Mozambique Work Visa: Your Employer Starts It, You Finish It
The labor ministry approves the hire first. Then you apply through the embassy in Washington and renew inside Mozambique while your contract runs.
Americans can visit Mozambique visa-free, but not to take a job. A work visa comes after a Mozambican employer gets Ministry of Labor approval to hire you, and the embassy won't take your file without that letter.
Work Visa
US citizens intending to work in Mozambique must obtain a work visa, which allows entry, and a separate work permit, which authorizes employment. There are short-term (up to 90 days) and long-term (more than 90 days, renewable) work visas. The process involves coordination between the employer, the Ministry of Labor, and the National Migration Service (SENAMI). Operating without proper authorization can result in penalties.
- Processing time
- ~14 days
- Timeline
- Varies
- Difficulty
- Moderate
About that data card
We've hidden our requirements list because one line, "Work permit application," doesn't match the embassy: you need the labor ministry's authorization letter already issued, not an application. The embassy checklist also asks for your signed Mozambican work contract, a police clearance authenticated by the U.S. State Department, a clean bill of health (both valid 3 months), a company letter, the employer's Alvará business permit and the employer's Mozambican ID.
The fit
A route for skills Mozambique can't find at home
This visa follows a job, not a plan. Your employer asks the Ministry of Labor to hire you under one of four regimes: a quota (5% of staff at firms with 100 or more workers, up to 15% at firms under 10), an authorization showing no Mozambican has your skills, a government-approved investment project with its own quota, or short-term work.
Energy is the big hirer to watch. TotalEnergies restarted its Mozambique LNG site at Afungi, in Cabo Delgado province, in January 2026 and expects first LNG in 2029.
Who it's not for
If your paycheck comes from a U.S. company or you hope to find work after you land, this isn't your visa. Portuguese is the official language, and English isn't widely spoken outside Maputo's business circles.
The numbers that set your timeline
15 days
Labor ministry deadline
to rule on an authorization request
5% to 15%
Foreign staff quota
of the workforce, by company size
Up to 1 year
Stay per work visa
extendable for an equal period
60 days
To use the visa
counted from the date it's issued
Step by step
From job offer to first day at work
1. Your employer gets the labor authorization
Decree 88/2024, in force since December 17, 2024, gives the ministry 15 days to rule. The permit fee is the employer's to pay. Under the older 2016 rules it was five sector minimum wages for a quota hire and ten for an authorization, or about $1,483 and $2,967 in banking at September 2026 rates. Check the current figure.
2. You gather your U.S. documents
Get a police clearance from where you live, authenticated by the U.S. State Department, and a doctor's health certificate. Both expire after 3 months, so get them last. Papers not in Portuguese may need a sworn translation.
3. You apply through the embassy in Washington
Scan everything into one PDF per person (5MB per file max) and pay by U.S.-dollar money order. The embassy issues visas in 3 or 10 business days. The official eVisa portal also has a separate work visa for the oil and gas sector, issued for 90, 180 or 365 days.
4. You enter within 60 days and renew in-country
Under Law 23/2022, the visa covers a stay of up to one year and can be extended for an equal period while your contract runs.
Residence card or visa renewal? Ask before you land
Sources disagree on whether work-visa holders still need a DIRE, the foreigner's residence card. One report says migration stopped issuing DIREs to people entering on work visas and renews the visa yearly instead. Relocation guides still describe a DIRE step, with fines of 1,000 meticais (about $16) a day for missing the 5-day arrival registration. Ask your employer's HR team or lawyer which applies to you.
Taxes and paychecks
What a Mozambican salary means at tax time
Mozambique taxes residents on worldwide income, at rates from 10% up to 32% on income above 1,512,000 meticais a year (about $23,555). Non-residents pay a flat 20% on employment income, withheld by the employer. Under Law 11/2025, the old 180-day presence test no longer decides residence; your main home and where you work do.
Social security (INSS) takes 3% of your salary and 4% from your employer. There's no U.S.-Mozambique totalization agreement, but foreign employees can apply for an exemption if they pay into a similar system at home.
The U.S. still taxes you on worldwide income. For 2026, the foreign earned income exclusion shelters up to $132,900 if you qualify, for example by spending 330 full days abroad in 12 months.
People who can help
MyExpatTaxes
U.S. Expat Tax Service
An online U.S. expat tax service for Americans filing from outside the country.
Hunter Schultz
Healthcare Coach
A healthcare coach who helps Americans work out how they'll get care and coverage abroad.
ExpatInsure
Global Health Insurance
Global health insurance for people living outside their home country.
Mozambique work visa FAQ
Can I do a short work assignment in Mozambique?
Yes, through the short-term work regime, which under Decree 88/2024 allows a foreigner to work up to 120 days a year. Your employer still handles it with the labor authority, and a visa-free visit covers only tourism or business, not work.
Can I get a Mozambique work visa without a job offer?
No. The Embassy of Mozambique in Washington asks for a copy of the Ministry of Labor's authorization letter and your Mozambican work contract, and both depend on an employer in Mozambique hiring you.
How much does a Mozambique work visa cost?
The Embassy of Mozambique in Washington lists visa fees of $160 to $250 (as of September 2026), depending on single or multiple entry and 10-day or 3-day service, paid by U.S.-dollar money order. The page doesn't say whether work visas follow that table, so confirm with the embassy. The labor-ministry permit fee is separate and paid by the employer.
Do U.S. citizens need a visa to work in Mozambique?
Yes. Americans can visit Mozambique for tourism or business without a visa, for up to 90 days a year, but working requires a work visa from a Mozambican embassy or consulate before you arrive. Your employer first has to get authorization from the Ministry of Labor to hire you.
Do I still pay U.S. taxes while working in Mozambique?
Yes. The U.S. taxes citizens on worldwide income even when they live abroad. For tax year 2026, the foreign earned income exclusion can shelter up to $132,900 of foreign wages if you qualify, for example by being physically present abroad for 330 full days in any 12-month period.
How many foreign workers can a Mozambican company hire?
Under Decree 88/2024, quotas run from 5% of the workforce at companies with 100 or more workers to 15% at companies with fewer than 10. Beyond the quota, the employer must show no qualified Mozambican is available, and government-approved investment projects can get custom quotas.
How long is a Mozambique work visa valid?
Under Law 23/2022, a work visa allows a stay of up to one year, extendable for an equal period. You have to enter Mozambique within 60 days of the date the visa is issued.
How long does it take to get a Mozambique work visa?
Under Decree 88/2024, the labor ministry has 15 days to rule on an authorization request, and the embassy issues visas in 3 or 10 business days. Allow extra time to get a police clearance authenticated by the U.S. State Department and a health certificate, each valid for only 3 months.
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