Before you start

A passport valid for at least 6 months
A confirmed job offer from an Egyptian employer registered with the Ministry of Manpower
Original diplomas or professional certificates translated into Arabic
A police clearance certificate from your home country
A medical examination including a mandatory HIV/AIDS test at the Ministry of Health's Central Laboratory

Step-by-step

1
Confirm the employer is registered with the Ministry of Manpower
An employer not registered cannot sponsor a work permit. Establish this before accepting an offer rather than after.
Via employerWho: Your employer
2
Get your qualifications translated into Arabic
Original degrees and professional certificates must be translated. Start early — this and the police certificate are the usual bottleneck.
In personWho: You
3
Complete the medical, including the HIV test
The HIV/AIDS test must be conducted at the Central Laboratory of the Egyptian Ministry of Health. Results from your home country are not accepted in its place.
In personWho: You
4
Employer files the work permit application
Ministry of Manpower approval typically comes within about two weeks, subject to Egypt's workforce rules prioritising Egyptian nationals.
Via employerWho: Your employer≈2 weeks
5
Wait out the Ministry of Interior security check
The residence visa follows, and the security clearance can take up to 30 days on top of the work permit. This is the step that determines your real start date.
In personWho: Ministry of InteriorUp to 30 days
6
Renew before expiry
Work permits commonly run one or two years and are renewed with the residence visa alongside.
In personWho: Your employerAnnually or biennially

Documents you’ll need

Passport with at least 6 months' validity
Job offer from a registered Egyptian employer
Diplomas and professional certificates translated into Arabic
Police clearance certificate from your home country
Medical certificate including an HIV/AIDS test from the Ministry of Health Central Laboratory
Passport photographs

Things most newcomers don’t know

Two ministries, in sequence — and the second one sets your start date.

People plan around the work permit and are surprised by the residence visa. Manpower approval in two weeks feels fast until the Interior security check adds up to thirty days behind it. Tell your employer your realistic availability is about six weeks out, not two.

Source: Ministry of Manpower work permit and Ministry of Interior residence visa requirements

The HIV test must be done in Egypt, at one specific laboratory.

A mandatory HIV/AIDS test at the Ministry of Health's Central Laboratory is a documented requirement, and results from your own doctor will not substitute. It is an unusual condition by international standards and worth knowing about before you arrive rather than discovering mid-process.

Source: Egyptian work permit medical requirements

Your degree needs an Arabic translation, which takes longer than you think.

Original diplomas and professional certificates must be translated into Arabic, and depending on your country may also need legalisation. This is the single most common source of delay, and it is entirely front-loadable — start it the day you accept the offer.

Source: Egyptian work permit documentation requirements

Quota rules prioritise Egyptian nationals, so the role has to justify itself.

Egypt's workforce regulations restrict the proportion of foreign staff an employer may hire. A role that a local candidate could plainly fill is harder to get approved, which is why the qualification and experience documentation carries real weight rather than being a formality.

Source: Egyptian workforce regulations

Common mistakes to avoid

Planning your start date around the work permit alone and ignoring the Interior security check.
Arriving with an HIV test from home — it must be done at the Ministry of Health Central Laboratory.
Leaving the Arabic translation of your qualifications until the application is filed.
Accepting an offer from an employer not registered with the Ministry of Manpower.
Assuming a tourist entry can simply be converted — the work permit drives the residence visa.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.