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What You Need to Know When You’re Moving to Maseru

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  • Raul Gonzales

    I like the idea of that global platform where I can meet a lot of global-minded people interested in expat issues, foreign affairs and life abroad.

Relocating to Maseru

About the City

Maseru is the capital city of the land-locked African Kingdom of Lesotho, an enclave of South Africa. The city is situated about 1600m above sea level, in clear mountain air, making it a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts — a definite lure to move to Maseru.

The whole country of Lesotho encompasses 30,355 square kilometers (11,720 square miles), and the city and its peri-urban villages sprawl across 138 square kilometers (53 square miles), with a relatively small, sleepy center. The latest available census (2006) shows 227,880 people live in Maseru, which is about a tenth of the country’s population.

Maseru is far from being an African economic powerhouse. It has an international airport (Moshoeshoe) and relies heavily on tourism, especially from neighboring South Africa. The city has several international standard hotels, branches of South African retail chains and banks, along with restaurants serving good food. There are some flourishing industrial enterprises such as flour mills, textile and footwear companies. These, and diplomatic posts from abroad, all provide jobs for expatriates who relocate to Maseru.

The Climate in Maseru

Set at high altitude, Maseru has a pleasant subtropical highland climate, with warm wet summers and chilly dry winters.

The average summer temperature (December to March in the Southern Hemisphere) is 22°C (72°F), and in winter it averages 9°C (48°F). July is the coldest month, when temperatures can dip below freezing at night.

The wettest, and warmest, month is January, when the average precipitation is 111 mm (4.4 inches) and average high temperature 28°C (82°F).

Visas for Lesotho

If you plan to live and work in Lesotho you will need a work permit. The best advice for expatriates is to arrive in Maseru as a tourist and apply for a work permit within 30 days of your arrival.

Lesotho is an independent state and thus a valid passport is needed to enter. Citizens of numerous countries do not require a tourist visa to enter Lesotho for up to 30 days, including Commonwealth countries and the USA. You can check the full list of visa-free countries online. If you do need a visa you should apply in advance at your nearest Lesotho embassy or consulate. Find contact details for Lesotho Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates around the world at the web address given above.

Once in Maseru your employer will probably guide you through the process of obtaining a work permit, which involves completing an application form from the Ministry of Labor and Employment (Tel: +266 22 312620) and submitting it to the Commissioner. If the application is approved you will have to collect your work permit from the Central Police Station in Maseru.

Jun 6, 2018, 6:00 PM
11 attendees
Hello Maseru InterNations Community! Let's celebrate the Autumn with a delicious cocktail and a chat, before we freeze! Bring your best mood and if you wish, your business card along and join this ev
Jan 25, 2018, 5:30 PM
21 attendees
It is a pleasure to be in touch with you as the new Ambassador of InterNations in Maseru! Let me wish you a happy new year and invite you to join the first InterNations event of the year! What an occa
Feb 28, 2017, 5:30 PM
13 attendees
We had a wonderful event in January with many new faces and it is exciting to see that our community is growing. Join me and fellow expats again for networking and fun time this special Valentine's
Jan 26, 2017, 5:30 PM
11 attendees
Hope you had a fantastic start to 2017. We hope to continue to grow interNations Maseru this year and make it even more exciting for you. We invite you to Join fellow expats for networking and fun t

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  • Raul Gonzales

    I like the idea of that global platform where I can meet a lot of global-minded people interested in expat issues, foreign affairs and life abroad.

Our Global Partners

Like-Minded Expatriates in Maseru

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