Foreign workers require a work permit in order to perform any work activities in Malawi.

Work permits (called TEP - Temporary Employment Permit) must be applied for by the employer before the foreigner enters Malawi. Processing time is generally up to one month and the permit is usually for up to2 years. TEP can be renewed only once for a further 2 years.

The employer is required to give proof that no Malawian suitable for the post has been identified, and to have sufficiently advertised the vacancy. Normally managers and key personnel are granted TEP quite easily.

Dependant family members can apply for a Temporary Residence Permit on the basis of being accompanying family members; they do not have the right to work in the country. If they wish to work, they’ll require to apply for a work permit in their own right.

All immigration procedures are done in Blantyre and not in Lilongwe, despite the latter being the Malawi's capital.