How to get a work permit for foreign citizens

Getting a work permit in Belarus is easier now for foreign citizens

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These days a lot of people are leaving their native lands and moving to other countries searching for material prosperity, better working conditions, and career opportunities, releasing them from inequality.

The quick growth of business and production in the Republic of Belarus has seen a surge in labor migration and numbers increase in the foreignworkforcee. Due to the low level of unemployment in Belarus, there has been a considerable shift in the diversity of foreign citizens arriving in the country on working permits. In fact, the country is now opening its doors to welcome skilled workers from all around the world.

In 2014, the number of labor migrants from Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Lithuania, Georgia, Moldova, China, Russia and  the Republic of Kazakhstan increased, while the number of foreign workers from Turkey and Latvia went down. According to data provided by Wikipedia in 2014; over 28% of worker immigrants came from Ukraine, 21% from Turkey, 16% from Lithuania, 8 % from China, 4 % from Vietnam, 3% by Latvia, 3 % from Uzbekistan, 2% from Moldova and 2% from Tajikistan.

The procedure of obtaining a work permit, is straightforward and has been simplified in recent times.

According to article number 11, “On the legal status of foreign citizens and stateless persons in the Republic of Belar,us” foreign citizens and stateless persons who are constantly living in the Republic of Belarus have the right to be engaged in labor and business activity on an equal conditions with the naturalized citizens of Belarus.

According to the treaties between Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan; citizens of the countries mentioned above have the opportunity to be engaged in labor activity on equal conditions with the citizens of the Republic of Belarus.

The way of hiring foreigners temporarily is determined by section 11 of the aforementioned act: “About  external labor migration”. It states that a foreigner who doesn’t have a permanent residency permit in Belarus should obtain a workers permit allowing labor activity.

This requirement is not applied to foreign citizens and persons without citizenship who;

a) having received refugee status or additional protection or refuge in the territory of the Republic of Belarus;
b) applying to receiving refugee status or refuge on the territory of the Republic of Belarus;
c) residing permanently on the territory of the Republic of Belarus;
d) working in diplomatic offices and consulate institutions accredited in the Republic of Belarus, representatives of international organizations, foreign firms situated on the territory of the Republic of Belarus;
e) working in institutions established on the territory of the Republic of Belarus in accordance with international treaties of the Republic of Belarus, men of science and culture;
f) clergymen carrying out religious activities in officially registered religious organizations;
g) studying and training in accordance with educational institution programs;
h) accredited in the Republic of Belarus as employees of foreign mass media;
i) invited as lecturers or instructors for the term under 90 days to read lectures or to teach in educational institutions of higher education, of advanced professional training, staff retraining;
j) employed in a different order stipulated by international treaties of the Republic of Belarus;
k) founders, directors of commercial organizations with foreign investments, registered as legal persons of the Republic of Belarus.

There is also no need to receive workers permit for labor activity for those foreigner employees who:
– have got permanent residence in the Republic of Belarus;
– are founders of business organizations with foreign investments that have been registered as legal entities in Belarus to fill the position in those organizations;
– are employed in representative offices of foreign legal entities in the Republic of Belarus.

Process of applying for a work permit in Belarus

To receive a work permit for labor activity the employer submits the following documents to the Main Department of Internal Affairs in Mingorispolkom and the Department of Internal Affairs:
– the application;
– copy of the foreigner’s passport;
– a confirmation of the processing fee having been paid.
Documents are considered within 15 days. If approved, the work permit is valid for one year from the approval date, and can be prolonged when the end date draws near.
If a foreign specialist plans to work for several Belorussian employers, they must receive a permit for each of them.

The employer intending to use a work-force of more then 10 foreign specialists who do not having permanent residence, have to obtain a permit allowing them to hire foreigners. These documents are issued by the Department of Nationality and Migration.

