Apply In-Person

1. Renewal for a work permit should be made six months before the expiry of the current permit, the applicant should visit the nearest Regional Labour Office, which is under the Department of Labour and Social Security office, Ministry of Employment Labour Productivity, and Skills Development. (Please view address details under office and location contact section below).
2. Applicants are required to collect the Work permit application form 15 and form 3 and complete all required sections accurately. Forms are available at the Enquiries Desk at any of the offices of the Department of Labour.
3. Submit the completed forms, signed and stamped by your employer, attach to the supporting document file {as listed under the required document section below} to the department concerned attending officer.
4. The officer will then verify, if all the necessary information and documents have been provided and that the applications comply with the selection criteria, if everything is in the order you will be required to pay the application fee at the cash counter.
5. It is only after the deposit of the complete file and the payment of the required fee, that the application file will be registered and recorded and applicants will be issued with an acknowledgment letter containing details of their application.
6. The completed application files and fee for the renewal of work permits are then submitted to an authorized officer (via designated channels) where the application is reviewed and a recommendation made which is within 14 days. N.B The authorized officer is entitled to call in the applicant for an interview.
7. Applicants will then be notified of the outcome of their application by way of a letter.
8. If approved the renewed working permit will then be drawn up, signed, and stamped by the authorized official and made available for withdrawal by the applicant at the Regional Labour Office, where the application was filed against his/her identification document, approval letter, and the acknowledgment letter.
9. If your application is turned down, you can appeal the decision. {Please refer to wikiprocedure Botswana-How to Appeal for Work Permit; for full procedure details}

Requirements for Renewal of Employee Permits

• Completed application form for work permit {Form 15}
• Completed Form 3 {original medical report}
• Certified copy of a data page of a valid passport
• Copy of birth certificate certified by issuing office
• Copies of relevant educational certificates certified by issuing office (all certificates should be translated into English and authorized by the issuing authority)
• Copies of supporting documents from relevant professional and/or regulatory bodies certified by issuing office
• CV/Résumé (detailed)
• Three recent passport-size (30 x 40mm) photographs clearly and correctly depicting an applicant’s features (photographs to be taken at the time the application is made)
  • Photographs should have a white background.
• Proof of advertisement (qualifications, experience, employer’s address, and telephone number, and closing date must be clearly indicated; the advertisement should have circulated for 14 days)
• Appointment letter/contract letter inclusive of physical address and contact numbers of an employer (for farmworkers, herd boys/girls: proof of ownership of livestock, branding certificate, and copy of Omang of the employer)
• Letter of application for work
• Letter of renewal of the contract
• For the variation of employment, state reasons and explain what will happen to the position, which is being vacated by the permit holder (e.g., rendered redundant or localized, etc.)
• Physical address/location of the company
• Copy of valid residence permit certified by issuing office
• P1,500.00 (residence permit); P1,500.00 (work permit); P150.00 (if variation)

Requirements for Renewal of Directors’ Permits

• Completed Form 15 and Form 3
• Certified copy of a data page of a valid passport
• Copy of birth certificate certified by issuing office
• Three recent passport-size (30 x 40mm) photographs clearly and correctly depicting an applicant’s features (photographs to be taken at the time the application is made)
  • Photographs should have a white background.
• List of employees and their contact details. Attach certified copies of national identity documents (Omang) for citizens and certified copies of work and residence permits for non-citizens
• Copies of supporting documents from professional/regulatory bodies certified by issuing office
• Copy of certificate of incorporation certified by the issuing authority
• Copy of share certificate for all directors certified by issuing office
• Copy of tax clearance certified by the issuing authority
• Labour clearance letter
• Annual returns (for non-exempted companies)
• Localization progress update
• Proof of Corporate Social Investment
• Form 2/Form 8, 13, and 14 for all directors
• Copies of current bank statements (last three months) certified by issuing office
• Copy of proof of investment certified by issuing office
• Company profile
• Valid trading license certified by issuing office
• List of company assets valued by authorized valuers (attach certified copies of registration books for vehicles)
• Certified copy of lease agreement/proof of place of operation
• P1,500.00 (residence permit); P1,500.00 (work permit);
• PLEASE NOTE: The labour Department reserves the right to request for additional document/s as applicable.

Ministry of Employment Labour Productivity and Skills Development
Private Bag 516
Address: Block 8, Government Enclave, Gaborone
Botswana
Tel. (+267) 3732700 / 2600
Fax. (+267) 3952261
Email: melsdpr@gov.bw
Toll-Free Number: 0800 600 186


Department of Labour and Social Security
Head office, Gaborone
Tel. (+267) 37372772
Ministry contact detail link: Link


All Regional Labour Office contact list;

• Gaborone Regional Labour Office I Tel. (+267) 3971406
  
• Gaborone Regional Labour Office II Tel. (+267) 3956019
  
• Francistown Regional Labour Office Tel. (+267) 2416933
  
• Lobatse Regional Labour Office Tel. (+267) 5332569
  
• Maun Regional Labour Office Tel. (+267) 68622705/2418
  
• Selibe Phikwe Regional Labour Office Tel. (+267) 2611598
  
• Serowe Regional Labour Office Tel. (+267) 4632579
  
• Kasane Regional Labour Office Tel. (+267) 6250216
  

Opening hours: 7:30 am to 12:45 and 13:45 to 16:30, Monday to Friday, except no public holidays.

• Holders of Botswana work permits that need to be renewed

• On-time application P1,500.00 (work permit); P150.00 (if variation)
• For Late application, applicants will be charged an additional penalty charge of P500.00 + (P20.00 per day) for each expired permit.

Note: that applicable fees are amended from time to time

• The Validity of the permit depends on the authorized official discretion

Please attach documents that can be used by people. e.g. links

Please attach sample completed documents that would help other people.

• The processing time is within fourteen (14) days

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications.
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type='website'>video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites.
Please remove the '&' inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver,
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url 'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M' Video ID is 'Y0US7oR_t3M'.

Please provide other instructions related to the certificate/documents.
e.g. The state office holds birth records since january 1908.

• Full name of the applicant
• Details of the employer
• Contact details of the employer/employee
• Professional details
• Nationality
• Residential address details
• Passport details
• Employment contract details
• Current work permit details
• Declaration by the applicant

• All expatriate workers who wish to take up employment in Botswana need to apply for a work permit.
• No non-citizens of Botswana may engage in any occupation or investment unless they have been granted a work permit for Botswana under the Employment of the Non-Citizens Act or are the holder of a certificate of exemption.
• It is further stated that no employer shall engage a non-citizen if the citizen is not a holder of a valid work permit for Botswana or the holder of a certificate of exemption.

Enter other informations which might help.

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

GOVERNMENT PROCEDURE PORTAL: Link
Botswana Investment and Trade Center: Link

More information which might help people.