Bangladesh Employment Visa and Work Permit in 2026

Foreign employment in Bangladesh normally involves two connected but distinct permissions: the appropriate employment-entry visa and the work permit/authorization administered by BIDA, BEPZA or another competent authority for the relevant establishment.

Who is this route for?

Current mission guidance covers experts, advisers and employees appointed by government, semi-government, autonomous projects, contractors and private industrial/commercial or representative organizations. BIDA's revised Visa Policy 2019 guidance describes E2 for qualifying expatriate employment and E3 for machinery/software installation, maintenance supervision and project inspection. Some mission pages use the broader E and E-1 labels.

Do not select a code solely from a blog or old checklist. The employer should confirm which category the competent Bangladesh mission and sponsoring authority will support for the actual assignment.

BIDA eligibility controls

For establishments under BIDA's jurisdiction, its current OSS guidance says:

  • a work permit is mandatory for a foreign national seeking employment;
  • the employing industrial/commercial establishment must be sanctioned or registered by the appropriate authority;
  • expatriate employment is normally considered where suitable local experts/technicians are unavailable;
  • the worker must be at least 18;
  • a board decision supporting the appointment/extension is required;
  • foreign employees should not exceed 5% of total employees in the industrial sector or 20% in the commercial sector, including top management; and
  • security clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs forms part of the process.

Typical documents

The exact list depends on employer and authority, but BIDA and mission materials commonly require the passport and arrival/visa pages, online MRV application, photograph, appointment/service/transfer agreement, board resolution, incorporation or office-permission records, employer manpower statement, academic/professional evidence, company and expatriate tax documents, authority visa recommendation, and authorization for the person filing the application.

BIDA's commercial-office work-permit checklist also requests an encashment certificate showing minimum USD 50,000 inward remittance as initial establishment cost for specified branch/liaison/joint-venture and 100%-foreign-owned company contexts. It is a company-establishment/work-permit document rule, not a universal salary or investor-visa minimum.

Fee and service target

BIDA's Commercial Wing publishes BDT 5,000 per individual/year for a new commercial-office work permit and a 16-working-day service target, subject to inter-ministerial working-committee approval. Extension material also lists BDT 5,000 and a 16-working-day target in that service context.

This timing starts and ends with the BIDA service; it does not include employer setup, visa recommendation, mission processing, travel, security clearance or correction of incomplete documents.

Visa validity varies by mission

Current Beijing guidance says an employment visa may be issued for a maximum initial period of three months with single, double or multiple entries and describes extension through DIP in Bangladesh. Seoul's current E-visa page also describes a three-month first-entry visa. Other posts can present E/E-1 details differently, so use the mission with jurisdiction over your application.

Application sequence

  1. Employer confirms its BIDA/BEPZA/other registration and the appropriate E-type category.
  2. Employer obtains the relevant visa recommendation from BIDA/BEPZA or competent ministry/authority.
  3. Applicant completes the MRV form and submits it to the competent mission with contract, passport, recommendation and post-specific documents.
  4. After entry, employer completes the work-permit process through the authority that regulates the establishment.
  5. Keep visa, work permit and tax-clearance timelines aligned for extensions or cancellation.

Changing the employment terms

BIDA's FAQ says the work permit must be amended when the employment agreement or approval details change. It lists a BDT 1,000 amendment fee in the relevant service. A person should not assume that changing employer, title, compensation or project leaves the existing authorization untouched.

Family

Mission materials use dependant categories such as FE for family members of E-visa holders. The dependant's status is linked to the principal and published guidance does not treat FE as an open work permit. See Bangladesh family/dependant visas.

Remote work is not an E-visa workaround

Bangladesh's current official category material reviewed for this guide does not publish a dedicated digital-nomad visa. If you intend to perform work while physically in Bangladesh for a foreign company or clients, obtain advice on whether the activity triggers local immigration/work authorization rather than repurposing a business, tourist or dependant category.

Frequently asked questions

Is an E visa itself the work permit?

No. BIDA expressly operates a separate expatriate work-permit service.

What are the E2 and E3 categories?

BIDA describes E2 for qualifying expatriate employment and E3 for machinery/software installation, maintenance supervision and project inspection under the revised Visa Policy 2019 framework.

Is the BDT 5,000 fee the total immigration cost?

No. It is the BIDA service fee benchmark for the identified work-permit service and does not replace visa fees, taxes or other authority costs.

Where next?

Compare the Bangladesh PI investor route, family/dependant visas, the Bangladesh country hub and Asia guides.

Official and supporting sources

Related routes in Bangladesh