Hire Foreign Workers in Egypt | Work Permit Guide 2025

Process for Recruiting Foreign Workers in Egypt and Obtaining Work and Residence Permits, in Accordance with the Applicable Laws and Regulation

Recruitment of foreign workers to Egypt is a legal issue of growing importance, given the country's economic openness and the growth of foreign investment in various sectors. With the increased demand for highly qualified expertise and modern technologies that may not be readily available in the local market, Egyptian lawmakers have a key role to play in regulating the entry, residence, and employment of foreigners. This will help strike a balance between economic development requirements and the protection of the national labor market.

This regulation is built on a set of laws and ministerial decisions defining the conditions and procedures for obtaining work permits, as well as the obligations on both employers and foreign workers, taking into account sovereignty and security considerations. Studying the legal framework for recruiting foreign workers in Egypt is therefore a prerequisite for investors and business owners wishing to hire foreign expertise, ensuring that their activities comply with applicable laws and regulations and avoiding any potential legal risks.

5. Recruitment is a tool to regulate the entry of foreign workers to work legally in Egypt. The goal of recruitment is to meet the needs of the local labor market for the required competencies or skills. This achieves a balance between the employer's interest in recruiting experienced workers and the State's interest in regulating the labor market and protecting workers' rights.
5. Foreigners recruited and entering Egypt with a prior visa and after approval by the competent authority shall be granted a maximum period of sixty days from the date of entry into Egypt to proceed with the procedures and apply to the Ministry of Manpower for a license. If they do not apply within this period, the recruitment shall be deemed void.

Main requirements for recruiting foreign workers in Egypt.

Labor Law 14 of 2025 and the Ministry of Manpower's Decisions have set out the requirements for recruiting foreign workers, which are as follows:

1. Obtaining work permits for foreigners: Foreigners may only work in Egypt after obtaining a permit from the Ministry of Manpower and being authorized to enter and reside in Egypt for work. Employers may only hire foreigners after obtaining work permits.

-Employers hiring foreigners who are exempt from obtaining a work permit shall notify the competent administrative authority within seven days of the foreigner commencing work and upon termination of their employment.

- To obtain a foreigner's work permit, the following requirements must be met:

• Opening a file with the Ministry of Manpower in the name of the company requesting recruitment, and submitting all company documents (commercial register – company articles of association – Form 2 Insurance ( noting that the law has set the ratio between hiring foreigners and the number of insured Egyptians at 10% to 1, i.e., to hire one foreigner, the company must have 10 insured Egyptian employees; to hire two foreigners, the company must have 20 insured Egyptian employees, and so on – insurance forms – tax card – power of attorney).
• Submitting an application for recruitment of a foreign worker, accompanied by the following documents:

- A copy of the foreign worker's valid passport.

- Employment agreement between the employee and the employer (for certain nationalities).

- A certificate of at least three years' experience in the same field in which the applicant will work in Egypt, translated and certified by the foreign ministry of the applicant's home country and the Egyptian consulate.

- Two Egyptians shall be appointed for each foreigner, and their graduation certificates shall be submitted.

- A document with the number of Egyptian workers insured by the company.

- A document with the number of foreigners employed by the company.

After submitting the documents, the applicant waits for the security clearance response. If approved, the foreigner will be allowed to enter Egypt. The applicant then applies for a work permit at the Ministry of Manpower's Work Permits Office and pays the applicable fees.

2. Foreign Labor Ratios: The employer shall ensure that the ratio of foreign workers does not exceed the legally prescribed limit, which is 10% of the facility's total number of workers.

3. Registration of foreigners in the workforce records: After the license is issued, the foreign worker is registered in the official records of the Ministry of Manpower.

4. Employer's obligations: The employer shall notify the Ministry of Manpower of the commencement or termination of the foreigner's employment, and shall be responsible for the worker throughout their period of employment.

Foreigners' exemptions from restrictions on recruitment and employment in Egypt.

1. Foreign experts in rare and specialized fields:

Foreigners with technical, scientific, or technological expertise that is not available in the Egyptian labor market are granted special exemptions to work, but for a limited period. However, Egyptian personnel are required to be trained in order to gradually transfer this expertise.

