Tanzania’s policy towards refugees’ access to work is highly restrictive. Tanzania practises an encampment policy and restricts freedom of movement, with less than 1% of refugees residing legally in cities. The country’s policy does not guarantee the right to work for refugees, but offers the option to apply for work permits from the Director of Refugee Services. In practice, work permits are extremely rare, and the application processes are excessively complex. Access to employment from refugee camps is virtually impossible, as there are no private sector opportunities in camps, internet access is costly, and leaving the camp is difficult. In Dar es Salaam, stringent practices since 2017 have made it more challenging for refugees to access opportunities. There is no evidence of collaborative approaches to creating an enabling environment for refugee employment in Tanzania.
