Seychelles - Obtain Gainful Occupation Permit (GOP) / Work Permit

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Procedure

A Gainful Occupation Permit (GOP) allows the holder to be gainfully occupied in Seychelles and this could be as an employee or as a self‐employed person.
The GOP must be submitted by the employer at least 10 weeks before the person is supposed to begin working. The person cannot enter the country to start working before the GOP is issued. However, self-employed people may apply for a GOP after arriving in Seychelles, if their plan has initially been approved by the Seychelles Investment Bureau.

HOW TO APPLY

1. In the first instance an approval certificate for the prospective non-Seychellois employee must be sought from the Ministry of Labour and Human Resources Development (MLHRD).
2. Upon obtaining the relevant approval from the MLHRD, head to the immigration office, independence house Victoria and request for the application form link
3. Submitted the correctly filled form and attach all the required documents to the Immigration office, Independence House, Victoria at least one week before the employee is due to start work.

   NB. The application form is to be completed by the prospective employer. In the case of a self-employed, by the person seeking the permit.

4. Pay the processing fee of Sr. 1,000/‐ for processing of the application.
5. The fee for the whole duration of the permit being sought at Sr.500 per month or part thereof, is payable when submitting the application.
6. The attending officer will then verify a process your documents and if the information is in order you will receive your (GOP) with 3 to 9 working days.
7. In case your request has not being approved you can appeal to the Minister for Labour and Human Resource Development within a period of 7 working days from the date of the decision. An employer who fails to appeal within the specified time frame loses the right to appeal.
   
   

Once, the GOP has been issued, there are further requirements to be fulfilled within one month of entry in the Seychelles:

1. A bank guarantee or a security bond from a Seychelles bank. The amount is determined depending on the country of origin of the employee.
2. A group security bond or a bank guarantee, which may be approved upon written request.
3. A contract for the employee which has been attested by the Employment Department.

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Required Documents

Short Term Gainful Occupation Permit (up to one month)

• Gainful Occupation Permit application to be completed fully and submit to Immigration Office, Independence House
• Covering Letter stating the need for the foreign workers
• Copy of prospective employee’s passport data base
• Two passport size photographs
  

Temporary Gainful Occupation Permit (up to three months)

• Gainful Occupation Permit application to be completed fully and submit to Immigration Office, Independence House
• Covering Letter stating the need for the foreign workers
• Copy of prospective employee’s passport data base
• Two passport size photographs
• Medical fitness certificate endorsed by the Occupational Health Section in the Ministry of Health
  

Long Term Gainful Occupation Permit (above three months)

• Gainful Occupation Permit application to be completed fully and submit to Immigration Office, Independence House
• Tourism Incentive Act (TIA) / Agriculture and Fisheries Incentive Act (AFIA) Certificate (Whichever is applicable);
• List of updated work force (Giving names, posts titles & nationality) Applicable for (TIA / AFIA) certificate holders only);
• CV and relevant certificate (s) of competence and certificate(s) of past employment
• Detailed Job description
• Two passport size photographs of prospective employee
• Medical fitness certificate of the prospective employee from the Occupational Health section Ministry of Health.

Office Locations & Contacts

Ministry of Employment, Immigration and Civil Status
Address :  Independence House Annex
4-5th Floor Independence House
Victoria
Mahe
Seychelles
Phone :  [248] 4297200
Email : [email protected]
Web Site

Outstation Office
Praslin
Horizon Complex,
Baie St-Anne Praslin
Telephone: (248) 4232031
Telefax: (248) 4232686
La Digue
Pension Fund Building
La Passe, La Digue
Telephone: (248) 4234052
Telefax: (248) 4234625

Opening Hours
Monday to Friday - 8.00 am to 4.00 p.m
We are closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Republic of Seychelles
PO Box 656
Quincy House Quau Mont Fleuri,
Mahe, Seychelles
Time difference: + 4hrs to UTC,fr
Telephone: [248] 428 35 00
Telefax: [248] 422 48 45
Telefax: [248] 422 58 52
Email : [email protected]
Seychelles Consulates Abroad Website

Eligibility

• Non Seychelles’ who are either employed or self-employed in Seychelles

Fees

• Application Processing Fee: SR1000/
• Fee for the whole duration of the permit being sought for is SR700/- per month and should also accompany the application.

