# Verifying work permit details for diving professional



## Adam23 (Feb 14, 2014)

Hello all,

I have just joined the community having moved to Egypt a few months ago on a tourist visa for training. I would now like to commence full time employment as a diving professional.

My employer is offering to sort out the permit for me (along with appropriate CDWS proceedings) however I would like to validate some of the information they have provided me. Can anyone comment on the following please based upon obtaining the work permit now:

- The permit is only valid until September before it must be renewed
- The cost will be the same as if it were for a full year
- It is not possible to obtain (and pay for) only a 6 month duration

I know that the alternative of doing this process myself would be laborious and difficult but I also feel like I am being fed some dubious information here. Can anyone confirm or challenge this please?

Thank you in advance. Adam


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## lewroll (Oct 29, 2010)

Hi, cannot comment on the details behind the work permit but am fairly confident from what I have heard that you cannot get the work permit yourself. My understanding is that the employer must get the work permit for you and who pays for the process is up for negotiation. Maybe someone else can help you further. Good luck.


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## CatMandoo (Dec 16, 2011)

Hi Adam, I am not sure it's ok to link to other site so I copied this info dated March last year. It's from a RedSea website.

Work Visas/Permits : How to get a work permit in Egypt .

Thursday, 28 March 2013 12:09 Hits: 949 .


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Work Visas/Permits

How to get a work permit in Egypt

Foreign employees may not work in Egypt unless they obtain a residency permit, which includes a work permit (called a non-tourist resident permit). So today we will talk about the required documents for obtaining a work permit in Egypt which include:

- A copy of valid passport (with valid Egyptian residence status)

- 9 passport-size photos

- A copy of the employer’s Social Insurance Form 2 (most recent version)

- Experience certificate for the foreign employee comprising his/her experience in the field where he/she will be working, to be notarized by the competent authorities and the Egyptian Embassy in that country. An official Arabic translation is required; 

- A copy of the commercial register and tax card (from your employer)

- A copy of the employer’s incorporation contract

- A copy of the academic qualifications (such as university degrees and professional certifications) 

- Any licenses required for practicing the profession (have both the original and copies, just in case)

- Approval from the authority related to the profession (e.g. investment, CDWS – you and your employer will have to obtain this through the office of that authority)

- A representative from the employer who will “sponsor” the employee's work permit

- HIV test to be taken in Egypt

- Approval from Egypt’s State Security Service showing that the employee is not a threat to the national security or public safety

- The application form from the nearest Ministry of Manpower and Emigration Office



It should be noted that foreign technical experts must have two Egyptian employees as assistants. Also, employees working in certain fields (such as tourism and education) need to submit additional documents and procure specific approvals in order to obtain a work permit. 



Once all required documents are submitted, the Labor Office will issue a temporary work permit which will allow the employee to take a non-tourist resident permit.



It should be noted that a work permit is always temporary. No permanent work permit is granted. The employee must renew it every year or every six months, depending on the term of the work permit.


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## CatMandoo (Dec 16, 2011)

This info might help you more. (I am having a slow day).

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED: Work permits for foreign diving
professionals working in the Egyptian diving industry
Can foreign diving professionals in Egypt obtain a CDWS card without a
work permit?
No, they cannot obtain a CDWS card without a work permit. By law, all foreign
nationals working in Egypt must have a work permit. The Ministry of Labour
requested that CDWS comply with the law by making a work permit
compulsory for all holders of CDWS cards.

