Immigration
Work permits under a quota system with DIRE residence documentation
Foreign nationals working in Mozambique require either a work permit or, within the statutory quota, a simplified communication procedure. Quotas are set by employer size — broadly 5 to 10 per cent of the workforce depending on the number of employees. Residents hold a DIRE card.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — The Ministry of Labour and the Serviço Nacional de Migração decide; administrative courts review.
- Deadline — Within-quota hires: communicated to the labour authorities within 15 days of commencement
- Deadline — Above-quota hires: prior authorisation required
Governing law
- Lei do Trabalho (Lei 13/2023) — foreign labour quotas
- Regulamento sobre a contratação de cidadãos de nacionalidade estrangeiraDecreto 37/2016
- Lei da NacionalidadeLei 16/75
In practice
The within-quota communication route is the key practical distinction: it converts what would be a permit application into a notification, and getting the quota calculation wrong exposes the employer to fines and the worker to irregular status.