Botswana - Apply for a Work Permit

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Procedure

Apply In Person

1. To apply for a work 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. Express your interest to the receptionist/ secretariat at the front desk at the nearest Regional Labour Office and Collect the Work permit application form 15 and fill out all required sections accurately. Forms are available at the Enquiries Desk at any of the labour Department offices.
3. Submit the completed forms, which are signed and stamped by your employer, attach to the supporting document file {as listed under the “required document” section of this page} 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 file and fee for the work permit 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 working permit will then be drawn up, singed, 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 wiki procedure Botswana-How to Appeal for Work Permit; for full procedure details}

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Required Documents

General Requirement

• Completed application form for work permit {Form 15}
• Completed Form 3 {original medical report}
• Copy of job advert not older than six months old
• Contract of employment
• Application letter for work (signed)
• Letter of offer or appointment letter
• Applicants’ Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Certified copies of educational certificates. Please note that all certificates in foreign languages must be translated to English and be confirmed by Botswana Qualification Authority
• Certified copy of a valid passport – biographic data page (picture, passport number, date of birth, birthplace, expiry, etc.)
• 2 x Passport-size photos (with a white background)
• Clearance from relevant professional regulatory bodies
• Letter from the patient’s doctor (Nurse Aid/ Caretaker)
• Supporting letter from relevant Ministries for Government projects
• CV for understudies

Additional requirements unique to certain professions'

• Extra Heavy-Duty Driver - Copy of Botswana Driver’s License or copy of classifications from the Department of Transport, Motor Vehicle Registration Book for vehicles and trailers, B A permits for trucks, P A permits for public transport, and list of vehicles and transport permit numbers
• Farm Worker - Farm Certificate/Title deed/ Lease Agreement, Brand Certificate and proof of livestock ownership, Employer’s copy of certified National Identity Card (Omang)
• Seasonal Agricultural Worker for a period not exceeding 6 months - Farm Certificate/Title deed/ Lease Agreement, Brand Certificate and proof of livestock ownership, Employer’s copy of certified National Identity Card.

Professional or regulatory bodies (attach as annexure)

• Medical Field - permission from the Botswana Nursing Council, the Midwifery Council of Botswana, Botswana Health Profession Council of the Ministry of Health
• Teaching Field - permission to teach from the Ministry of Education, qualification evaluation from the Botswana Qualification Authority (BQA)
• Accountants - clearance from the Botswana Institute of Chartered Accountants (BICA)
• Footballer - clearance from the Botswana Football Association or Premier League
• Pilot - clearance from the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana
• Engineers - Membership from Engineers Registration Board

Investors

• Proof of investment by the provision of Bank Statement
• Lease agreement/ proof of place of operation
• Company registration documents
• List of employees and their identifications, National identity card (Omang) for Citizens and certified copies of Work and Residence permits for Non- Citizens
• List of valued assets (attach certified copies of registration books for vehicles)
• Copy of certified valid Trade license
• Certified copies of a valid passport, biographic data page (picture, passport number, date of birth, birthplace, expiry, etc.)
• Company profile
• Current bank statement certified by the bank
• 2 x Passport-size photos (with a white background)

PLEASE NOTE: The labour Department reserves the right to request for additional document/s as applicable.

Office Locations & Contacts

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:[email protected]
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 during public holidays.

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Eligibility

• A non-citizen who wishes to work in Botswana for a reward or to invest in Botswana for profit.

Fees

The legal fee:

• Work Permit fee - BWP 1,500.00
• Work Permit renewal fee - BWP 1,500.00
• Work Permit Replacement/ Duplicate fee - BWP 1,500.00
• Late renewal submission fee - BWP 500.00 + BWP 20.00 each day after the expiry of permits

Validity

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

Documents to Use

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

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Sample Documents

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Processing Time

• The processing time is within fourteen (14) days

Related Videos

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'.

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Instructions

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

Required Information

• 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
• Declaration by the applicant

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Need for the Document

• 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.

Information which might help

Enter other informations which might help.

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

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

External Links

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

Others

More information which might help people.

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