How do foreign diving professionals obtain a work permit?
Foreign dive professionals do not submit a request for a work permit. The
whole process has to be done by the company owning the diving business.
The process is complex and involves the following steps:
1. Obtaining approval from the Ministry of Labour for the number of work
permits required by the company. The law stipulates that the number of
work permits should not exceed of the ratio of one foreign worker per
every Egyptian employee registered in the company’s social insurance
records. However, CDWS managed to change this ratio within the
diving sector which means three work permits for every ten Egyptian
employees socially insured with the company. To get this approval, the
company must send a request to the CDWS for its supporting letter,
together with social insurance Form Number Two as proof of number of
socially insured Egyptian employees. For more information email
[email protected].
2. The company then has to submit the CDWS supporting letter to the
Ministry of Labour in Cairo and wait for approval from the Minister of
Labour. The Minister of Labour sees each approval request case by
case personally. This process usually takes between one week to one
month.
3. Once the company has obtained this approval specifying the number of
work permits, it can start working on individual procedures for each
staff member it wants to employ. The member operation should
fill in, sign and stamp the request form for a certificate of
experience request for each foreign worker.
This costs 200LE per individual experience certification. Involvement
of the CDWS in the process is no longer needed once these
certificates of experience have been obtained.
4. For each individual work permit, the centre must hold the experience
certification from CDWS together with all the other necessary
documents for each permit, including professional diving licence and
copy of passport. Work Permits for South Sinai employees should be
processed in the El Tur Labour Office, for Red Sea Governorates, this
should be done in the Hurghada Labour Office. The Cairo Investment
Authority labour Office processes applications for companies operating
in areas in Egypt under Law 8 1997.

Can you explain what CDWS has done to make it easier for foreign
diving professionals in Egypt to secure a work permit?
As well as increasing the ratio to three foreign workers for every ten socially
insured Egyptian employees at each company, the CDWS has made the
process easier with supporting letters. These letters strengthen the case for
Ministry of Labour approval.
There are also other areas where we have worked hard to make it as easy as
possible for diving professionals to work in Egypt. It used to be the case that
those requesting a work permit had to leave the country and come back with a
fresh visa for application, a process known as Estqdam. CDWS managed to
get a waiver on having to leave the country during the process.
Also, CDWS convinced the Minister of Labour that once a diving professional
has submitted Form Number Four and obtained a green receipt for this as
proof of work permit processing, the individual could legally obtain a CDWS
card.

What if there is a delay? Can foreign diving professionals work while
waiting for the work permit application process to be completed?
Yes, as long as they have sufficient proof of application. As previously
explained, diving professionals can obtain a CDWS card once they receive
the green receipt for Form Number Four. This proves they have begun the
process of obtaining their work permit. The green receipt can be obtained
before the results of the HIV test are available.
Usually employees of companies under Law 159 can obtain a green receipt
within one week of the work permit application. For companies under Law 8,
this may take around two weeks.
If you have any problems or questions regarding the green receipt needed for
your CDWS card, email the CDWS membership service
[email protected].

What is the approximate cost of an individual work permit?
CDWS fees are set at 200LE per work permit, covering experience
certification and other administration costs. CDWS has no control or
involvement in the additional costs needed to obtain a work permit.
Approximate costs of each work permit are as follows:
*Approximately 1,520LE must be paid to the Labour office for the working visa
application, together with receipts and stamps.
*The HIV test which has to be completed by all those requesting a work
permit costs approximately 100LE.
*Tourist investment fee is approximately 100LE, covering security checks on
individuals.
*Companies operating under Law 8 pay an additional 100LE for tourist
investment charges.
*The six-month resident stamp costs approximately 75LE. For each additional
six months this costs approximately 70LE on top of the first fee.
*In addition to the approximate costs as outlined above (between 1,900 and
2,000LE), are the logistical costs, such as going back and forth to the labour
offices and any tips requested during the process from lawyers or other
people involved in the process.

Does it matter which diving training agency qualification you have when
the dive business you work for applies for your work permit?
Any diving training agency that is a European Underwater Federation member
or recognised by the World Scuba Training Council is accepted. So if you are
a qualified professional with these agencies, you qualify to work in diving with
regards to your qualification and experience.

Do you have to be a qualified instructor to obtain a work permit or can
you legally work as a dive guide?
Those recognised as a qualified professional dive guide are eligible for a work
permit. It must be noted, however, that dive professionals do not apply for the
work permit themselves. It is the business that owns the dive centre that
applies for the permits.

How does the work permit requirement affect freelance diving
professionals?
A CDWS member operation has to be the applicant for the freelancer. The
freelancer can still work for other dive centres with this card. Individuals
cannot apply for work permits; all applications must be done through a CDWS
member centre.

