Moving to Ghana
A comprehensive guide to moving to Ghana
Interested in moving to Ghana? With the nation’s cultural heritage and economic prowess, you have every reason to be. Our guide to Ghana has details on the admin issues you face before relocation, as well as the prime choices of other expats who have already made the move abroad to Ghana.
Relocating to Ghana
A Quick Country Overview
Ghana is probably one of the first countries to come to mind when thinking of Western Africa. Located at the Gulf of Guinea and sharing borders with Togo, Burkina Faso, and Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana is a mostly flat country, its highest point hardly reaching 900 meters above sea level. For a country which is roughly the size of the UK, expats moving to Ghana will encounter a relative wealth of different ecosystems and climatic sub regions.
Common subdivisions you can use for orientation are the Ashanti region with its rainforests expanding along the western border, the central Volta Basin including the world’s largest artificial lake, Lake Volta, and the regions to the north, which feature a relatively high population density due to the arable land there. However, the prime choice of expats is the coastal plains along the south.
Most of the population is concentrated along the coast in the south as well as regions to the northeast of the coast. As large parts of the rural population are drawn towards Ghana’s metro areas, most notably the country’s capital Accra and the Kumasi area, the countryside is rather sparsely populated.
Let us end this section with a fun fact: those of you moving to the coastal areas in the south are closer to the intersection of the Prime Meridian and the Equator — or the “center” of the world, if you will — than anywhere else on the planet.
Say Goodbye to the Seasons
As per usual in tropical countries, expats moving to Ghana can kiss the seasons goodbye, at least to a certain extent. The only seasonal change you are going to experience is the switch between the rainy seasons and the dry seasons. While the southern parts of the country have two rainy seasons per year — one stretching from May to June and another from August to September, expats in Ghana’s north can look forward to a single, merged rainy season from May to September.
After moving to Ghana, you will realize that apart from differences in precipitation, there are also considerable differences in terms of temperature and humidity between the various regions of the country. Expats in Ghana’s southern coastal regions will probably have least problems dealing with the local climate, as it tends to be warm rather than hot, and not too humid. The southwestern corner of the country is hot and humid; fittingly, it is also the only part of the country covered by rainforest. The North is hot and dry, and the occasional drought is not an uncommon problem in the region.
Accra — The Place to Be for Expats
In case you have already preoccupied yourself with Ghana, you will surely have realized that the nation’s capital, Accra, is the dominant city of the coastal region, if not the entire country. Chances are that as an expat, you will also be moving to Ghana’s capital — that is, if you are not involved in mining, forestry, or oil production on location. The city of roughly 2.5 million is the anchor of the Accra Metro Region with a total population of well over 4 million, making it by far the largest urban area in Ghana and one of the largest on the entire African continent. Unsurprisingly, Accra is the country’s most important city not only in terms of official government business, but economy as well. If you are relocating to Ghana solely for business reasons, get acquainted with Accra right away!
For an African city of its size, the city center of Accra is very safe both for locals and people moving to Ghana. The matter of housing will most likely be handled by your future employer before your move to Ghana’s capital — your preferred choices should be located in the northern and western parts of town, or more generally, the high-income housing areas. Slums and urban decay pose major problems in parts of the city, often exacerbated by the influx of illegal immigrants from West African countries moving to Ghana’s capital. Expats should try to steer clear of those areas.
Ghana: Administrative Issues for Expats
Entering the Country
Nationals of a number of African countries do not need to apply for a visa in their country of residence before they travel to Ghana. Instead, they can acquire an entry visa stamp on arrival at the international airport in Accra as well as a number of seaports. Eligible nations are Malawi, Zambia, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Uganda, and Swaziland. Countries whose nationals are exempt from acquiring a visa altogether are the ECOWAS states as well as Kenya, Malaysia, Singapore, Egypt, and Hong Kong.
Everyone else is required to apply for an entry visa at the Ghanaian representation in their home country. A full list of Ghanaian embassies, high commissions, and consulates abroad can be found at the website of the Ministry of Tourism.
The requirements for entry visa include:
- your passport, valid for at least six months at the time of application
- two completed and signed application forms
- two passport-sized photos
- financial means to be indicated
- names and addresses of references. If you are going to be staying in a hotel when first visiting Ghana, they will help you with this issue.
