LEBANON: Foreign Nationals excluded from particular professions

February 11, 2015


On 17th December 2015, the Lebanese Minister of Labour decided to reserve the exclusive right to practice certain professions to Lebanese nationals.

However, similarly to the UK”s Shortage Occupation exceptions, foreign nationals may be exempt from this new rule if they are specialists in positions that cannot be filled by a Lebanese national.

Jobs reserved for Lebanese nationals:

All jobs and business related to:

Administration, Banking, Accounting, Education, Publishing, Engineering, Medicine, Law and Insurance Sectors

Exceptions:

The Ministry of Labour has outlined the ways to be except from these restrictions. They are as follows:

·         Specialists/ technicians carrying out jobs that cannot be filled by a Lebanese national;

·         Directors or representatives of a foreign company registered in Lebanon;

·         Lebanese residents since birth;

·         Persons of Lebanese origin or born to a Lebanese mother;

·         Citizens of countries that allow Lebanese nationals to carry out the job that the foreign national wishes to carry out in Lebanon.

·         Palestinian and Syrian nationals are also exempt from the provisions in certain circumstances.

·         Any foreign national currently holding a Lebanese work permit will be allowed to continue to work in Lebanon until the work permit expires.