Tanzania

Relocating your employees to Tanzania

Tanzania is still a fairly new country among expats, but has increased in popularity in recent years. The mining industry, tourism industry and many humanitarian projects in the region have increased the number of international workers in the country. The beautiful landscapes and diverse cities make Tanzania an attractive country to move to. Would you like to learn more about relocating employees to Tanzania? We have collected the most important information for you.

Immigration requirements

To work and live in Tanzania, your employee must obtain a permit. The country has five different permits, of which the following three are the most useful:

Class A: For investors or self-employed persons, for example people who want to start a new company. This permit is valid for a maximum of 10 years or as long as the company exists.

Class B: Non-citizens in possession of rare qualifications or skills. This permit is mandatory to possess before arrival in the country and is valid for a maximum of 5 years.

Class C: Non-citizens in possession of other professions or foreigners who are not eligible to obtain an A or B Class permit, such as researchers, volunteers, retired persons, and more.

It is important to note that the application process for a work permit takes a lot of time. It can take several months before all papers are in order.

What about the employee’s spouse?

For the duration of the working relative’s stay in Tanzania with a residence permit, dependents and spouses are welcome to stay. Unless they meet the requirements outlined in the Class B application section above, they often do not work.

Relocation management

Are you considering relocating your worker to Tanzania so they may work there? Naturally, you therefore want everything to run as smoothly as possible. There are other things that must be considered, such as housing or schooling.

Housing

Tanzania has several large cities, suburbs and many small towns and villages. Most expats live in the big cities, such as Dar es Salaam or Dodoma. In general, accommodation is rented, since foreigners are not allowed to buy property.

The rental costs for accommodation can differ per region and also per district where the employee will live. For example, an apartment in a suburb can cost $400, while a city center apartment can cost about $1000 per month. Public transport costs are low, so it can be attractive to live in one of the suburbs outside the city center and use public transport to travel.

Working conditions

By law, an employee in Tanzania is allowed to work a maximum of 45 hours per week, of which a maximum of 9 hours per day and up to 6 days per week. Employees who are pregnant are not allowed to work at night from two months before the expected date of delivery, this also applies to mothers during a period of two months after birth.

The minimum wage in Tanzania is not determined nation-wide but depends on the category in which the employment sector falls. The minimum wage can therefore differ from 40,000 TZS ($17) to 400,000 TZS ($171) per category. However, the average salary is higher than the minimum wage, around 1,300,000 TZS ($557) per month.

Schooling in Tanzania

The start date of the schools is slightly different than in most European countries, because the school year runs from January to December. International schools in Tanzania do have a term from September to July. A uniform is worn in many schools.

Most expats take their children to an international school. Mainly because the teaching periods are the same as in Western countries, but also because the language of instruction here is English, and the quality of education is often equal to the standard in Western countries.

Healthcare

Unfortunately, the quality of healthcare in Tanzania is not comparable to what an employee in the west is used to. In the larger cities you will find the best facilities, but most international employees join a private health insurance plan through their employer or an international insurance company. For serious health issues it is also possible to be forwarded to another country where there are better health facilities.

Other points of attention

• It is very important that you have the correct documents before the employee leaves for Tanzania. It is not allowed to visit the country without proper visas or permits.
• The water from the tap is not suitable for drinking because it contains many bacteria and parasites. A water filtration system is recommended, as is drinking bottled water.
• Malaria is common in Tanzania, especially during the high season from May to July. Be aware of precautionary measures, such as sprays, a mosquito net, and anti-malarial medicines.

Costs of relocating employees to Tanzania

Visa costs

To be able to work and live in Tanzania, the employee must obtain a permit. The costs of a work permit vary between $500 and $1000 USD.

Transport of household effects

Tanzania is located on the east coast of Africa and Dar es Salaam is certainly easily accessible through the port. Tanzania is located on the east coast of Africa and Dar es Salaam is certainly easily accessible through the port. This makes shipping your employee’s household effect a lot easier and cheaper. Sea freight is the cheapest option, but also the slowest. If you want to have the household goods at their destination as quickly as possible, it is better to opt for air transport.

Insurance

Moving household goods to another country or even continent is an exciting affair. Although a moving company does everything it can to make the move as smooth as possible, it can always happen that things or household effects are damaged during transport. It is therefore advisable to take out insurance. Insurance costs are often based on a percentage of the total value.

Flight tickets

Not only the household goods have to arrive at their destination, but also the assignee itself. In most cases, a flight to Tanzania will be chosen. Discuss with your employee which costs for the flight will be reimbursed by the employer and which costs the employee must pay himself. This way you avoid confusion.

A professional relocator helps relocating your employees to Tanzania

Moving to Tanzania opens a new world for your employee. It can be a complete turnaround compared to Western culture and customs, which makes it extra nice when a professional relocator helps with settling at the destination and supports the employee with looking for housing, schooling, etc. At Voerman International, we are happy to assist you with our move management and relocation management services.