Working in Rwanda

Yes. If you are a recognized refugee  in Rwanda, you are also allowed to work legally in Rwanda as per Art. 18 of law n°13er/2014 of 21/05/2014 relating to refugees. Remember to obtain your refugee identity card. Without it, it is possible that you will find complications in accessing employment and social security, as well as complications in accessing financial services.

If you have been hired, both you and your employer must remember that you have the right to fair treatment and fair pay. In addition, you have the following rights:

• Affiliation to Social Security
• Work a maximum of 8 hours a day, and 40 hours a week if your contract is full time.
• Paid vacations
• Maternity or paternity leave
• Sick leave

If you have been a victim of labor exploitation or harassment or have suffered any type of discrimination, go to the nearest administrative district and file a complaint with a Labor Inspector.

No. No special registration is needed with immigration services nor with the Ministry in Charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA) in recruiting a refugee.

Within the regular/formal employment sector, the employer must register the new employee with Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) and Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB) for taxes and other social security obligations as is the case with nationals.

All refugees who are 16 years old and above have access to a refugee identity card provided by the National Identification Agency (NIDA) through the Immigration Services. At the same time, refugees have a document called “Proof of Registration”, which is used as a proxy ID (in A4 paper format) issued jointly by the Government of Rwanda (MINEMA) and UNHCR.

Yes. Commercial banks generally require a valid refugee identity card. However, some banks (e.g., Equity Bank), MFIs and SACCOs allow refugees to open a bank account using their Proof of Registration.

Yes. Refugees can obtain a driving license, following the normal procedures as Rwandan nationals. The refugee must be in possession of a valid refugee ID card to register into the Irembo portal for the test and to make the payment when the permit is awarded. The same applies to a refugee who wants to convert a foreign driving license into a Rwandan license.

Many refugees have university degrees, certified technical skills and diplomas granted by educational institutions in either their country of origin or in Rwanda. Refugees with academic documents obtained from foreign educational institutions may be required to apply for “equivalence” (recognition of academic qualifications) provided by the Rwanda High Education Council (HEC). Requirements to apply for equivalence are accessible at

Job opportunities available in Rwanda are accessible on different job advertising sites and employment services providers’ websites. Click on the name of the website in the list below to get more information.

• Advance Africa
• Devex (Rwanda)
• Job in Rwanda
• Job Web Rwanda
• Kigali Employment Service Center
• LinkedIn (Rwanda)
• Movemeback Africa
• National Professional Internship Program (RDB)
• Ndangira
• Rwanda Job
• Rwanda Labor Market Information System (LMIS)
• Rwanda YP
• Tohoza
• Umurimo
• Vacancies with UN and other International Organizations in Rwanda

UNHCR, in partnership with the community-based protection partner, has trained 32 Digital Career Counsellors (DCCs) and equipped them with computers and internet connectivity in order to assist their peers in applying for scholarships and job opportunities advertised online. These DCCs are usually located at the Community Centers in all the 5 camps and urban areas of Kigali and Huye.

Yes. Refugees can register a new or be incorporated into an existing cooperative following the normal procedures as established by Rwanda Cooperative Agency (RCA). Registration guidelines are provided by RCA (click on the link for more information). To be incorporated into an existing cooperative, refugees are only required to fulfil requirements for new individual incorporation are spelt out in the cooperative’s bylaws.

Yes. Refugees can register a new or be incorporated into a private company following the same procedures as Rwanda nationals established by Rwanda Development Board (RDB). Guidelines for new business registration are outlined on the RDB website. Guidelines for the incorporation of a new individual into a private company are also provided by RDB.

Yes. Refugees are allowed to register a new or be incorporated into an existing non-for-profit organization or faith-based organization following the same procedures as Rwanda nationals established by Rwanda Governance Board (RGB). Requirements for registering a new non-governmental or a faith-based organization are provided by RGB and available on the RGB website.

No. Being part of a livelihood intervention and pursuing self-reliance while in Rwanda does not affect the refugee’s chances to be resettled into a third country. On the country, livelihood intervention, e.g., acquisition of technical or entrepreneurship skills may smoothen the process of integration into the labor market in the country of resettlement.

Yes. Refugees are eligible to apply for Rwandan Citizenship on grounds of marriage (after 5 years), investment, special skills or talents, or after 25 years of residence on grounds of being an immigrant.

Refugees living in Rwanda are also encouraged to leverage on the internet coverage within the country, including refugee camps, in order to tap into existing online job opportunities accessible through different platforms, including:

• FlexJobs
• Jobs for Humanity
• Talent Beyond Boundaries
• Tent
• UpWork
• Gebeya
• Fuzu

Couloir universitaire pour les réfugiés vers la France – Programme UNIV’R

The scholarships are open for French-speaking refugees currently residing in the first country of asylum. There is no geographical limitation and no age limit to apply.

For more information (and to check whether new applications are open or not), consult the scholarships link.

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Programme

The largest scholarship and leadership initiative in Africa, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program prepares talented and diverse young people with a commitment to giving back with the skills and mindsets they need to pursue their aspirations and enrich their communities. Find out more about Mastercard Foundation Scholars Programme here.

The Scholars Program is implemented through universities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The application process and decision-making are managed individually by each university and NGO. If you are interested in becoming a Scholar, you must apply through the university of your choice. We recommend that you research the application guidelines or contact the institution of your choice for more information. Institutions have their own deadlines and admission fees. For schools that require application fees as part of the admissions process, the fees will be reimbursed if the student is selected for the Scholars Program.

Find the list of institutions here.

Additional scholarships opportunities at university level are offered through different channels, including DAFI (Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative), Kepler University, African Leadership University (ALU), etc. For more information about each program, and to know if applications are ongoing, please click on the link of each institution listed below:

• DAFI
• Kepler University
• African Leadership University (ALU)

A good number of partners provide support to refugees in upgrading their technical skills to improve their employability through Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) training.

• Maison Shalom
• Impact Hope
• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ Ecoref)
• Red-Cross

Calls for applications for scholarship opportunities are announced on publicly accessible platforms and posted in places accessible to refugees and members of the host community.

Meto

Are you a student interested in connecting with universities? If so, Meto can help.

Meto is a nonprofit organization that aims to increase access to higher education for students across the African continent.

Figuring out which universities to apply to is not an easy process. Meto exists to make this easier for you. How do we do it? Simply, Meto reverses the process: instead of you needing to identify good-fit universities, Meto allows you to be approached by good-fit universities.

The first step is to complete Meto’s Student Information form here: https://tinyurl.com/joinmeto.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out at hseid@meto-intl.org or on WhatsApp (+251987314242).

BackPack26

Backpack 26 project is a Universal Tool for Academic Mobility that provides access to higher education and training opportunities by keeping important educational documents safe and safely sharing documents with universities, employers, scholarship agencies, and credential evaluators.

Find more information here.

How to open a BackPack26 Account?

1. Go to ucdavis.edu
2. Click on create your account (if you are using a computer, find the button on the right side of the browser. If you are using a smartphone, scroll down to find the button)
3. Answer the three questions
4. Add your email address and a username of your choice and click “create an account.”
5. Check your email inbox for a link of verification and set a password.

Refugees in Rwanda can take courses on Coursera. For registration, send your name, email address and Proof of Registration number to rwakibarizahano@unhcr.org.

Where can refugees obtain support to access a computer and internet connection?

Refugees can visit the Community Center located in their respective location to check the availability of computers and the internet to search for online opportunities as far as job, scholarship and online learning are concerned.