You have the choice between single and multiple entry visas, which are valid for three and twelve months after acquisition, respectively. However, the time of validity is not the actual permitted duration of your stay in Ghana. The immigration officials at your point of entry decide how long you may stay in the country, the usual duration being 60 days.
Relocating to and Working in Ghana
The steps to be undertaken in order to legally work and reside in Ghana are, unsurprisingly, far more time-consuming and elaborate. The recent change in work permit legislation did not help to alleviate this. While in the past, expats were able to enter the country while their work permit was still pending, they now have to wait until all documents are cleared.
We have shortly hinted at the immigration policy of the country in our article on working in Ghana. Foreigners are only allowed to take up employment in Ghana within an authorized immigrant quota which regulates the number of non-Ghanaians which may be employed by an enterprise. It is not unheard of that a company may only hire one single foreigner, making job opportunities for expats somewhat scarcer than in other African countries.
Getting Hold of a Work Permit
If you were able to successfully land a job, you have to apply for both a work permit and a residence permit, in this order. Applications for work permits need to be directed to the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS); your future employer should be able to supply you with the necessary forms.
Along with your completed and signed application, you need to supply:
- a completed work permit application form
- your CV
- any educational and professional certificates
- your work contract
- a police report from your country of residence
- a medical report
- copies of the relevant pages in your passport
As the application for the work permit is to be handed in person at the GIS headquarters in Ghana, you will have to submit all necessary documents to your employer who will then take the necessary steps. The usual processing time is four weeks.
How to Get a Residence Permit
The residence permit also requires teamwork: both you and your employer need to supply different documents in order to successfully acquire the permit. You will realize that the GIS should already have many of those from your work permit application; however, you will still need to hand them in all over again.
Requirements for the residence permit on the employee’s side:
- your CV
- your medical report
- your police report
- your passport with a validity period of at least three months
- two passport-size photographs
- proof of travel insurance
- the completed application form
- your employment contract
Requirements on the employer’s side:
- letter of application for the residence permit
- Certificate to Commence Business
- Certificate of Incorporation
- company’s Code
- tax clearance certificate
- approval letter from Ministry of Interior
If everything is in order, you should receive your permit shortly after you have submitted your application. Congratulations! Your expat assignment to Ghana can now begin.
Whether you are moving abroad for the first time or relocated multiple times before, the process raises many questions. Our complete guide to relocation will ease your doubts along the way, from the initial preparations to how to negotiate a relocation package, we help you GO! prepared with the key answers.
Do you want to relocate? If you have never moved abroad, the process will be overwhelming, and if you have, you know the burden that lies ahead. Whatever stage you are at, we can help you with a complete set of relocation services, such as home finding, school search, visa solutions, and even pet relocation. Our expert expat team is ready to get your relocation going, so why not jump-start your move abroad and contact us today? Best to start early!
Contact: +233557760765 /
Find out how to get a job and work in Ghana
Some 11.5 million people working in Ghana — which is the estimated workforce of the country — have helped the economy withstand the global crises of the past years relatively unscathed. Reason enough for us to take a closer look at what working in Ghana is about! Read on for a short overview.
Employment in Ghana
The Success Story of Ghana
If you have read some of our Country Guides detailing the economies of other nations, you may have realized that oftentimes, we refer to the consequences of the worldwide financial crisis of 2008/9. This article on working in Ghana is very different in that respect: while many countries toiled with recuperating their weakened economies, Ghana’s economy showed little signs of slowing down and reached double-digit growth in 2011. Depending on which sources you trust, the Ghanaian economy grew by 13–20% that year, placing it among the top ranks worldwide. While this trend slowed down in 2012, Ghana was still among the top 15 countries in terms of economic growth.
As is the case in many other developing nations, the services sector is the main driving force behind the national economy and also the sector in which most people working in Ghana have found employment. Below, however, we take a look at some of the sectors that have helped shape a positive image of Ghana in the business world.
