Recruitment permit for foreign workers (Ministry of Labour and Rehabilitation) and residence/work visa
In Libya, entry visas for residence and work are issued on the basis of a recruitment permit for foreign labour from the Ministry of Labour and Rehabilitation. The approval must state how many workers are needed, their specialities and the country they come from. It must also confirm that no Libyan is able to fill the job. A Cabinet decision of December 2024 sets out how foreign workers already in Libya can regularise their status. Libya remains politically divided and unsafe in many areas. Many governments advise against all travel, so check official travel advice before considering any move.
Life in Libya
Money
3
Currency
Libyan Dinar
LYD
Libyan Dinar
Cost of living
34
Price level · US = 100
World Bank price levels, 2025
Tax
5–10%
Income tax (national)
social security 3.75%
Employment income (Law No. 7 of 2010, art. 58): 5% on the first LYD 12,000 a year, 10% above. Annual personal exemption LYD 1,800 (single) or LYD 2,400 (married), plus LYD 300 per dependent child (art. 36). A separate Jihad tax (Law No. 44 of 1970) adds 1-3% on salaries.
Living
1
Happiness
#79 of 145 countries
World Happiness Report 2025
Your edge here Members
What gives you an edge here: passports, visas and permits you hold, work, study, language and family ties
Who it’s for
Foreign workers recruited by employers in Libya, and foreign workers already in Libya who need to regularise their status.
Eligibility
Recruitment permit
Visas for residence and work are issued on the basis of a recruitment permit for foreign labour issued by the Ministry of Labour and Rehabilitation (General People's Committee Decision No. 212 of 2009).
Labour-market test
The recruitment approval must give the number of workers, their specialities and the country of recruitment, and confirm no Libyan can fill the job.
- Based on Decision 212 of 2009
Official wording
The recruitment approval must state the number of workers, their specialities and the country of recruitment, and confirm that no Libyan is able to fill the job (Decision 212 of 2009).
Regularisation for workers already in LibyaForeign workers already in Libya
If you are already in Libya, you need an official border entry, your hiring employer's approval and a health certificate.
From 1 December 2024- Cabinet Decision No. 799 of 2024 sets these conditions
- You must have entered through an official border crossing
- Health certificate comes from the National Centre for Disease Control
- Certificate must show you are free of all diseases
Official wording
Under Cabinet Decision No. 799 of 2024 (1 December 2024), the worker must have entered through an official border crossing, have the approval of the employer that wants to hire them, and have a health certificate from the National Centre for Disease Control showing they are free of all diseases.
A sneak peek at what's inside
- Document checklistRecruitment permit for foreign labour
- FeesRegularisation fee (workers already in Libya)
- Steps to applyThe Libyan employer applies to the Ministry of Labour and Rehabilitation for a r
The full requirements are for members
Create an account and subscribe to see every requirement, the full document checklist, fees, steps, processing times and conditions, and how your profile compares.
- 4 documents
- 2 fees
- 4 steps
- Processing times and conditions
Places to visit in Libya
Attractions picked for you, based on your profile and interests.
Finding places for you…
Official sources
Work permits in other countries
- MoroccoVisa of the foreign employee's work contract (contrat de travail d'étranger, via TAECHIR) and carte d'immatriculation
- MonacoMonaco hiring permit and work permit
- MoldovaProvisional residence for work
- MontenegroTemporary residence and work permit
- MadagascarImmigrant visa
- Marshall IslandsWork permit (Labor Division) and E-1 employment visa
