The Work Permit is issued to a non-citizen, who has secured an employment, invest or established a business in Tanzania, the permit is issued by the Government of Tanzania, under the Ministry of Labour and Employment. The one with mandate to issues the Permit in Tanzania is the Commissioner for Labour.
Who Qualify for the Permit?
As indicated above, the work permit is issued to any foreigner who have secure employment or self-employed in Tanzania. Hence, any non-citizen who has secured employment, invest, or establish a business in Tanzania, is eligible to be issued with a “Permit” by the Ministry of Labour and Employment of Tanzania.
What are the categories of Work Permit?
1. Work Permit Class A
Under this class, the Permit is granted to a foreigner who engage in trade, Business, Profession, and Agriculture, Animal husbandry, prospecting of Minerals or manufacturing. Generally speaking, the permit is issued to a foreigner who is an investor or self-employed.
2. Work Permit Class B
Under this Class the work permit is issued to a Non-citizen in possession of prescribed professions Such as Medical and Health Care professionals, experts in oil & Gas, Teachers and University Lecturers in Science and Mathematics.
3. Work Permit Class C
Under this Class the work permit is issued to the Non-Citizen in possession of all other professions
4. Work Permit Class D
Under this Class the work permit is issued to the Non-citizens employed or engaged in approved religious or charitable activities.
5. Work Permit Class E
Under this Class the work permit is issued to the Refugees.
Who Can Apply for the Permit?
Though any non-citizen who has secured employment or self-employed in Tanzania is eligible for work permit, he/she personally cannot apply for the permit. As such, only the Domestic incorporated companies and Foreign companies with certificate of compliance and permanent place of business in Tanzania or Zanzibar, are allowed applicants for the permit.
Hence, the company will apply for the permit on behalf of its Directors and Employees, and once issued the work permit remains to be property of the company.
What are the Requirement for the Permit Application?
Each Permit Category has its special requirements, which is different from the other. However, there are general requirements which applies for all the permit categories as follows:
- Justification Letter
- Online Application Form (TFN 901)
- Recent two (2) passport size photographs (with blue back ground)
- Copy of a Valid Passport
- Scanned copies of original Academic/Professional certificates.
- Detailed Curriculum Vitae/ Resume
- Current Proof of Shares (from BRELA Online Search System) and BRELA
- Employment/Engagement Contract
- Sectoral Approvals/Permits/Registrations (where applicable) i.e. TALA, TMDA, TBS, ERB, NBAA, TCAA, CRB, LATRA, TASAC, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Mining Commission etc.
- Industrial/Business/Operating Licence
- TIC/EPZA Certificate (Where Applicable)
- Proof of payment of prescribed fee for Work Permit (Original Bank Slip)
- Lease Agreement/Certificate of Occupancy/Title Deed
- Proof of NSSF and WCF registration, remittance of employees’ contributions and List of all employees who are beneficiaries of the said Contributions
- Certificate of Tax Identification Number (TIN)
- Certificate of Value Added Tax
- Tax Clearance Certificate
- Certificate of Incorporation/Registration for Companies, NGOs, Religious Institutions, Universities, Schools and other Institutions
- Memorandum and Articles of Association/Extract from Register
- Introduction letter authorizing employee of the Organization to handle work permit application and copy of such employee’s Work Identity Card.
- Verification of Academic /Professional Qualifications by Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU) for University Graduates and National Council for Technical Education (NACTE) for applicants who are not University Graduates.
How and When to apply for permit?
The Permit is applied and filed with the Commissioner for Labour of Tanzania, through its online permit application system (e-permit). The application for this permit can be made any time when the employment contract is finalized or if it is for self-employed after the business is setup and secure the Business License, from the relevant authorities.
Is the Work Permit Permanent?
If successfully granted, the Work Permit is valid for two years only, and subject to renewal after every such period, to the maximum of 5 years for employed persons and undefined time for self-employed (Directors and Shareholders of the company) for as long as the business subsist in Tanzania.
Currently, the person who has been granted work permit in Tanzania, will have to also file a separate application for Residence Permit with the Commissioner General of Immigration.
However, there are proposed changes to merge the two applications, to the effect that once the applicant has file the application for Work Permit, the same application will be considered and examined by the Immigration Department for Residence Permit, and be issued with an e-Permit Smart Card with both details for Work Permit and Residence Permit. This Card will be issued at the Immigration Department after enrollment of the applicant.