Immigration to Egypt

Egypt is the Arab world’s most populated country with estimated 97 million people and covers an area of 1,010,408 sq.km. It is situated in the northeast corner of Africa and stretches to the southwest corner of Asia. It has land borders with Palestine, Sudan, Israel and Libya.  Around 98% of Egypt’s population lives in the Nile River Valley, which is the lifeline of Egypt. Nile is the longest river in the world.  The capital city is Cairo. Egypt tourists’ attractions are the manmade wonder of the pyramids of Giza to the awe-inspiring Sphinx. The town of Luxor (The Palaces in Arabic) has many temples and tomb with colorful wall art dating 16^th to 11^th centuries B.C. Egypt has beautiful beaches long the Red sea especially in the south Sinai. Here one can experience once-in-a-lifetime diving experience into the deep and explore the coral reef of the Red Sea. For expats and tourists, Egypt is a safe country, rich in heritage. Most of Egypt’s landscape consists of desert- the eastern part of the Sahara.

The Following Factors Speak For An Immigration To Egypt

• Good Heritage
• Very good for Movers
• Ease of Finding Friends
• Low Cost of Living

Traveling information

Flights for tourists and visitors are now open in Egypt and visas can be procured on-line. However, entry restrictions due to Covid-19 is still valid and all passengers must be aware of the same. Visitors from around the world can enter Egypt with a valid proof of negative Covid-19 test result or vaccination certificate.

For a detailed guide on Travel information requirements during covid-19 and to apply for online Visa please visit: www.egyptonlinevisa.com

How to immigrate to Egypt 

To enter Egypt, you must either get a tourist visa or a business visa depending on the purpose of visit.  Visas can be procured on-line or at the nearest Egypt consulate.  You can also buy Visa after you arrive at the Airport, before reaching immigration. It is a must that Expats check with local Egyptian embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date information on nationality requirements regarding visas for Egypt.

Expats travelling for work or study will have to get a residence permit and work permit.  Work permit and residence permits are made separately and takes long therefore you must have secure jobs/employment before applying for work permit.  A work permit is granted for 1 year and can be extended upto 5 years. 

To get more information on Egypt tourist visa, please visit: www.egyptonlinevisa.com

People 

The Egyptians are an ethnic group of people originating from Egypt. They are about 76.4 million of the total population.  It is estimated that 90% of the population is Muslim and 10% is Christians.  The ethnic minorities are Turks, Greeks, Abazas and Bedouin Arab tribes in the Sinai Peninsula & desert to the east.  Along the Nile valley are the “Nubian” and the “Siwis” in the Siwa Oasis.

Job offers in Egypt  

Egypt’s growing economy attracts skilled workers seeking jobs overseers and opens lots of business opportunities for expats. Teaching is the most common profession available for expats here.  Other areas where foreigners are employed are media, oil & gas and IT companies. The capital city Cairo has most expats working in Egypt. It is strictly prohibited to work on tourist visa, however while on tourist visa, expats can look for job and change their visa type.

Unemployment rate:

The unemployment rate in 2021 was 7.4%.  As per the 2022 Data (1993-2021 Historical) – the unemployment rate in Egypt is expected to be 7.60% by the end of this quarter according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts’ expectations.

In the second quarter of the year 2021 the number of unemployed persons was 2115 thousand and increased to 2211 thousand in the third quarter. Underperformance of labor markets is the cause of high unemployment rate in Egypt. Job opportunities has grown at slower rate compared to the growth rate of population. The unemployment rate is high with many locals struggle to meet a basic standard of living. Expats who move to Egypt without a firm job offer may have similar struggle to secure well paid work.

Economy   

The 2022 Index of economic freedom score for Egypt’s economic score is 49.1 which makes it 152^nd freest in the 2022 index. Among the 14 middle east and north African region, Egypt is ranked 11^th, making it below the regional and world averages. From 2017 to 2019 the economic growth accelerated, however it slowed down from 2019 -2021.

