Obtaining approval for work permits of expatriates in commercial roles is vital for international staffing in Bangladesh. This process involves compliance with immigration regulations and is facilitated by authorities to ensure a smooth and legally sound employment process for foreign workers. The legal basis for these permits includes provisions outlined in the BIDA Act 2016, guidelines established by BIDA in 2023, and the VISA Policy-2006, which collectively govern the issuance of licenses and ensure adherence to regulatory frameworks governing foreign employment in Bangladesh.
Issuing authority
AuthorityBangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA)
Address: E-6/B, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Agargaon, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh
Email: service@bida.gov.bd
Required list of all documents
- Copy of permission letter for branch/liaison/representative office or Memorandum & Articles of Association and Certificate of Incorporation of the company duly signed by the shareholders in case of locally incorporated.
- Board resolution regarding employment of foreign national(s) including honorarium & other benefit to be provided
- Copy of passport (Whole used part) with arrival stamp, E-type visa for employees and Pi-type visa for investors each of the pages chronologically
- Service contract/ agreement and appointment letter/ transfer order in case of employee
- Copies of all academic qualification & professional experience certificates for the employee
- Statement of the manpower showing list of local & expatriate personnel employed with designation, salary break-up, nationality and date of first appointment
- Up-to-date income tax clearance certificate of the company
- Encashment certificate of inward remittance of minimum US$ 50,000.00 as initial establishment cost for branch/ liaison/ joint-venture and 100% foreign ownership company incorporation in Bangladesh
- Visa Recommendation Letter of the Expatriate/Investors
- Attachment of company’s comments as per remarks (if any)
[All documents shall have to be attested by the Chairman/ CEO/ Managing Director/ Country Manager/ Chief Executive of the Company/ firms]
Step by step all process
Step 1 Submission of Documents and Processing by BIDA: Applicants sign up on the BIDA website, fill out the online form, and submit the required hard copy documents to the BIDA office. BIDA then processes the application, verifies the submitted documents, and ensures compliance with regulatory requirements.
Step 2 Issuance of Work Permit: Upon successful processing and verification, BIDA issues the work permit, enabling the applicant to legally engage in commercial activities in Bangladesh.
Fee schedule:
Official time limit:
4-15 days
Actual time limit: