Libya has always been a major destination for foreign workers regardless of the ongoing conflict in parts of the country and the related economic challenges due to the large demand for foreign expertise and the foreign companies working in the country, especially in the Oil & Gas sector.

In addition to the fact that in comparison to the countries surrounding Libya, the salary scale offered by Libyan employers is considered high allowing Libya to be a very attractive environment for foreign workers.

The arrangements of having expats and foreign employees relocated to Libya is one of the major challenges that many business owners are facing as it needs to be concluded in accordance with the law and with in-depth experience with the local procedures within the relevant authorities which keep changing from time to time regardless of the laws in place.

For example, some nationalities could face issues more than other nationalities when applying for a Libyan visa. That is why, the knowledge with the current procedures and updates is essential to this process.

Legally, there are pieces of law that govern the legal migration in Libya. Besides laws on nationality, entry and exit of foreigners, there are several migration-related provisions scattered in laws on labor, tourism, investment, taxes, customs and other relevant sectors.

However, Law No. 6 of 1987 and its amendments in Law No. 2 of 2004 remain the main legal references for organizing the entry, residence and exit of foreigners in Libya. Moreover, beyond the general rules, this law includes some detailed provisions applicable to certain sectors, such as labor and tourism, or to certain categories, such as the reservation of some jobs to Libyan nationals. The law also includes provisions related to citizens of Arab countries and countries with which Libya has concluded specific agreements.

Some restrictions could also be related to the number of foreign employees hired in comparison with the national staff. Article 51 of the Libyan Labour Code stipulates that “the national workforce shall not be less than (75%) of the total workforce of any employer”.  In any case, Libyan work visa is mandatory and granted via the Libyan Labour Office to foreign nationals who wish to work in Libya.

Visa Types

There are limited visa types that are currently issued by the authorities and they are all related to business as the tourist visa has been ceased for a while, these could be summarized as follows:

• Business Visa/Mission Visa

A business visa or also called a “mission visa” is for visitors who intend to visit Libya for business-related purposes. However, it is not permissible for them to actually work in the country with this visa type.

This could be either for a single entry or for a multi-entry.

• Work Visa/Work Permit

 As the name suggests, this type is for foreigners who are going to work in Libya by virtue of a contractual relationship with an established entity in the country. Working in Libya without a work visa is illegal.

HOW FARES GROUP CAN ASSIST?

We at Fares Group with the expertise we have regarding the Libyan immigration and visa arrangements, in addition to our up-to-date information regarding the practical procedures that are in place, can assist you with the whole process of visa obtainment. Likewise, for a work visa, we will be supporting you from the application process up to the obtainment of a work permit and the work residency.

We will be following up with the application step by step until the visa is obtained. We also offer other related support services such as assistance with the renewing and extension of the work visa, work residency obtainment, and transfer of sponsorship.

Contact: [email protected]