An Important Sector: Natural Resources
Ghana’s history of sound economic management is surely an important factor in the sustained growth of its economy during the years of worldwide economic turbulences. If you also take into consideration which sectors are the most important and lucrative the country’s great performance is less of a surprise, but no less respectable. The production of gold and diamonds — and by extension, Ghana’s mining sector — continue to be important pillars of the Ghanaian economy. Other natural resources that abound on the national territory and put bread on the tables of those working in Ghana’s mines include bauxite and manganese ore, to name but two. Sectors and industries related to mining and oil production, such as aluminum smelting or oil refinery, are equally important and booming.
The discovery of large oil reserves just off the coast promises to further boost the economic performance of the nation. Oil companies have already begun working in the Jubilee oil field in the end of 2010. The result of this was a big growth of the GDP from 2011 until 2013.
Among the most widely available and easily accessible natural resources in many parts of the country is timber. As about a third of the nation is covered by woods and forests, the forestry sector keeps large numbers of Ghanaians employed. However, severe deforestation has made it necessary for the Ghanaian government to slow down the enthusiasm for lumbering the companies working in Ghana’s forests have shown in the past to preserve the country’s national beauty and fragile ecosystems.
The Biggest Employment Sector
Ghana’s abundance of natural resources may be an important factor in terms of GDP, but when it comes to employment, another sector is the leading force. More than half of the population is working in the agricultural sector. Not only do the men and women working in Ghana’s fields and plantations ensure the availability of staple foods such as grains, rice, cassavas, yams, and various types of livestock, but also supply the world market with first-class cocoa, one of the main exports of Ghana.
A Surprisingly Popular Tourist Destination
In contrast to some other countries in West Africa, Ghana has long enjoyed political stability, a generally high level of safety and a very positive image throughout the world. These factors, as well as some obvious ones as the prevalence of English and, of course, the natural and cultural treasures the country boasts, make it a popular tourist destination. Ghana’s hospitality sector provides relatively secure jobs due to the steady influx of visitors nearly year-round.
The Relationship between Ghana and China
It is safe to say that for people Ghanaians, none of the nation’s international ties is as fruitful or lucrative as that to China. For more than 50 years, Ghana has had excellent economic and diplomatic ties to the Asian giant, which have been fruitful for both parties both in the past and present. With the continued boom of the world’s third largest country, companies and people working in Ghana reap the benefits of substantial Chinese investments in the national economy, particularly in the manufacturing and trade sectors as well as the Ghanaian infrastructure. These investments are also one of the causes for the more than respectable growth figures the nation boasted in the past years — which is obviously a definite bonus both for the people of Ghana and the Chinese stakeholders. Furthermore, China is the largest exporter to Ghana, supplying the country with machinery and raw material that oftentimes make working in Ghana possible in the first place.
Ghana: Economic Challenges
Unemployment and the Informal Sector
While a lot of the information we have presented to you in part one of this article may be very positive, Ghana also experiences numerous problems. One of the most pressing is certainly unemployment. The growing rate of urbanization without the creation of an adequate or proportional number of jobs, coupled with the relatively high growth rate of the population, has caused unemployment to be extremely high. Young people are oftentimes off worst, with some estimates suggesting that only as few as two percent being able to find employment, with the rest frequently engaging in activities in the informal sector to make ends meet. The official government definition of this part of the population includes those of 18 to 35 years of age — about a quarter of the population. The problem, however, also affects younger teenagers. The government has, however, undertaken a number of countermeasures, most notably the National Youth Employment Program spearheaded by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, in order to see to the alleviation of this pressing issue.
As is the nature of the informal sector (a term that first popped up in the early 1970s in research papers on Ghana), there are very little official sources documenting its value generation or the number of people engaging in businesses within the sector. However, it is estimated that up to 80% of the workforce of more than 11 million find employment in the informal sector. The range of activities is very wide; typical ones include unskilled labor, small shops and vendors, and similar lines of work, often related to the services sector. The problems this astounding fact poses are obvious. Not only is informal employment fairly inefficient — four fifths of the population contribute a mere 40% of the GDP, according to estimates — but they also rarely contribute to the national budget by paying taxes (see below). Furthermore, with no official recognition of their jobs, Ghanaians in the informal sector rarely have any pension fund or other social security benefits.
