The majority of expatriates living and working in Lebanon find employment in Beirut with the greatest employment sector in the country the service industry. 

There are strict laws relating to the professions that non-Lebanese workers are barred from and which must have a Lebanese employer, but these rules are seldom enforced and most jobs in Lebanon are open to expatriates especially if they are fluent in both English and Arabic. 

To obtain a work permit, those who have secured jobs in Lebanon already will find they are usually assisted by their new employer.  Those who wish to enter Lebanon to start a specific business need a proprietor’s work permit which includes the provision of having a local Lebanese partner for any business ventures.

When trawling through the rules that all work permit applicants have to abide by and fulfil one would be forgiven for thinking they are highly restrictive but in reality the Ministry of Labour in Lebanon is relaxed about the rules.  The professions that expatriates living and working in Lebanon are officially barred from include financial and medical services; however these rules are seldom enforced and it is actually the banking and financial services industries that take on many expatriate staff especially at a senior level.

As stated, those with fluency in English and Arabic stand the best chance of getting jobs in Lebanon as do those with professional qualifications and experience.  Work permits and residency permits for expatriate staff are granted on an annual basis and take a few days to process; anyone unsure of whether they will be granted permission to live and work in Lebanon should contact their nearest Lebanese embassy and it should be noted that anyone with an Israeli stamp in their passport will be refused entry to Lebanon.

Industry sectors employing international staff include banking and finance, architecture and construction, IT and telecommunications, engineering and UK, US and European staff are often sought for management roles in a variety of fields.  In terms of finding work, many are relocated by their company or headhunted by specialist companies in Lebanon and once expatriates have moved to live in the region most find that networking is the most effective way to find a new job.