2. International agreements and national projects:

Foreigners entering Egypt to implement a bilateral or multilateral agreement to which Egypt is a party and which was issued by presidential decree are granted direct exemptions from employment ratios and normal restrictions under these agreements.

Expert foreigners entering Egypt to implement national projects, including nuclear projects, infrastructure projects, gas and oil projects, power stations, are permitted to be recruited and exempted from certain restrictions, given the scarcity of the required specializations.

3. Foreign investors and business owners:

Foreign investors or partners in companies established in Egypt are granted work residence permits as investors, and are not subject to the same restrictions imposed on the recruitment of ordinary foreign workers.

4. Executive managers of foreign company branches:

Branches and representative offices of foreign companies in Egypt are entitled to appoint at least one foreign manager to represent the parent foreign company. The foreign manager is exempt from the foreign employment ratios as they are considered a representative of the company abroad.

5. Egyptian husbands and wives:

Foreigners married to Egyptian nationals are granted special exemptions making it easier for them to obtain work permits, and they receive special treatment with regard to certain restrictions and procedures.

Work permit and residence permit for work of the investor (employer).

In case the employer is a foreigner who owns a company in Egypt and wishes to obtain a work permit and residence permit for work, a recommendation request for a work permit is submitted after a security check has been issued by the Labor Office at the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (“GAFI”) and approval is received from the Ministry of Manpower. Then, a work permit is obtained from the Authority's Labor Office, and an application is submitted for a one-year renewable work residence permit at the Passports and Immigration Office of GAFI.

I. To obtain a work permit for an investor (owner) or manager in companies established under Companies Law 159 of 1981, the following documents must be submitted:

- Request for recommendation to obtain a work permit.

- The company's commercial register (indicating that the company's capital is $35,000 in the case of a work permit application for one manager or partner, and $50,000 for two or three managers or partners).

- The company's articles of association.

- The company's tax card.

- Bank certificate stating the company's deposited capital.

- If a year has passed since the company was established, an application shall be submitted to the Investment Authority to appoint a committee to evaluate the company's economic performance. The company may be required to provide sales and purchase invoices and submit its latest financial statements.

2. To obtain a work permit for an investor (owner) or manager in companies established under Investment Law 72 of 2017, the following documents shall be submitted:

- An application on the company's letterhead for investor residency, with the investor's passport attached.

- The company's commercial register.

- Filling in the company's relative weight form and attaching the following:

• A bank deposit certificate stating that there is a balance equivalent to at least the minimum amount of one of the categories, or a certificate issued by the economic performance sector, or the paid-up capital for joint stock companies, which shall not exceed the company's capital in all cases.
• A month-old insurance certificate issued in the company's name for the current year, with the total number of insured Egyptian workers.
• Projects that have been established for a year and have not yet commenced operations shall apply for an inspection committee (executive status or commencement of operations) and submit the relevant documentation.
• Projects that have commenced operations shall proceed with a certificate of commencement of operations.
• Projects that had undergone an inspection committee review within the last five years shall apply for an executive committee, along with supporting documentation.

- Document proving that the foreigner owns shares or stakes in the company or is a representative of a legal entity that is a shareholder/partner in such companies.

- Title deed of the company's headquarters, and operating license issued for free zone and investment zone projects.

In conclusion, it is clear that the recruitment of foreign workers in Egypt is subject to strict legal controls; balancing the requirements of the local market and the protection of national workers, on the one hand, and encouraging investment and the transfer of foreign expertise, on the other.

Given that the procedures of obtaining work and residence permits seem complicated and require strict compliance with laws and regulations, we at Al Saadani & Partners Law Firm and Legal Consultancy provide our clients with our long-term experience in this field and can assist them in:

• Preparation and processing of required documents and certification of all documents.
• Obtaining work and residence permits for foreigners.
• Following up on all procedures before the Ministry of Manpower and the competent authorities.
• Providing professional legal advice to ensure that all business activities proceed smoothly.

If you are a business owner or investor wishing to recruit foreign workers to support your activities in Egypt, our Firm is your ideal legal partner - helping you efficiently and clearly achieve your objectives, while ensuring full compliance with the Egyptian legal framework.