Infrastructural Issues
Ghana, while being one of the most powerful nations in the region in economic terms, was not quite able to adjust their infrastructure to accommodate the needs of its booming economies. Shortages of electricity and water are possibly the most pressing here, with blackouts being experienced on a fairly regular basis — sometimes for prolonged stretches of time and all across the nation. Addressing these issues is among the main responsibilities of the Ghanaian government so as to keep the growth rate positive and the nation prosperous.
Illegal Immigration
Ghana’s leading economic position in West Africa, its stable government and history of peace among the various ethnic communities of the country have made it one of the more obvious choices for people of neighboring nations looking for a better future their home countries cannot provide for various reasons. Many of these people, whose numbers are sizeable to say the least, enter Ghana illegally, often working as unskilled labor. In an effort to reduce the influx of illegal immigrants and to ensure employment possibilities for the large portion of the Ghanaian population without a job, the government has tightened entry and work permit regulations for foreigners. The slogan of the Ghana Immigration Service — “Friendship with Vigilance” — is probably testament enough. We have taken a closer look into this topic in our article on moving to Ghana — after all, residency in the country is impossible without a work permit.
Business Etiquette in Ghana
Time’s a Factor
If you did successfully land a work permit for Ghana, you should brief yourself on the most important facts to keep in mind about the Ghanaian workplace before you start your expat assignment. One key fact, which is probably particularly important to remember for those of you who are used to a rigid and loaded schedule, is the concept of time. Flexibility is vital here, as punctuality is not seen as overly important. You should always try to leave a time buffer between meetings to be able to react to any eventualities. However, as flexible as the local understanding of time may be, it is important to always schedule appointments ahead.
Other Key Values
- As in numerous other countries, you will have a hard time separating business from your personal life. Getting to know your colleagues and business partners is very important, and topics which are almost always brought up also include personal ones such as family, health, or social life. In fact, family life is still one of the main social pillars in the Ghanaian society and valued very highly. When getting to know new people in your work life, take the time and get to know one another a little bit. You should also not be surprised if your initial meetings with business partners contain little to no talk about business.
- Hierarchy and the respect a higher social status commands are very important, and not addressing higher-ups and elders in the appropriate manner are a ready source of social faux pas in Ghana. When in doubt, make a point of asking the first colleague you are introduced to about the proper ways of addressing people around you.
- Professional and academic titles are just as important as the hierarchical addresses mentioned above. If someone you meet around the workplace has credentials, you are sure to find out. You are expected to address these people with their respective titles.
- You might already be familiar with the concept of ‘face’, i.e. honor, dignity, and good reputation. A possible loss of face is horrid to a Ghanaian and should not be taken lightly. As the individual is subordinate to the family in Ghanaian culture, loss of face will also directly affect the next of kin. If you have somehow maneuvered your way into a situation where your counterpart could lose face, you will realize it by the silence that will fill the room. This is the common reaction in situations like these; try not to break or fill the silence. As causing loss of face to others is also dreaded, the conversation style in Ghana is rather indirect.
Do you want to relocate? If you have never moved abroad, the process will be overwhelming, and if you have, you know the burden that lies ahead. Whatever stage you are at, we can help you with a complete set of relocation services, such as home finding, school search, visa solutions, and even pet relocation. Our expert expat team is ready to get your relocation going, so why not jump-start your move abroad and contact us today? Best to start early!
Contact: +233557760765 /
A practical guide to the way of life in Ghana
Life in Ghana may just be the multicultural experience of your lifetime! Ever since the nation’s independence in 1957, the various ethnic groups in Ghana have managed a peaceful coexistence, creating a wonderful cultural landscape. Our guide on Ghana has info on this and other topics.
Life in Ghana
A Population with Many Ethnicities
In Ghana, social life is characterized by various influences from the nation’s many ethnicities. Fortunately, the country does not, or only rarely, experience the tensions that plague many other multiethnic nations in Africa; the different ethnicities have managed to remain in a state of relatively peaceful coexistence throughout the nation’s recent history. Differences in tribal heritage, language (see below) and religion — while Christianity is the most widespread faith, there are sizeable Muslim communities, particularly in the north — only make Ghanaian culture more interesting, rather than being a cause for strife.
