Visas & Customs Requirements

Employment:

Belize's labour regulations are designed to protect the local job market to enable the employment of as many Belizeans as possible, and understandably so. Employment of foreign citizens is possible, however, under certain circumstances. There are two types of work permit applications in Belize:

a) Application for permission to employ a foreigner:
Any foreign citizen who wishes to work in Belize MUST be a legal resident (have resided in Belize for at least six months). He/she must be in the country legally, with proper visas and/or permits issued by the Immigration Department. The prospective employer must submit the application for the foreign worker he wishes to hire, along with three passport photos, $20 in stamps, a valid passport, and proof that this individual is qualified for the job. At the same time, the Labour officer must be satisfied that all efforts to employ a national have been exhausted. This includes providing proof that the vacant position was advertised locally for at least three weeks, following which, no suitable applicant was found;

b) Application for Temporary Self-Employment:
This category would apply to foreign investors, among others. All applicants must be in the country legally, with proper visas and/or permits issued by the Immigration Department. They are required to produce proof of reasonably sufficient funds for their proposed venture (i.e.: local bank statement of account). Applicants must also obtain a reference from the relevant Ministry or Local Organization concerned with the category of work involved. In such situations, the six-month residency requirement is waived, and it is assumed that the venture will lead to creation of employment for nationals in the future.

All applications must be presented to the Labour Officers in the respective districts where the person is expected to work. Labour offices generally accept such applications on one particular day of the week. The Labour Minister has the authority to recommend the approval of all applications.