People

Recruiting. Egypt's textile and garment industry employs large numbers of people, so experienced operators, supervisors and technicians can be found, especially near the established industrial zones. Plan recruitment in waves that follow the machinery installation, and budget time for training on your products and quality standards.

Employment rules. Under Labour Law No. 14 of 2025, in force since 1 September 2025:

• Contracts must be written in Arabic, in four copies, one of them filed with the social insurance office.
• Annual leave is 15 working days in the first year, 21 days after that, and 30 days after 10 years of service.
• Employers must give an annual raise of at least 3% of the insured salary, with temporary exemptions possible.
• The private-sector minimum wage is EGP 7,000 a month (since March 2025).

Register every employee for social insurance, as set up in Stage 4.

Foreign staff. A foreigner may not work in Egypt before the Ministry of Labour issues a work permit. Under the Investment Law, foreign staff may make up to 10% of the workforce, rising to 20% where qualified Egyptians cannot be found; SCZone allows up to 10%. The usual steps are:

1. Open the company file at the Ministry of Labour.
2. Apply with the employee's passport, contract and experience certificate.
3. Wait for security clearance.
4. Collect the permit and pay the fees.
5. Apply for a work residence permit at the Passports and Immigration office — usually for one year, renewable.

The procedures should be completed within 60 days of the employee's entry into Egypt.