Immigration Services

Work Permits (also referred to as Entry Permits) are issued to any Non-Kenyan wishing to engage in employment in Kenya whether in gainful employment or voluntary service. Work permits are issued pursuant to Section 40 of the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act, 2011.

The application is made to the Director of Immigration Services and considered by the Permits Determination Committee established under Section 7 of the Kenya Citizens and Foreign Nationals Management Act, 2011.

The committee as currently constituted draws representation from various Government Ministries and organs including Department of Immigration Services as Chairperson and Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Education, and Kenya Investment Authority.

The Committee sits on a weekly basis to consider the work permits applications placed before it.

The Director of Immigration Services issues work permit to the applicant who has satisfied the committee that he has met the requirements relating to the particular class of permit. The classes of permits range from Class A to Class M.  The Committee is by law, empowered to request for additional information and where necessary, summon the applicants or require the production of supporting documents.

The Director should, within fourteen days of receipt of recommendation of the committee, cause a work permit to be issued to an applicant who so applies and qualifies. The Director may refer back the case to the committee with reasons.

Our timeline for obtaining a work permit is approximately 8 to 15 weeks. The timeline would start from when we receive the duly completed application pack, and on our lodging this with the Immigration Department. Our team would be at hand to take you through the step-by-step process and would advise on the completion of the application form and provision of the supporting documents. We are also happy to assist in drafting an appropriate cover letter addressed to the Director of Immigration Services.

For a more detailed list of the requirements and our service related costs, please contact us.

A dependant to a person holding a valid Work Permit (“the applicant”) is defined in the regulations as any person who meets the following criteria:

1. the person, on whose behalf the application is made, depends on the person making the application for his or her maintenance;
2. the dependant is a spouse or child of the applicant or is by reason of age, disability or any incapacity unable to maintain himself adequately or for some other reason relies upon the applicant for his or her maintenance; and
3. the applicant has an income sufficient to enable him or her to maintain and continue to maintain the dependant for the duration of the dependant‘s stay in the country.

A Dependant’s Pass issued to a child of a person holding a current work permit becomes invalid when such a dependant/child attains the age of twenty-one (21) years.

For a more detailed list of the requirements and our service related costs, please contact us.

Any employee who comes into the country for employment purposes or work related activities for a period not exceeding three months is required to obtain a Special Pass, if they do not have a Work Permit.

The Special Pass is renewable once for a further three months period. During this period, the dependants may enter the country on Visitor’s Passes. The Visitor’s Pass is renewable once for a further three months.

In this case, an employee can stay and work in the country only for a maximum of six months, if they do not have a Work Permit.

Our timeline for obtaining a special pass is approximately 3 to 6 weeks. The timeline would start from when we receive the duly completed application pack, and on our lodging the pack with the Immigration Department.

The application process for a Work Permit should be started immediately, if they are to stay for a more than three months period. The Work Permit should be obtained in good time prior to the employee traveling into the country.

For a more detailed list of the requirements and our service related costs, please contact us.