The largest ethnic groups in Ghana today are the Akan, Mole-Dagbon, Ewe, and Ga-Dangme. Between the four of them, they represent about 85% of the population. Other ethnic groups include the Guan, Grusi, and Gurma, amongst others. Foreigners who have opted for life in Ghana are not too numerously represented, but tend to flock together in the main urban centers and economic powerhouses, some of which we have discussed in our article on moving to Ghana.
A Multilingual Country
Depending on where you are planning to spend your future life in Ghana, the dominating, or rather most numerous, ethnicity will obviously differ. With it, the language you are most likely to hear on the street or the market will change: the many different tribes living in Ghana speak a whopping 70 languages between them. For obvious reasons, living a sensible and satisfying life would be impossible without a lingua franca. English is the language that assumes this task. While it is not the native tongue of the majority of the population, it is a mandatory subject in schools and the language of official and economic life. Thus, you should not have problems getting through the day relying only on your English skills.
Several other languages are recognized as official by the government and deemed “government-sponsored languages” by the Bureau of Ghana Languages, namely Akan, Ewe, Ga, Dangme, Nzema, Dagbani, Dagaare, Gonja, and Kasem. Due to this immense wealth in languages, it should not be surprising that a good portion of the population is multilingual and fluent in other languages besides their native tongue and English. French experiences a steady rise in popularity and prestige, and it is not uncommon to meet Ghanaians, particularly in professional settings, who are fluent in French.
Getting to Know the Culture and Cuisine
Chances are that you will not be able to spend more than three months in Ghana without witnessing a holiday or festival observed by at least part of the population. While Ghanaian culture is most often represented by the heritage of the largest group of the population, the Akan, there is a wealth of cultural festivities to discover, and music and dance almost always are central parts of the celebrations. The cultural heritage of the nation is also a considerable draw for tourists visiting the country — expats living in Ghana should definitely take the opportunity to partake in these unique and fascinating festivals whenever it arises!
In terms of cuisine, starchy staple foods made from locally available produce as well as soups and stews are the center of a good Ghanaian meal. You should definitely not pass on the opportunity of feasting on some delicious fufu, a dish consisting of pounded plantains and cassava or yams, with a side of soup or sauce to dip the dough in. Another wildly popular dish is Red Red, a bean stew served with fried plantain.
Health Issues and Healthcare in Ghana
Pressing Problems
Ghana’s problems related to healthcare and health infrastructure in general are both numerous and serious. The nation agreed to the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) derived from the 2000 UN Millennium Declaration and has, in fact, made giant steps towards achieving a number of them. Most notable are probably the achievements made for Goals One and Two, which address extreme poverty and hunger, as well as education, respectively. However, Ghana has fallen short on reaching several other goals connected to health. Infant and child mortality, one of the issues addressed in the MDG, remains high, as does maternal mortality — in fact, circumstances for expecting mothers have been worsening towards the end of the past decade.
Other severe problems not addressed in the MDG pose even more serious risks for the health of the Ghanaian populace. Malaria, transferred by the Anopheles mosquito, is one of the most severe illnesses in the country, both by infection and mortality rate. HIV and AIDS are just as dangerous and, unfortunately, very widespread: Ghana is among the countries with the highest rate of people living with HIV/AIDS and deaths caused by the disease. When preparing for your expat assignment to Ghana, please prepare yourself thoroughly for the infectious diseases and other health issues that might await you. You can find a section devoted to the topic below.
All about the Healthcare System
While Ghana’s government has increased its expenditure for healthcare more than threefold within the past 10 years, healthcare infrastructure is still patchy and inadequate, especially outside of the large conurbations such as Accra. Within cities, hospitals and emergency services are available, but not quite up to Western standards. The availability of healthcare institutions and even doctors is very limited in the countryside, and traditional African medicine is the go-to option for large portions of the rural population that cannot afford travelling long distances for healthcare.
