Standard Employee Work Permit

2. (1) This Act shall apply to non-citizens who intend to Application. engage in trade, occupation or business in Sierra Leone.

"worker" means a person who works under or provides services for another person, organisation, company, firm, agency, enterprise or an institution in ex- change for financial or other compensation under a contract of employment, whether expressed or implied and if it is expressed whether oral or written.

DOCUMENTS ACCOMPANYINGAN APPLICATION FOR WORK PERMIT LV Contract of employment duly signed by employer and employee.

(2) An application made by an employer or employment agency on behalf of a prospective employee or agent shall be endorsed with the full name, office address and stamp of the employer or employment agency.

10. (1) A person shall not employ a non-citizen expatriate unless he submits an employment and training succession plan for the approval of the Minister.

It is the responsibility of the employer to regularize the residential status of their employees and where they fail to do so, they and the employee may be liable to prosecution.

9. Anon-citizen employed or engaged in trade, occupation or business shall possess the requisite qualifications, knowledge and citizen, skills for the performance of the trade, occupation or business for which the application for work permit is made.

11. Where it is required by law for a person to register with a Registration professional body in order for that person to be engaged in a a iat particular trade, occupation or business, the Minister shall not grant body. a work permit in respect of that person unless written proof of registration with the professional body is provided.

The Committee shall, in making a recommendation to the Minister under paragraph (b) of subsection (1), consider, whether or not, in the case of an application made by (a) a person to work in Sierra Leone, that - @ person has a valid passport or other travelling document which establishes, to its satisfaction, his identity and nationality; (ii) there are Sierra Leonean workers who are able, willing, qualified and available to take and perform the work for which ‘the application is made;

7. The Minister shall by notice published in the Gazette, Type and declare the type and classification of trade, occupation or business a in which a non- citizen may be employed or engaged.

(2) Anon-citizen shall not engage in trade, occupation or business unless he is a holder of a valid (a) work permit, allowing him to engage in such trade, occupation or business; or (b) certificate of exemption, issued by the Minister under subsection (1) of section 25.

15. Awork permit issued under this Act is not transferrable and is valid only for the purpose for which it is issued.

16. (1) Achange of employment before the expiration of the work permit shall render such permit null and void and the permit holder or employer shall return the permit before the change or cessation of employment.

Where a resident permit has been issued for the purpose of employment, this is usually restricted to a specific job, with a specific employer, and in some cases to a specific location.

(2) Awork permit issued under subsection (1), shall entitle anon-citizen to work in Sierra Leone, be valid for a period of one year from the date of issue and may be renewed annually thereafter.

18. (1) Anapplication for the renewal of a work permit shall Renewal of be in the form specified in the First Schedule and shall be accompanied work permit. by - (a) anon-refundable renewal fee as prescribed by the Minister after consultation with the Work Permit Committee; and (b) relevant documents specified in the Second Schedule.

(2) The Committee shall, in making a recommendation to the Minister under paragraph (6) of subsection (1) of section 5, take thto account- il 2 The Work Permit Act, No. il 2023 (a) the conduct of the employer and the noncitizen; (b) the commitment of the employer to train Sierra Leoneans; (c) any other matter as the Ministry considers relevant.