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Seychelles is a paradise on Earth with deep blue waters and white sandy beaches, becoming a famous honeymoon destination.
Seychelles is a paradise on Earth. The beautiful country is blessed with deep blue waters and white sandy beaches with exotic sea life, becoming a famous honeymoon destination. The 115-island country is within the Indian Ocean off East Africa and actually has the least population among independent African countries. Here are some facts about Seychelles that are quite interesting.
1. PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS Valid passports or other travel documents are required for entry into Seychelles.
2. VISA REQUIREMENT Visa is not required for entry into Seychelles. (Refer to other permits.)
3. VISITORS PERMIT A visitor’s permit is issued on arrival in Seychelles to a person who comes for the purpose of holiday, pleasure, business, visit friends or family and who –
(a) is not a prohibited immigrant; and
(b) is not the holder of a Dependent’s Permit or a Gainful Occupation Permit;
(c) holds a valid return or onward ticket for duration of visit;
(d) has confirmed accommodation;
(e) has sufficient funds for duration of the stay. (Minimum of US$ 150.00 or equivalent per day).
4. GAINFUL OCCUPATION PERMIT
A Gainful Occupation Permit allows the holder to be gainfully occupied in Seychelles and this could be as an employer or as a self-employed person. Applications for Gainful Occupation Permits should be submitted at least ten weeks before the employee is due to start work, and he/she must not enter Seychelles for the purpose of taking up employment prior to obtaining the Gainful Occupation Permit. The application form is to be completed by the person seeking the permit in the case of a self employed or by the prospective employer. There is a processing fee of Sr. 600 for processing of the application. The fee for the whole duration of the permit being sought for is Sr. 1,500- per month or part thereof should also accompany the application. In considering an application for a Gainful Occupation Permit, the followings are taken into account:
(a) the character, reputation and health of the prospective employee and where relevant, any member of his/her household to be endorsed on the permit;
(b) the professional or technical qualification of the person to be employed;
c) the availability of the services of persons already exist in Seychelles;
(d) the protection of local interest;
(e) the economic and social benefit which the applicant/ prospective employee may bring to Seychelles or enhance by his presence.
5. RESIDENCE PERMIT
A Residence Permit is issued to a person who
(a) is not a prohibited immigrant;
(b) has a family or domestic connection with Seychelles;
(c) has made or will make special contribution to the economic, social or cultural life of Seychelles.
The holder of a Residence Permit
(a) Must during the validity of the permit reside in Seychelles for at least five days during each twelve months of the term of the permit;
(b) If the permit holder reside in Seychelles for more than one month (in any year) he/she shall keep a deposit with a bank in Seychelles or provide a bank guarantee to the Director General of Immigration, of not less than Sr. 20,000 and allow the Director General of Immigration to draw on the deposit or call on the guarantee for the purpose of meeting expenditure incurred by the government in connection with the care, treatment or maintenance within or removal from Seychelles of the permit holder and his/her dependents;
(c) if the permit holder reside in Seychelles for more than one month (in any year) he/she shall after 14 days of each anniversary of the issue of the permit, adduce evidence to the satisfaction of the Director General of Immigration that the permit holder has brought into Seychelles for his own use, foreign exchange through the Central Bank of Seychelles of an amount equivalent to not less than Sr. 100,000;
(d) Paragraph (b) and (c) shall not apply where the Director General of Immigration is satisfied that the permit holder or another person who forms the same household as the permit holder, has sufficient investment in Seychelles to cover the amount in subparagraph (c) or subparagraph (d) and (c) as the case may be;
(e) During the term of the Residence Permit, the holder must explore opportunities for contributing to the economic, social or cultural life of Seychelles;
(f) The holder of the permit shall not be entitled to free medical service in Seychelles or to any social security benefit under the Social Security Act, 1987 other similar Legislation; The holder of a Residence permit is not permitted to be gainfully occupied in Seychelles.
A Residence Permit shall cease to be valid if the holder:
(a) is in breach of the conditions of the permit;
(b) is convicted of an offence against the Immigration laws; or
(c) is deported from Seychelles.
