Issued abroad after a visa recommendation, usually from BIDA.
Visa, work permit & expat employment
Global Deployment in Bangladesh: work permits & expat employment
Send foreign staff to Bangladesh with confidence. We guide the E-visa recommendation, BIDA, BEPZA or BEZA work permit, local employment contract, BDT payroll and renewals on one checklist and one timeline.
- 15 daysfiling window after arrival
- 6 stepsmanaged end to end
- Since 2005cross-border experience
01 Bangladesh work permits at a glance
Key facts before you send staff to Bangladesh
Foreign nationals need an employment visa and a work permit before they can lawfully work in Bangladesh. These are the numbers employers plan around.
Deadline for the employer to file the work-permit application.
Initial permits are commonly granted for one year and renewed before expiry.
Local-to-foreign ratio commonly applied to commercial entities.
Indicative figures based on BIDA guidance. Requirements differ by authority, sector and zone, and are confirmed case by case.
02 How it works
From hiring decision to first payday in Bangladesh
Each step depends on the one before it. We manage the sequence so documents stay consistent and nothing is filed late.
Check my timelineTimelines are indicative and depend on file quality, the authority and embassy processing.
- 01
Confirm the route
Identify the right authority (BIDA, BEPZA, BEZA or another) and sponsoring structure for the role and work location.
Week 1 - 02
Visa recommendation
Prepare the company and employee file and apply for the E-visa recommendation.
About 1 day to 2 weeks - 03
E visa at the embassy
The employee applies for the employment visa at a Bangladesh mission abroad.
About 1–3 weeks - 04
Arrival and work permit
File the work-permit application within 15 days of arrival with the visa and arrival records.
About 16 working days - 05
Security clearance and visa extension
Track security clearance and extend the visa in line with the permit.
In parallel - 06
Payroll, tax and renewals
Register for tax, run payroll in BDT and diarise renewals and amendments.
Ongoing
03 Authorities and documents
Who issues the permit, and what you will need
The approving body depends on where and how the employer operates. Filing with the right one first avoids the most common restart.
BIDA
Most companies, branches and liaison offices operating outside special zones.
BEPZA
Employers located inside Bangladesh Export Processing Zones.
BEZA
Employers in economic zones, with their own approval process.
Other bodies
Some organisations, such as NGOs, follow separate authority routes.
Employer documents
- Certificate of incorporation, memorandum and articles
- Valid trade licence, TIN and tax-payment proof
- Board resolution approving the appointment
- Hiring justification and manpower statement
- BIDA registration or office permission, where applicable
Employee documents
- Passport valid for at least six months, with all used pages
- Appointment letter or employment contract
- Academic and professional certificates
- Photographs and visa recommendation letter
- Visa copy and arrival stamp, after entry
Official sources: Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), BEPZA, BEZA and the Department of Immigration and Passports.
04 What NNRoad handles
One team for the permit, the employment and the payroll
Immigration, HR and payroll often sit with different vendors, which is where delays and inconsistencies start. We keep them on one checklist and one timeline.
- Route planning: the right authority and visa category before anything is filed
- File preparation: board resolution, appointment letter and salary details that match
- Filing follow-through: visa recommendation, E visa, work permit and security clearance
- Employment and payroll: local contract, tax registration and monthly BDT payroll
- Lifecycle: renewals, amendments and permit closure when the assignment ends
Common causes of delay we help you avoid
05 Explore Bangladesh
Related Bangladesh services
Further reading: Global Deployment in Bangladesh: practical guide · Bangladesh labour and tax updates · Bangladesh country overview
06 FAQs
Global Deployment FAQs
What employers ask most before moving foreign staff to Bangladesh.
Ask a specific questionCan a foreign company employ a foreign national in Bangladesh without a local entity?
The visa recommendation and work permit need a lawful Bangladesh sponsoring employer. If you have no entity yet, NNRoad’s Employer of Record in Bangladesh can act as the local employer where the role qualifies.
How long does it take to get a work permit in Bangladesh?
As an indication, the E-visa recommendation can take from about one day to two weeks, the E visa one to three weeks, and a BIDA work permit about 16 working days after filing. Zone authorities may take longer. Complete, consistent documents make the biggest difference.
When must the work-permit application be filed?
The employer must file the work-permit application within 15 days of the employee’s arrival in Bangladesh on the employment (E) visa.
Do foreign employees pay income tax in Bangladesh?
Yes. Foreign employees need a tax identification number, income tax is withheld from salary every month, and annual returns are filed. Tax clearance is usually needed when the permit is renewed.
What usually delays a Bangladesh work permit?
The most common causes are filing with the wrong authority, documents that do not match each other, missing the 15-day filing window, pending security clearance and passports close to expiry.