Can CDWS member centres obtain work permits for counter staff?
Yes. Currently the Ministry of Labour accepts work permit applications for
counter staff, however, it has claimed that it this will be stopped soon. CDWS
will of course try to work to make sure this doesn’t change and counter staff
still qualify for permits.

How does the work permit requirement affect underwater
videographers?
Videographers must have a CDWS card if they are working. This can be
obtained through a CDWS member business or through their own licensed
video companies.
If you have a work permit for other employment other than diving, but
area qualified diving professional can you obtain a CDWS card with this
permit?
No. Only those with a work permit for diving employment legally qualify for a
CDWS card.


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## Adam23 (Feb 14, 2014)

Hi Catmandoo! Thanks for the information. I have seen that before but sadly it doesn't make any mention of validity periods for the work permit. It just sounds very bizarre that I would have to pay a full year's cost for something that will only be valid until September. 

Does anyone else have any clarification here? It is going to be an expensive application process already and was hoping not to have to pay to renew again in only 6 months. 

Thanks for your help!


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Adam23 said:


> Hi Catmandoo! Thanks for the information. I have seen that before but sadly it doesn't make any mention of validity periods for the work permit. It just sounds very bizarre that I would have to pay a full year's cost for something that will only be valid until September.
> 
> Does anyone else have any clarification here? It is going to be an expensive application process already and was hoping not to have to pay to renew again in only 6 months.
> 
> Thanks for your help!


Your work permit should last a full year btw you have to have an HIV test done and of course be negative to obtain the permit.


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## CatMandoo (Dec 16, 2011)

Adam23 said:


> Hi Catmandoo! Thanks for the information. I have seen that before but sadly it doesn't make any mention of validity periods for the work permit. It just sounds very bizarre that I would have to pay a full year's cost for something that will only be valid until September.
> 
> Does anyone else have any clarification here? It is going to be an expensive application process already and was hoping not to have to pay to renew again in only 6 months.
> 
> Thanks for your help!



*I found this info on another site which does seem to back up you prospective employers claim. *


macrobubble

April 24th, 2011, 04:10 PM

I was told, though, that all work permits will expire on Sept. 7th (as mine is now). They said than from now on, permits will always be issued from this date. I don´t know the reason behind it and can´t see any logic in that, but it´s Egypt...

Therefore everybody will have to renew around that date. 
Expect renewals to take much longer, when they have thousands of passports on their desks at the same time...

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String

April 26th, 2011, 10:05 AM

The situation is "interesting" at the very least, come september Egypt COULD be a very different place for foreigners.

All work permits expire in September. Even if you get one this week it still expires then and costs the full amount. The new ones are estimated at €1000 from September. This is a massive increase. As an example last year under the "old" permit cost i managed to save €1000 in total in that calendar year (this year far will be far lower). 

With that new increased cost, combined with the massive drop off in tourists its possible you'll never recoup that.
The new permits are also according to the lawyers for a maximum of 3 years (ie 3 x 1 year then no more issued). This will nicely ensure no experienced staff or managers are around as they have to leave before they advance up the tree!

This information has been confirmed by 3 separate people so would appear to be true. The interim government also expressed its desire to stop as many work permits as possible to foreigners in all fields. This could tally with the above.

As for CDWS, it claims its in charge, the court would suspect otherwise, the EDLF claims its in charge, nobody else agrees. Its a mess. CDWS is mounting a propaganda campaign trying to get member centres to sign petitions saying "we are the one true god" and other groups are springing up in the power vacuum. 
Here for example we have a dahab divers "forum". Made up by egyptians whose stated goal is the removal of foreigners from diving. They have no official power, no official recognition but rent offices, have a marketing machine, give out stickers and claim they're in charge.

Most dive centres here i know of that normally do work permits have frozen it for now - they've held onto the funds but not put the applications through due to the September expiry and so on plus the fact here at least CDWS is being roundly ignored even by the checkpoints. The centres are playing a waiting game to see how it pans out.



September is make or break for the tourism industry here - if they get it wrong they can demolish the diving sector very quickly.


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