The holder’s minor dependants can be endorsed on the Permit.
There is a fee of US$115/- for processing of the application.
The fee for the residence Permit is Scr. 50,000.00 for the main applicant and Scr. 25,000.00 for the spouse if applied at the same time. The fee for endorsement of each minor dependant on a Residence Permit is Scr. 1,000.00. The permit fees are payable in foreign exchange.
6. DEPENDANT’S PERMIT
A Dependant’s Permit is issued to a spouse or a minor child of a citizen of Seychelles, who is not:
(a) a prohibited immigrant; or
(b) the holder of a Residence Permit or a Gainful Occupation Permit.
The application is made by the spouse who is a Seychelles citizen. In the case of a minor child, one of the parent who is a Seychelles citizen.
The fee for a Dependant’s Permit is Sr. 100.
A Dependant’s Permit does not allow the holder to be gainfully occupied. In the case where the Permit holder wishes to do so, a Gainful Occupation Permit should be applied for. The permit ceases to be valid if the holder:
(a) fails to enter Seychelles within twelve months from the date of issue or is absent from Seychelles for any period in excess of twelve months;
(b) is in breach of the conditions of the Permit;
Is convicted of an offence against the Immigration Laws; or
(d) is deported from Seychelles.
7. STUDENT’S PERMIT
A Student’s Permit is issued to a person who wishes to pursue studies in Seychelles and who can show proof that he/she:
(a) would be enrolled as a student in an approved educational institution; and has sufficient funds to meet the expenses that he/she would incur while residing in
Seychelles has unique beauty and world renowned holiday destination. The Government has shown a major commitment towards continuous tourism, infrastructure development to support foreign investments. Investment laws have been enacted in Seychelles in order to encourage and protect investments.
An investor is eligible to apply for Permanent Residence by Investment by meeting all the requirements below:
The Permanent Residence Permit allows the holder;
The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2013, an investor who has invested USD 1 million in a business in Seychelles and has been supporting him/herself during 11 years, may apply for a Citizenship of Seychelles. Before being granted a Citizenship, the applicant must submit proof of investment towards starting or expanding a business along with other requirements. Personal assets will not be considered.
Conditions
Citizenship Conditions
Prospective applicants for Seychelles citizenship would need to answer 25 questions out of a Pool of 100 questions in one of the three National languages, English, French and Kriol in which an 80% pass mark is required prior to submission of application for citizenship.
The page explains the process of how to acquire a Seychelles citizenship, registration in special circumstances, naturalisation, parental descent and the official citizenship examination.
In addition to all of the benefits of a Permanent Resident, a Naturalized Citizen;
Prospective applicants for Seychelles citizenship would need to answer 25 questions out of a Pool of 100 questions in one of the three National languages, English, French and Kriol in which an 80% pass mark is required prior to submission of application for citizenship.
You may apply for citizenship by naturalisation if you fall under the following criteria:
You did not automatically become a citizen of Seychelles
NOT RECOGNIZED Exception: The government of Seychelles only recognizes dual citizenship in specific cases concerning native born citizens of Seychelles who later obtain another citizenship for domestic or economic convenience (such as to work abroad) or involuntarily through marriage to a foreign citizen.
VOLUNTARY: Voluntary renunciation of Seychellois citizenship is permitted by law. Contact the mission for details and required paperwork.
INVOLUNTARY: The following are grounds for involuntary loss of Seychellois citizenship by registration or by naturalization: Person fails to renounce previous citizenship or obtains new citizenship. Person was absent from the country seven years without registering. Person obtained citizenship through false means.
The Seychelles has a robust economy which continues to grow. Its major industries in financial services, tourism and transport offer early career and senior professionals many opportunities for employment. Taxation is low compared to many African countries, which is also a draw for workers. Healthcare for non-residents requires private treatment, so medical insurance is essential. Education is well provided for in The Seychelles, making it attractive for professionals with families.
According to the Critical workers are needed in the following roles:
The government has incorporated important policies that help the country achieve its financial goals. With partnerships between the public and private sectors, there are multiple opportunities for local or global investors.