Validity

Explain the time until which the certificate/document is valid.
e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Documents to Use

Please attach documents which can be used by people who would like to follow this procedure.    

Sample Documents

Please attach sample completed documents which would help other people who would like to follow this procedure.

Processing Time

• The applicant shall be notified of the decision in a minimum period of 3 working days and a maximum period of 9 working days, provided that all the above requirements are met.

Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications. 
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type='website'>video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites. 	
Please remove the '&' inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver, 
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url 'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M' Video ID is 'Y0US7oR_t3M'.

Instructions

The application for the GOP should be submitted at least ten weeks before the employee is due to start work, and he/she must not enter the country for the purpose of taking up employment prior to obtaining the GOP. The application form is to be completed by the person seeking the permit in the case of a self-employed or by the prospective employer.

1. All questions must be answered in full and as clearly as possible. A dash (-) cannot be accepted as an answer and the expression “not applicable should be avoided
   • Part ll of the form need be completed by self-employed persons.
2. A processing fee (non-refundable) of Sr.1,000 and the permit fee @ Sr. 700 per month for the whole duration of the permit being applied for is payable on submission of the application.
3. The application form is to be completed in duplicate.
4. The under mentioned documents should be attached to this application a

a)Two full face passport type photographs of all persons mentioned on the application form. Every photograph must on the reverse side thereof reflect the full first names and surname of each individual.

b)Reference certificates of service from previous employers as to the worker’s competency in the trade of profession that he intends to follow.

c)Police certificates for periods of residence in those countries where the worker has resided for a period in excess of three years and where such certificates are obtainable.

d)Educational, apprenticeship and professional or technical certificates.

Required Information

• Marriage status
• Full name of the applicant
• Place and country of birth
• Nationality of the applicant
• Passport detail
• Place of issue, date of issue/expiry, passport number
• Education background
• Professional of technical
• Language that you are fluent with
• Previous employer information

Need for the Document

• Under the Seychelles Immigration Decree and the Employment Act 1995, it is an offence for a non- Seychellois to engage in any kind of employment without a valid Gainful Occupation Permit.
• A non-Seychellois should not be engaged in any employment other than for the post and with the Employer/Applicant as approved.

Information which might help

MINIMUM MEDICAL TEST REQUIREMENT FOR EMPLOYMENT IN SEYCHELLES

• The following are the minimum medical requirement for employment in Seychelles. The medical examination and tests have to be done at a reputed medical institution, preferably one approved by the Ministry of Health and Social Development.
• All original results have to be sent. The laboratory and medical institution may be contacted at any time to verify authenticity of the results. X ray film has to be submitted with all the other medical documents.
• The occupational unit may repeat any or all of the tests and physical examination as a check measure and to verify genuineness of results.
• The Public Health department reserves the right not to pass the medical examination and test results if it determines that the entry of the individual will pose a public health risk while in the country.
• A certificate of fitness will be issued to the GOP applicant and to be attached with the GOP application. The minimum requirements are

1. Full physical examination
2. Chest X-ray with accompanying report and film
3. Full blood count
4. Urinalysis
5. Stool culture for salmonella typhoid
6. Hepatitis B
7. VDRL
8. HIV

• For any clarification regarding Public Health requirements for accommodation for group of workers and Medical fitness certificate please consult the Public Health Department of the Ministry of Health. Tel: (248) 4388078/9. Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

External Links

• Department of Foreign Affairs
• Occupation Permit
• Occupation Permit Application

Others

• Any person who is found guilty for such an offence and any person who condones or assists any non- Seychellois to be gainfully occupied without a valid Gainful Occupation Permit shall be liable to a fine of SR 40,000 (Section 77 (2) of Employment Act 1995)
• A surcharge of SR 400 per day may be imposed in the case where an application for the renewal of the validity of a G.O.P is submitted after the expiry of the current G.O.P (section 77 (3) Employment Act 1995).
• Repatriation / deportation
• The person may become a Prohibited Immigrant (PI)
• Section (19) 1(d) and Section 23 (2) (b) Immigration Decree (1979)

People working in the International Trade Zone (ITZ) must obtain a special work permit. This permit allows non-Seychellois to enter and stay in the country for working in the ITZ. The ITZ operator shall apply for the work permit through the Seychelles International Business Authority (SIBA). The spouse and children of the applicant may be endorsed on the ITZ work permit.