Belize Work Permit: Application And Requirements

If you're considering working in Belize, you'll need to apply for a Temporary Employment Permit. This is available to anyone seeking employment in the country, but you must already be residing in Belize to apply. You'll need a valid passport and a valid Belize visa, as well as a host of other documents, including police records, qualifications, and proof of health insurance. Applications are submitted to the Labour Department, and if your application is approved, you'll need to visit the nearest Immigration Office to process your permit.

Temporary Employment Permit requirements

To obtain a Temporary Employment Permit in Belize, you must be residing in the country and meet the following requirements:

Submission of Application

The application must be submitted at any Labour Department Office. If you are employed, your employer must make the submission on your behalf. If you are self-employed, you must make the submission yourself. To submit a Temporary Employment Permit application with the Labour Department, you must hold a valid passport and a valid Belize visa.

Notification of Application Status

Within 30 days, you will receive a call from the Labour Department informing you of the status of your application. If your application is approved, you must visit the Labour Department Office to receive a copy of the approval letter. In the case of a denied application, you must still visit the Labour Department Office to receive a copy of your letter of denial and then present yourself to the Immigration Office to update your legal status.

Visit the Immigration Office

After receiving your approval letter, you must visit the Immigration Office and bring the letter with you for the permit to be processed. At this stage, you will be informed of the temporary employment permit fees, which must be paid at the Immigration Office. You will also be instructed to go to the nearest Belize Tax Service to request an Income Tax Letter.

Issuance of Permit

Finally, you must present your valid passport, proof of payment, and Income Tax letter to the Immigration Office, as stated on the approval letter. The permit will be issued immediately upon confirmation of payment. After this, you must visit the Social Security Office to apply for your card.

Temporary Employment Permit Categories

Temporary Employment Permits are issued for the following categories of workers:

• Professional Workers (Holders of University Degree)
• Technical Workers
• General Workers/Farmhands (in the banana, sugar, and citrus industries, excluding seasonal agricultural)
• Seasonal Agricultural Workers
• General Workers (in all other industries not covered by the above)
• Self-Employed Workers (in other industries not covered under the next category)
• Self-Employed Workers in the agricultural industry
• Entertainers performing in groups of two or more persons but whose group consists of less than six persons
• Entertainers performing in groups of six persons or more
• Entertainers performing alone
• Religious, cultural, educational, and voluntary workers
• Import/Export Traders
• Waitresses and Domestics

Application submission

To submit an application for a work permit in Belize, you must apply for a Temporary Employment Permit and be residing in Belize. The submission of the application must be done at any Labour Department Office.

If you are employed, your employer must make the submission on your behalf. If you are self-employed, you must make the submission yourself.

The following documents are required for the application:

• A valid passport with a valid Belize visa and copies of the entire passport (including all blank pages)
• Eight passport photographs
• A police record from the applicant's last place of residence and from Belize
• A recommendation from the Village Council/Town Board where the business will be located
• A recommendation from the Belize Tourism Board or a relative agency if the business is tourism-oriented
• Belize Local Corporation Documents
• Information regarding the local bank account for the Local Corporation
• A Belize Trade License, depending on where the business will be located
• A business plan for new local companies, to be vetted by the Ministry of Economic Development/BELTRAIDE before submitting the application to the Labour Department
• Certificates, diplomas, credentials, etc. of the applicant
• Proof of funding for the business

For directors and managers of a local company, applications are submitted to the Labour Department, and applicants must have a valid passport and updated visa entry. The Belize work permit is valid for only one year and is not renewable. Applicants must apply every year if required.

The application process for a Temporary Employment Permit can also be started online. Employers can submit applications on behalf of prospective employees. The first step is to open an account on the system and submit a valid email address. The system will then send an email with a confirmation link to continue the registration process.

Application approval

If your application for a work permit in Belize is approved, you will receive a call from the Labour Department within 30 days of submitting your application. You must then visit the Labour Department Office to receive a copy of the approval letter.

After this, you must visit the nearest Immigration Office to the Labour Department office where you made your submission. Here, you will be informed of the temporary employment permit fees, which must be paid at the Immigration Office. You will also be told to go to the nearest Belize Tax Service to request an Income Tax Letter.

Once you have received your Income Tax Letter, you must present your valid passport, proof of payment, and the letter to the Immigration Office, as stated in the approval letter. The permit will be issued immediately upon confirmation of payment.

Finally, you must visit the Social Security Office to apply for your Social Security Card. This is only valid for one year.

Immigration Office visit

Once you have submitted your application at the Labour Department Office, you will need to wait for a decision. Within 30 days, you will be contacted by the Labour Department to inform you of the status of your application. If your application is approved, you must visit the Labour Department Office to receive a copy of the approval letter. If your application is denied, you must also visit the Labour Department Office to receive a copy of your letter of denial and present yourself to the Immigration Office to update your legal status.

Assuming your application has been approved, you must now visit the Immigration Office to complete the next stage of the process. Bring along the approval letter so that the permit can be processed. At this point, you will be informed of the temporary employment permit fees that must be paid at the Immigration Office. You will also be told to go to the nearest Belize Tax Service to request an Income Tax Letter.

After you have received your Income Tax Letter, you must present your valid passport, proof of payment, and the Income Tax letter to the Immigration Office as stated on the approval letter. The permit will be issued to you immediately upon confirmation of payment.

The final step in the process is to visit the Social Security Office to apply for your Social Security card. Please note that this card is only valid for one year.

Permit issuance

The process of obtaining a work permit in Belize involves several steps, and the requirements may vary depending on the specific circumstances of the applicant. Here is a detailed guide on the permit issuance stage of the process:

Once you have submitted your application, you will receive a notification regarding your application status within 30 days. If your application is approved, you will be required to visit the Labour Department Office to receive an approval letter. The next step is to proceed to the nearest Immigration Office, where you will be informed of the temporary employment permit fees, which must be paid.

The required documents for this stage include:

• A valid passport.
• Proof of payment for the permit fees.
• An Income Tax Letter, which can be obtained from the Belize Tax Service.

Upon confirmation of payment, the permit will be issued immediately. Following this, you must visit the Social Security Office to apply for your Social Security Card. This card is only valid for one year, and you must apply for a new one if you intend to stay and work in Belize long-term.

It is important to note that work permits in Belize are typically valid for one year and are not renewable. If you require an extension, you must apply for a new permit annually. Additionally, the type of work permit you receive will depend on your profession or industry, with categories such as Professional Workers, Technical Workers, Seasonal Agricultural Workers, Self-Employed Workers, and more.

Frequently asked questions