Find Out How to Get a Job and Work in Lesotho

Employment in Lesotho

Economic Overview

The economy of Lesotho is significantly integrated with the economy of South Africa as their closest neighbor. The majority of the economy has been based on farming and agriculture, mining and manufacturing and relies heavily on exporting to South Africa, but the country is also one of the largest exporters of garments to the US.

Water is also a good resource in Lesotho, and is transferred to South Africa, with diamonds another valuable resource that is mined in the country. English teaching jobs are not in large supply for foreigners, as a lot of the local people from Lesotho already speak English — a legacy from the British occupation of the country.

Work Permits for Lesotho

In order to work in Lesotho you will need to obtain a residence permit. In order to apply, you will need to gather your passport, a visa application form (this application can be completed online) a passport photograph, details of a place of residence during your time in Lesotho and an invitation letter for your employer.

You will need to have already secured employment to obtain a residency permit, though you can enter Lesotho on a tourist visa and apply for a residence permit from within the country — this is easiest to do in Maseru at the Department of Immigration and Passport services of the Ministry of Home Affairs in Lesotho. The residence permit can be obtained for up to two years.

Job Hunting in Lesotho

As Lesotho does not have good internet access throughout the country, finding jobs located online outside of the city of Maseru online is not necessarily easy. However, a number of volunteering opportunities and aid work can be found through non-governmental organizations. These are mainly positions working in orphanages, with elderly people, or in healthcare units as there are still health issues throughout the country and medical treatments are limited. Volunteering positions are also available in environmental or community projects. The easiest way these positions can be found is online, through websites such as volunteeralliance.org.

Paid opportunities in Lesotho, on the other hand, are incredibly hard to find, regardless of whether you are looking for permanent or seasonal work here. Particularly the tourism industry is, though developing, is not very big in Lesotho yet.