Work Permits for foreigners seeking work in Egypt

Manpower Minister for Egypt Mr El Boraei  has recently announced the enforcement of the 2003 Law updated 2010 regarding the issuance of Work Permits for foreigners seeking employment in Egypt.

Post revolution the new Government of Egypt intends to enforce rigourously the  Manpower Law No: 292 (2010) updated March 2011 to ensure employment for Egyptian Citizens post Revolution.

The law is as follows:

All Egyptian and Foreign employers within Egypt henceforth must comply with Manpower Law 292 (2010) updated 2011.

Employers:

All employers henceforth shall require that any application for a work permit for a foreign national within the employers workplace must ensure that the vacancy MUST be filled by an Egyptian National in the first instance. If the employer cannot find the apporopriate skills for that vacancy within the Egyptian polulace the employer must convince the Manpower Ministry that:

a) The vacancy is economically required by the nation of Egypt and in it's interest.

b) Convince the Manpower Ministry that all efforts to employ an Egyptian have been undertaken with proof ie advertising, interviews and have been unsuccessful in finding an Egyptian with the required level of skills needed.

c) Preference for said work permits will always be given to foreigners who are legal residents of Egypt before non residents.

If the Manpower Ministry finds that all measures have been taken in accordance with the law 292 and no Egyptian can be used to fill the vacancy the Manpower Ministry will issue a work permit for a foreigner for the sum of 1,500 EGP per annum. This cost is non negotiable if the vacancy term is less than one year. There is no refund payable.

The Work Permit will ONLY be issued to the employer on the condition that the employer ALSO employ 2 Egyptians at the same time to enable the said 2 Egyptians to be trained in the specific skill requiring the work permit. In short the employer MUST employ 3 employees to fill one vacancy with 1 skilled foreigner and 2 Egyptians in training.

The limit for the foreigner work permit will not exceed 3 years in each job vacancy. This allows ample time for Egyptians to be trained in the specific skills needed to fill future vacancies.
The Work Permit for the foreigner is renewable at the discretion of the manpower Ministry annually.
It is the employers responsibility to apply for the work permit.

Exemptions :

Nationals from the following countries do not require work permits to seek employment in Egypt.
Sudan
Italy
Greece
Palestinian nationals

Restrictions:

Foreign Tour Guides, Belly Dancers will not be given permits to work in Egypt.

Revoking the work permit:

On application should ANY information be found to be false by either Employee or Employer the Work Permit will be cancelled.

Any foreign employee found to have committed any misdemeanor within the Egyptian legal system ie theft, graft, indecency, sharing apartment or hotel with non spouse, public disorder, defamation of national or religious belief, adulterous relationships, will instantly have the work permit revoked and the guilty party will be deported to the citizens country of origin.