It’ worth noting that citizens of the Republic of Belarus and foreigners permanently residing in Belarus, take priority in the right of employment. This means that the employer can hire foreign specialists only if they are unable to find citizens or permanent residents to fill the position. Therefore, before obtaining a working permit it is necessary to submit the open position to the Department of Employment the details of the vacancy.

Submission of documents to obtain a work permit

To obtain permission the employer submits the following to the Department of Nationality and Migration:

– application form;
– copies of documents confirming the state registration of the legal entity or individual entrepreneur;
– an extract out of the trade register of a country of foreign company’s origin (if the foreign company acts as an employer);
– the draft of the employment contract signed and stamped by the employer;
– the guarantee letter that confirms the ability to provide foreign employees with accommodation;
-a receipt confirming that the processing fee has been paid

Documents are considered within 15 days. The period of validity is no more than 1 year from the application being approved. The work permit can be prolonged for 1 year, but there is a chance to get your work visa denied as well. To prolong the validity period of permission the employer should submit to the Department of Nationality and Migration the following documents:
– an application;
– a confirmation of the paid processing fee.
Documents are considered within 15 days.

Labor relations between the worker-migrant and employer, are determined by a labor agreement in written form in the native or understandable language of both parties. The employer should register the labor agreement (contract) within one month of its signing. The term of validity of a labor agreement must not exceed the term of the validity of the permission for employment.

According to article 26 of the Labor Code of Belarus, the foreign specialist should submit to the employer the following documentation:
1) a temporary stay or residence permit;
2) labor certificate;
3) a diploma or other educational documents;
4) other documents specified by legal acts.

Take note that the diploma or other educational documents should be acknowledged by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus.
The foreign employee should submit the documents to the “Republican institute Higher Schools”:
– an application;
– copy of the passport or other identifying paper;
– copy of diploma or other educational documents notarially certified;
– translation of diploma or other education document and attachment to diploma into Russian or Belorussian language, notarially certified;
– 2 color photos 3х4 (signed on the reverse side),
– a confirmation of the processing fee having been paid.

For your information, workers-immigrants from the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russia Federation are released from the obligation of acknowledging their educational documents starting from the 1 of January 2015. But this exception does not apply to the educational, legal, medical or pharmaceutical spheres.

Depending on the purpose for which a foreign worker travels, they need an appropriate visa. For example, there is a differentiation between a working-visa and a business visa. The latter does not allow working but is restricted to business-trips. Business visas may be issued with a validity of one year, however, you are only authorized to remain within the country for a maximum of 90 consecutive days.

It is also worth drawing your attention to the electronic bank of vacancies that are available on the website of the Ministry of Labor and Social Defence of Republic of Belarus (www.mintrud.gov.by). It is also possible to find out the detailed information about free vacancies, obtaining a residence permit and special employment permits and to get additional consultations by applying to Department of citizenship and migration of Ministry of internal affairs of the Republic of Belarus.

All in all, we hope that we have succeeded in shedding light on some features of the process of employment in the Republic of Belarus. If you need further detailed information, please use the “Contact Us” web form

Names and links to appropriate laws

– The Law of the Republic of Belarus № 15 of January 20, 2010 “On the legal status of foreign citizens and stateless persons in the Republic of Belarus” – http://www.pravo.by/pdf/2010-15/2010-15(028-086).pdf
– The Law of the Republic of Belarus of December №225-3 of December 30, 2010 “About an external labor migration” – http://www.pravo.by/pdf/2011-4/2011-4(034-055).pdf
– The Labour Code of the Republic of Belarus of July 16, 1999, http://etalonline.by/?type=text&regnum=HK9900296#load_text_none_1_
– The Resolution of Ministry of internal affairs of the Republic of Belarus № 247 of July 7, 201 “On Approval of Regulations of the procedure of issuing a permit for hiring foreign labor force and special permit to work permit in the Republic of Belarus” –
http://www.pravo.by/main.aspx?guid=3871&p0=W21123904