit for a foreign national will be granted. When a work permit is obtained, the applicant must also train at least two local Egyptian nationals to work in the same place.
Timeframe for Work Permit Application
In Egypt, the processing time for work permits varies from country to country and the kind of work permit for which you are applying. However, the average processing time for work permits issued in Egypt is about a month.
Egypt Work Permit Fees
The work permit application in Egypt costs around 1,000 EGP. You also need to pay an additional amount per employee for your Egyptian visa.
How Can Multiplier help with an Egypt Work Permit
As a global EOR platform, we have local entities in over 150+ countries, allowing firms like yours to hire and employ employees from all over the world. In addition, our in-house experts, with our stack of HR tech, can provide end-to-end HR solutions.
You can apply for an Egypt work permit via our platform. You can offload Egypt’s visa application process to our in-house experts, who will handle the expenses, paperwork, and checklist. You will also be thoroughly updated throughout the process.