To get the latest statistics of Egypt’s economic, please visit: www.heritage.org

Renting and buying of real estates for foreigners

Buying:

Legally foreigners can buy not more than 2 pieces of land in Egypt for the purpose of living of family members only. The maximum area of the land cannot exceed 4000 sq.m. The registered property cannot be sold or rented for five years.     

For a detailed guide to buying a property in Egypt, refer the website : www.globalpropertyguide.com

Renting: 

Location close to the workplace and School/colleges if children are there must be the main aspect to consider. Other factors to consider are market places and  other important amenities close to the rented house. The largest number of expats and foreigners in Cairo choose Maadi & New Cairo as the first option where most of the workplace is and also school.         

Get information on renting a property in Egypt on housesolutionegypt.com

Climate

Egypt has an arid desert climate which is generally both hot and sunny. It has mild winter season with rain along coastal areas. Days are hot, and nights are cooler throughout Egypt.  Egypt has only two seasons – mild winter from November to April, Hot summer from May to October.

The average temperature during the summer months is 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) but can reach as high as 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees C) 

It usually snows on the Sinai mountains, but never snows in the cites of Giza, Cairo and Alexandria.  Every year Sand Storms called the “Khamsin”, which are extremely hot, dusty and dry winds blows from south to the southwest. These winds blow sometime in March to May. 

To see the temperatures in four major cities in Egypt, please visit: www.intrepidtravel.com

Languages

The official language of Egypt is Arabic. There are many vernacular dialects of Arabic that are spoken here. The modern literary Arabic (modern standard Arabic or al-fuṣḥā) which developed out of the medieval is learned only in School. The grammer has remained unchanged since 7th century, but in other ways it has transformed in recent years. The forms of style, words and phrases are simpler and more flexible than classic Arabic.

Many other Arabic variants are spoken e.g Sa’idi Arabic is spoken near the Sudanese border by rural population. 

Traffic

It is said that Driving is an art and the road is your canvas. This is true in Egypt as there is no traffic Lights or driving signals. There is freedom to drive to turn whenever you want. There are no traffic rules here and therefore Egyptians suffer daily in traffic jams.  Driving is on the right-hand side of the road in Egypt.

The capital city Cairo is known for its fast traffic. There are only 9 traffic lights in Cairo city. For foreigners therefore, it is very dangerous to rent a car. The speed limits in Egypt is:

Within City – 60 kph (37 mph)
Outside City limits – 90 kph (56 mph)
Desert highway between Cairo & Alexandria – 100 kph (62 mph)

A good to know information of Egypt’s traffic is available on: egyptianstreets.com

Currency 

The currency in Egypt is known as the Egyptian Pound or EGP.  It is also denoted as LE which is the Egyptian currency name in French and stands for livre égyptienne. 100 piasters make one Egyptian pound. In Arabic, gineih denotes the Egyptian Pound and qirsh is the Egypt currency name used for piaster.  E£ or £E is the symbol used for Egypt money.

The Egyptian Pound or EGP is mainly a paper currency. 1EGP = 100 qirsh = 1000 millemes.
The paper notes come in 1,5,10,20,50,100 & 200 denominations.
The coins are available for 1 EGP, 50, 25 and 10 piaster.

For more information on Egyptian currency please visit: www.sotc.in

Payment Transaction 

In Egypt over 90% of e-commerce transactions are paid in cash on delivery. Although there are many credit card holders, but they are reluctant to use their cards. A number of banks in Egypt has offered mobile payment services, but the public uptake has been below expectations. Furthermore, the mobile payment is not enabled for e-commerce purchases. Only a limited portion of the rural population have access to e-payment services.  

