Document checklist
Hong Kong → Botswana: Work Permit
What you need before you submit, checked against official requirements, not guesswork.
Not yet checked. This page was drafted from the sources listed below but hasn't passed verification yet. Double-check anything critical directly with the official source before you rely on it.
Required documents
10 itemsIdentity
Certified copy of your passport data page
RequiredA certified copy of the biographic (photo) page of your valid passport.
Source: Government of Botswana, Department of Labour and Social Security: Work Permit Application
Passport-size photos
Required2 recent passport-size photos with a white background.
Source: Government of Botswana, Department of Labour and Social Security: Work Permit Application
Work permit application form
RequiredThe Work Permit application form, downloaded, completed, and submitted with your other documents at your nearest Labour Office.
Source: Government of Botswana, Department of Labour and Social Security: Work Permit Application
Purpose of travel
Signed application letter for work
RequiredA signed letter applying for permission to work, plus your letter of offer or appointment letter from the employer.
Source: Government of Botswana, Department of Labour and Social Security: Work Permit Application
Employment
Employment contract
RequiredYour signed employment contract with your Botswana employer.
Source: Government of Botswana, Department of Labour and Social Security: Work Permit Application
Job advert
RequiredA copy of the job advert for your position, no older than six months.
Source: Government of Botswana, Department of Labour and Social Security: Work Permit Application
Travel
Employment visa documents (if your nationality needs a visa to enter Botswana)
If you're from a country that needs a visa to enter Botswana at all, you also need an Employment Visa to travel there: your passport data pages (valid at least 6 months), 2 colour passport photos, a covering letter explaining your travel, your flight itinerary and accommodation details or Botswana address, a re-entry permit to your home country if required, a waiver from the Department of Labour and Social Security, and your employment contract or confirmation letter.
Other
Certified educational certificates
RequiredCertified copies of your educational certificates. If they're in a foreign language, they must be translated into English and the translation confirmed by the Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA).
Source: Government of Botswana, Department of Labour and Social Security: Work Permit Application
Clearance from your professional regulatory body
If your profession is regulated, clearance from the relevant body, for example the Botswana Nursing Council or Health Professions Council for medical roles, Ministry of Education approval plus a BQA qualification evaluation for teaching, the Botswana Institute of Chartered Accountants for accountants, the Botswana Football Association or Premier League for football, the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana for pilots, or the Engineers Registration Board for engineers.
Source: Government of Botswana, Department of Labour and Social Security: Work Permit Application
Curriculum vitae
RequiredYour CV, showing your qualifications and work history for the role.
Source: Government of Botswana, Department of Labour and Social Security: Work Permit Application
Why applications on this route get refused
Foreign-language certificates without a confirmed translation
Educational certificates in a foreign language must be translated to English with the translation confirmed by the Botswana Qualifications Authority, an uncertified translation doesn't meet the requirement.
How to avoid it: Get your certificates translated and have the translation confirmed by BQA before you submit your application.
Missing professional regulatory clearance
For regulated professions (medical, teaching, accounting, football, aviation, engineering), not providing clearance from the relevant regulatory body means the application is incomplete.
How to avoid it: Check whether your profession is regulated and obtain clearance from the right body before applying.
Missing Employment Visa documents for a visa-required nationality
If your nationality needs a visa to enter Botswana, not also applying for the Employment Visa with its own document set means you won't be able to travel to take up the work permit.
How to avoid it: Check whether your nationality needs a visa to enter Botswana, and if so, prepare the Employment Visa documents alongside your work permit application.
Sources
Check your documents against this list before you pay the Botswana application fee.
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