- The weather
- The city of Accra
- Getting a visa
- Applying for a work permit
- Applying for residence
If you have made the decision to move to Ghana, it must be said, you have made a fantastic decision. The country is attracting people not just from other African countries, but from all over the world.
The country lies in western Africa at the Gulf of Guinea and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, and Burkina Faso. Ghana is a flat country which boasts rainforests to the west, Lake Volta, arable lands to the north, and the coastal plains of the south. Most of the population live on the south and northeast coasts as well as the city’s capital of Accra.
Here we outline some of the most important considerations to keep in mind if you are relocating to Ghana:
The weather
Ghana is a tropical country which has two main seasons: wet and dry.
The south of the country has two rainy seasons per year (May to June and August to September), whereas the northern region has one longer rainy season (May to September).
Northern Ghana is generally dry and hot, and is therefore prone to drought, but the south is humid and warm with stunning rain forests.
The city of Accra
The capital city of Ghana of Accra is in the Accra Metro Region and this is where most people relocate to when they arrive in Ghana. There are around 2.5 million people living in the city and the region is home to more than 4 million people. It is the hub of Ghana in terms of government, business, and the economy and can be a great place to live.
Image Cred: https://twitter.com/_ThisisAccra
In terms of finding housing, the northern and western areas are more expensive. If you are relocating to Ghana, Ghana Property Centre can help you to find properties to rent or buy in your preferred regions.
Getting a visa
Nationals of several African countries (Swaziland, Zambia, Botswana, Uganda, Malawi, Lesotho, Tanzania, Botswana, and Zimbabwe) can travel to Ghana without applying for a visa but will need to get a visa stamp when they arrive at Accra airport.
Nationals of Malaysia, Kenya, Singapore, Hong Kong and Egypt as well as people from ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) do not need a visa to travel to Ghana.
If you are not a national of one of these countries, you will need to apply for a visa. You can apply for a 3- or 12-month visa, but the immigration officials will decide how long you can stay in Ghana, which is usually 60 days.
Applying for a work permit
Applying to work in Ghana requires going through a complex application process.
Ghana’s immigration policy means there are limits to the number of foreigners a company can employ, so this can make opportunities difficult to come by.
It is not impossible to find a job, but you should start searching as early as possible. You will need to apply to the Ghana Immigration Service for both your work and residence permits.
Applying for residence
When you apply for residence, you and your employer need to complete paperwork and submit documents, such as a CV, medical records, police records, passport, evidence of travel insurance and your contract of employment.
Once you have your visa, work permit and residence permit (and somewhere to live), you can begin the new chapter of your life in Ghana.
