All foreign workers (both employed and self-employed) must ensure that they have a valid residence permit to work in the country, which must be renewed annually. Any foreigner who works without a valid residence permit is subject to prosecution, and in case of eviction from the country, the employer bears the costs.

    A residence permit is usually issued for one year and is renewed annually.

    If a foreigner changes jobs, the existing residence permit becomes invalid. The new employer must submit a new complete application for a foreign worker.

    The basic rules you need to know about working in Sierra Leone are available on the website of the Sierra Leone Immigration Department: https://slid.gov.sl/immigration-regulations/.

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    Residence permit upon employment for hired foreign workers

    Everyone who comes to the country for employment must have a residence permit. It is the employer's responsibility to arrange the residential status of their employees, and if they fail to do so, they can be held liable. Suppose the residence permit has been issued for employment. In that case, this is usually limited to a specific job, with a specific employer, and in some cases, to a specific location.

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    Residence permit for business

    This includes self-employed individuals, but is usually issued to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business in the country. Like residence permits that are issued for employment, they are usually limited to the specific field of activity for which they were issued. For example, a residence permit that was issued for the organization of a flour milling enterprise cannot be used to open a hotel business.

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    The process of obtaining a residence permit in Sierra Leone

    A residence permit is issued at the request of the employer. This request may come from a national or international organization or entity doing business in Sierra Leone. However, the employer must first write to the Immigration Department using the official form with full details of the organization/business requesting the residence permit on behalf of their employee.

    After the letter of inquiry, the applicant must obtain an application form from the Immigration Department to submit a formal application. If the applicant is applying for the first time, the applicant must use Form "A". If the application is submitted for the extension of a residence permit or a re-entry permit, the applicant must use form "B". Necessary documents:

• Valid passport for the period of stay
• Two passport photos.

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    In addition to the above documents, other supporting documents will be required to process the application, but it depends on the category of registration.

    Registration category "business"

• The originals of the company's registration documents and updated certificates of the applicant
• Confirmation of financial status (bank statement).

    Registration category "work"

• Appointment letter from employer in Sierra Leone.