The Seychelles Financial Services Authority is the authoritative figure to regulate non-banking financial services; this establishment is vital for the overall supervision and licensing of non-banking services in Seychelles. The establishment of the Financial Services Authority has led to Seychelles becoming one of the fastest international business company (IBC) registrars in the world.
Seychelles has taken advantage of its 115 islands to promote and build its tourism sector and stand out against the rest of the world. The Ministry of Tourism in Seychelles aims to break its previous record of 384,201 tourists in 2019 by preparing to welcome 405,000 tourists by 2021. The pandemic has delayed these plans; yet, the tourism sector continues to grow because of the economic promises made by attractive business models.
Seychelles has quickly adapted to the technological advancements happening across the world; this has been evident through its investments in the deployment of IT. It has stayed resilient to stand out amongst its neighboring countries, and now, it has the third-highest mobile phone penetration rate in Africa.
This sector continues to grow with various opportunities opening in cybersecurity, data centers, wireless technology, and multimedia development. Seychelles has adopted modern global practices to take advantage of this sector, with customer development as its driving force.
One of the important lessons taught by the ongoing pandemic is the importance and preservation of nature and its elements. Since Seychelles is a cultural and tourist hub, it has always stayed accountable to protect and preserve its environment.
The measures taken by Seychelles have been well integrated with technology to use surrounding elements and provide sustainability for the near future. The department of Blue Economy was established with these goals in mind.
| Job Type | SCR | USD |
|---|---|---|
| Administration | 13,454 | 905 |
| Agriculture | 12,424 | 835.54 |
| Banking | 20,050 | 1,348 |
| Construction | 18,100 | 1,217 |
| Customer support | 14,157 | 952 |
| Education | 15,126 | 1,017 |
| Information technology | 25,237 | 1,697 |
| Law | 20,651 | 1,389 |
| Marketing | 18,371 | 1,235 |
| Medicine | 14,990 | 1.008 |
The Employment Act is the primary legislation that sets the terms and conditions for both employers and employees. A written contract is legally required, except for a contract regarding casual work. Employee compensation, benefits, and termination are crucial factors that must be mentioned.
The Employment Act is notably clear on the protection of employees; however, if the employee has been negligent or dishonest, the employer is well within their rights to deduct wages. The employees are also entitled to employee benefits, according to the Employment Act, until their lawful termination.
Further, as per the Employment Act, an employer is prohibited from harassing their worker. The employer cannot discriminate against a worker based on their age, gender, race, color, nationality, or religion.
An employee may terminate their contract by serving notice.
Every foreigner trying to work in Seychelles needs a Gainful Occupation Permit (GOP), also known as a work permit. This document allows the person to be gainfully occupied in Seychelles, either as an employee or a self-employed person. Either the prospective employer or the employee, in the case of a self-employed person, must fill out the application at least 10 weeks before work starts. A foreigner cannot enter the country with the purpose of employment before obtaining a GOP.
Employees will also need a resident permit to live in the country. These permits are typically granted to people who are:
Employers must put together the application for the GOP on behalf of employees. Two of the main obligations involve payment of the application and processing fees and proof of the Seychelles Investment Bureau’s approval for the project if the employee is working for a new business.
First, the employer needs to get an approval certificate for the prospective employee from the Ministry of Employment, Immigration, and Civil Status (MEICS). After getting the certificate, submit all GOP applications to the Independence House’s Immigration Office in Victoria at least a week before the employee plans to start work.
After obtaining a Seychelles work visa, employees must meet additional requirements within one month of entering Seychelles, including:
If your employees are planning to work in the Seychelles International Trade Zones, they will need a separate permit. It’s your responsibility as the employer to apply for the permit through the Financial Services Authority (FSA) in Seychelles.
The country also offers a permanent residence permit to individuals that meet certain requirements. Your employees may be considered a priority worker if they have lived in Seychelles as a legal resident for no less than five years and have:
Royal HR Solution has the knowledge and experience to advise you at every step of your Seychelles Work Visa application.
Your Royal HR Solution consultant can guide you through the process and help you file an application with the highest chances of success talk to us today.
