Egypt Passes New Regulations on Foreign Workers

[Winged Isis]

This should set the cat amongst the pigeons and ruffle a few feathers.


Egypt Passes New Regulations on Foreign Workers in the Country

Bar 10 exceptions, foreigners working in Egypt must obtain a permit from the ministry of manpower or other state bodies, as part of new regulations Egypt has announced on Monday.

Foreign correspondents working in Egypt and embassy and consulate staff are among those exempted.

The permit granted to foreigners will either allow them to work in Egypt for a year or less, the ministry said in a decree, which was published in the state’s official gazette.

They will be required to pay a fee of LE 3,000 (approximately $US 383), while applying for the permit. Should a worker renew their permit, the fee will rise starting from the fourth year. Over the years, it can gradually rise to a maximum of LE 12,000 (approximately $US 1,530).

“It is inadmissible for foreigners to work” without obtaining the permit, the decree said.

Other than the ministry and its offices, state agencies like the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones and the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation can grant the permits to foreigners.

The new regulations also set a cap on the percentage of foreigners working in an institution. The number of foreigners cannot exceed 10 percent, unless an exception is granted by an “exceptions committee.”

Should an exception be granted, the organisation will have to pay LE 10,000 annually (approximately $US 1,277). The fee will rise by a thousand pounds every year for five years until it reaches a maximum of LE 15,000 (over $US 1915).


http://egyptianstreets.com/2015/09/15/e ... e-country/

[Once bitten]

Cutting off your nose to spite your face comes to mind. These fees will cause a shortage of skilled workers as There are not enough skilled Egyptians to fill all the posts that will suddenly become vacant!!!!

[Dusak]

There is no need to have labeled 'skilled' workers here as they just say they are in whatever field it is you need at the time your inquiry.

[crewmeal]

That's me screwed. I wanted to come over and teach English at some point legally of course.

[Glyphdoctor]

Do you have a degree in TEFL or a teaching certificate of some kind?

[Who2]

The powers to-be certainly are not making it easy for any entrepreneurs or tourists for that matter trying to come here.
Oh! well we will probably have another new government soon and all will change again.... "brewery + ****-up = not possible!..

[Glyphdoctor]

Most foreigners seem to rather make charities and give away stuff for free and therefore take work away from Egyptians and then run out of money to keep the charities afloat rather than invest in entrepreneurial sustainable businesses that would employ Egyptians so they don't need charity in the first place.

[Who2]

Well I have noticed that most immigrants/ex-pat's run our charity shops in London on behalf and under cover of named charities,
it's a huge business for immigrants or ex-pats, 'call them what you will,
I call them entrepreneurial peoples, or Paki's
Could it work in egypt ? c i f***.. their not hungry enough.....
Ps: Two illiterate Irish immigrants both ex Pats run the two biggest road works company in London.'every-thing is possible if, you are hungry enough.
NB: 'Pat or Patrick/Pádraic is a common name in Ireland.

Spoiler

"This post is meant to be ironic for d' tick"

[carrie]

The charities I have seen in Luxor employ rather a lot of Egyptians.

[Glyphdoctor]

OK, you could say the animal charities employ Egyptians, and that is true. But they are also subsidizing the horse carriage business. Someone with a taxi is not getting charity handouts to subsidize their vehicles (although of course fuel is subsidized by the government). But is there really a high demand for horses in Luxor anymore to pull people around in carriages? It's not serving a real demand. If a horse's food has gotten so expensive that people can't also afford its medical care, then it actually is not a sustainable service. People would also prefer a taxi, maybe an airconditioned taxi. This is just propping up a dead industry artificially.

If instead the money put into charities was invested in a forward thinking growth industry, then you actually would create real jobs that serve real needs and are self-sustaining.

[carrie]

There are many more than animal charities in Luxor as you must know. What about Sunshine? What about Small Pyramids? Many others, all of whom employ a good number of Egyptians.
All the money raised to run these charities comes from out of Egypt how many people in Europe etc. would be prepared to send money to some entrepreneur to start a business.

[Who2]

A Dr's quote: "But is there really a high demand for horses in Luxor anymore to pull people around in carriages? It's not serving a real demand.

A highly sharp diagnosis by that other Dr...
As are Taxi's, Hotels, Airplanes, Motorboats, Felluccas, Cruise boats, Flat's, Egyptian Giggelos ?...
Ps: The French love horses as I do, au Cheval with onions & garlic tossed roast potatoes red wine jus.mmmmmmm

[Dusak]

Taxi's are subsidized on their running and maintenance costs by what they used to overcharge the tourists, now only us expats if your foolish not to question or agree a price first before setting off. Charities that are run in this area via Europeans are but a handful, there are many thousands of charities continually helping the sick and needy on a day to day basis, they are called Mosques.

When I see the home and lifestyle of some that run charities here, I can but question their commitment. I'm not advocating that they should live in abject poverty and root through the rubbish skips like those they are 'seen' to be helping, but high end flats, privately owned homes and expensive modes of transport do tend to give out the wrong signals.

Recently I was asked to take on a substantial refurbishment project for a local charity, estimated a good four months of my time. It was said that I would be paid whatever I requested, within reason of course, for doing this work. Firstly I declined to do the work because I was receiving all this via other people, not by the administrators of the charity, secondly I do work for the pleasure it gives me, and thirdly I would never, on any circumstances, accept money off a charity, even though having been told that a budget exists for this work and of course a fool and his no work visa is easily parted for doing paid work. Finally, I'm now very tiered and quite exhausted from helping out my friends.

Do not get my wrong on this, I see nothing wrong about being approached to do this work, but I'm quite certain that the local jobbers can quite easily accomplish the work to an exceptable standard, giving them an income that is much more needed that what I would receive if I took up the offer.

To get any entrepreneurs to invest their cash and trust in this country, first they would have to make certain that it is a feasible and worry free concept, but until the country shows willing to make it more easily accessible for that investment to bear fruit without the constant concerns of sudden new red-tape or restrictions or learning that yet more X number of politicians have been outed for exposed corrupt dealings, then I see very little hope of this ever happening.