The following most relevant payment methods are used in Egypt-

• Cash Payments
• Domestic Credit Cards
• International Credit Cards
• Bank Transfers
• Debit Cards

Mobile Carriers in Egypt – Vodafone, Etisalat, Orange & We (Telecom Egypt)

The following Banks operate in Egypt-

• Credit Agricole 
• Qatar National Bank (QNB)  
• Commercial International Bank  
• National Bank of Egypt
• Arab Banking Corporation
• HSBC Bank Egypt
• Banque du Caire   
• Banque Misr
• Alex Bank

Cost of living in Egypt  

Living in Egypt is relatively cheaper as compared to many countries in the world. Daily utilities like transportation, accommodation, food etc. are much affordable in Egypt. A single person estimated monthly cost is E£ 11,762 and for a family of four the monthly cost is E£ 28,199. Cairo is 72.28% less expensive than New York.

If you enjoy Sports, Fitness clubs and tennis courts are available for visitors for approx. $22.00 per month and $6.00 per hour on weekends.

To compare the cost of living to your home country please visit www.rocapply.com

Apartment Rent 

Renting an Apartment is relatively cheaper in Egypt.  In a big city of Egypt, a one-bedroom apartment will cost about $180 and a similar apartment in the downtown will cost only $98.  Rent in Cairo is on an average 93.18% lower than in New York. A good option to find Rental Apartment in Egypt is trough Classifieds and Real Estate Agents.  Among them are Craigslist and Property Finder.

You can select an apartment from Craigslist wherein tons of apartment options are updated every day. Their website address is:  cairo.craigslist.org

Taxes 

Expats are liable to pay income tax depending on their residency status. Non-residents need not file taxes, however the income they receive in Egypt is taxed progressively based on gross income. The personal income tax rate was expected around 22.50% in 2022 according to econometric models.

The following are the important taxes imposed in Egypt:

• Value-added Tax (VAT) – The VAT is 14% as of 2017-18, which is applicable on all goods and services except for machinery and equipment used for producing a commodity or giving services.
• Customs Duty – The customs duty ranges from 0% to 60% on imported goods except for vehicles (different rates apply)
• Excise Taxes – The excise tax also known as Schedule tax or table tax imposed on certain listed products and services.
• Real Estate Tax – is imposed on all constructed real estate units with the exemption of Schools, Orphanages, Charitable organizations & private residences with market value less than 2 million EGP

For more information on Taxes in Egypt please visit: andersen.com

Health Insurance  

Egypt public health insurance services are provided by two independent organizations that operate under government supervision.

1. Health Insurance Organization (HIO)
2. Curative Care Organization (CCO)

The HIO covers students, employed persons and widows. They have the network of hospitals across the country. The premiums are collected from salaries and employer payroll.

The CCO operates only on few Egyptian governorates and works on contracts with individuals, companies and government agencies.

Visiting a private healthcare provider is the best and reasonable option here. Many expats fly to Dubai for a proper medical care. The medical evacuation cost is covered under Egypt expatriate health insurance.

Important addresses 

1) Emergency Department
As-Salam International Hospital Maadi Branch
Nile Cornicle, Athar an Nabi, Old Cairo,
Cairo Governorate, Egypt  
Phone : +20 109 200 1443

2) Government office in Cairo
Qasr Ad Dobarah,
Qasr El Nil,
Cairo Governorate, Egypt
Phone: +20 122 617 4055

3) Passport Office
MJPJ + QMC, Khaled Ibn Walid Street,
Khaled Ibn Al Walid,
Gazirat Al Awameyah, Luxor,
Luzor Governorate, Egypt

Summary

The pyramids, the River Nile, oases with date palms, pharaohs like Khufu, Tutankhamun and Ramses II, Egyptian mummies and coffins, Nefertiti, Cleopatra, the Library of Alexandria, River Nile Cruises, the Karnak temples at Luxor, papyrus and Feluccas (sailing boats) are few names that comes to your mind when you think of Egypt. A historical and social mixture, incredible to explore, Egypt is a great, unique destination for expats who love ancient architecture, beautiful landscapes, love people, food, cultures and love to enjoy life.