Expatriate quota in Nigeria is an approval granted by the Minister of Interior affairs to foreign or indigenous companies to enable foreign employees, directors or owners of businesses work in Nigeria.
A business permit is often processed together with expatriate quota in the case of wholly or partly owned foreign company.
A company that wishes to employ a foreigner is expected to obtain the Expatriate quota approval before processing a temporary work permit or Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Alien Card (CERPAC). It is pertinent to note that regulations 11 of the 2017 Immigration Regulations exempt member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) from obtaining CERPAC provided that such citizen shall register with the service as nationals of ECOWAS.
The expatriate quota does not automatically grant residence permit. Application can be made for additional expatriate quota or for a renewal.
TYPES OF EXPATRIATE QUOTA IN NIGERIA:
The expatriate quota is categorized into two different types. Each type of Expatriate quota to be applied for depends largely on the nature, relevance and duration of the position to be held by the expatriate.
- Temporary Expatriate Quota: This type of expatriate quota is given for the purpose of positions to be occupied by the foreigner for a short period of time.
- Permanent until Reviewed (PUR): This is granted to companies to enable foreign employees, such as managing director owners of the business to work in Nigeria. As the name implies the expatriate quota is usually for a longer period of time to be reviewed at a much father date.
REQUIREMENTS FOR OBTAINING AN EXPATRIATE QUOTA/BUSINESS PERMIT IN NIGERIA
- A letter of application
- Copy of certificate of Incorporation
- Company profile
- Copy of Form CAC 2(Allotment of share capital; minimum of 20 million naira share capital)
- Copy of form CAC 7 (Particulars of Directors
- Copy of memorandum and Articles of Association
- Tax clearance certificate of the company
- Business permit (where necessary)
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.