Prior to 2003, the healthcare coverage of Ghana’s residents was oftentimes insufficient, to say the least. The “cash and carry” scheme required the sick to pay for their treatment up front — impossible for large parts of the population. In an effort to combat this situation, the Ghanaian government has set up the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). Results were almost immediate, with the country seeing a plunge in deaths and a rise in patient numbers. The services of the NHIS are tailored towards the needs of Ghanaians: treatments for malaria, diarrhea, respiratory diseases, diabetes, hypertension and other widespread ailments are covered. Premiums are set at flexible rates ranging from 7.20 GHS to 48.00 GHS so as to make the scheme available even to low-income employees in the informal or self-employed sector. However, there is a waiting period of six months after application for the scheme for people working in aforementioned sectors.
Apart from government-funded hospitals, clinics and healthcare centers set up by religious groups play an important role in providing the population with much-needed medical assistance.
Health Insurance Is a Must
Expats in Ghana should definitely either buy an international health insurance plan from a provider specializing in such services, or discuss comprehensive health coverage with their prospective Ghanaian employer. If you have any chronic ailments or depend on prescription medication, do not forget to bring a supply of your medication as well as copies of the prescription and the generic names of the drugs when first going to Ghana.
Antimalarial medicine is available throughout the country. However, to ensure effectiveness and to reduce the risk of infection at arrival — malaria is a threat in all corners of the country — you should already buy medication in your home country. In Ghana, the antimalarial drugs Atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, and mefloquine should be among your top choices. Try to stick to these, as some others may either not be effective or, even worse, come with very undesirable side effects. Other means of malaria prophylaxis include wearing long, bright garments, using insect repellent, and sleeping in air-conditioned and screened bedrooms.
Before departing to Ghana, make sure to get your immunizations renewed. Apart from the obligatory yellow fever vaccination you need proof of when applying for your visa, these immunizations are highly recommended:
- Routine
- Hepatitis A and B
- Typhoid
- Polio
- Meningitis
- Rabies
Safety and Traffic in Ghana
Taking Care of Yourself Is Important
In part one of this article, we have already hinted at the fact that Ghana is generally a peaceful country. The crime rate is amongst the lowest in the West African region, and violence is fairly rare. In contrast to many other African countries, expats in Ghana have little to worry about, especially in the city centers of the large metropolises. Police presence made them safe places to be in. However, there is still the possibility of becoming a victim of theft or robbery, particularly in the early evening hours. Robbers use the heavy traffic to make away on small, maneuverable scooters or similar vehicles.
The international airport as well as empty streets in residential neighborhoods are also among the preferred areas for criminals, so be cautious. If you should ever be confronted with an armed robber, please comply instead of resisting, reasoning with them, or even engaging them. Apart from this, expats should not encounter many problems when sticking to common sense and the usual safety measures they are used to from any metropolis around the globe.
Stick with Cash Money and Pay Attention
While the credit card is undoubtedly an important part of the average expat life, you should try to reduce usage of your card to a minimum. Ghanaian criminals have all but mastered the art of credit card fraud, so it is best not to risk losing money in the first place. Other scams involve fraudulent business and employment offers directed at future expats via the Internet. Only use reputable job portals or, if possible, intra-company transfers when the wish to gather professional experience in Ghana. Do not react to unsolicited business offers!
We are sorry to have to state this next piece of advice: if you should receive emails and messages from a Ghanaian professing some kind of romantic interest to you, more often than not this is a criminal out for a quick scam. In fact, the possibilities of getting scammed in Ghana are manifold, so it is best to be wary of any unsolicited emails of any kind, or any offers that seem “too good to be true”: they often are.
Up for a Challenge? Think Twice
The majority of roads in Ghana’s urban areas are well (or at least reasonably) paved and maintained. Outside of major cities, you can expect roads to be of inferior quality. Potholes, unpaved roads and lack of side rails are major hazards. Street lighting is often insufficient all across the country. This, coupled with the fact that drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and all manner of livestock may behave erratically or get in front of you unexpectedly, makes travels at night a very risky endeavor we recommend to steer clear from.
When maneuvering the city, you will quickly find that while the government does indeed give the streets names, hardly anyone uses them. It’ll be best if you try to find your way using landmarks or any other striking features of the cityscape for orientation. This is also the usual way to give directions.
If you will be depending on your car during your time in Ghana, make sure you acquire an international driver’s permit from the responsible authority in your home country. Other means of getting around do exist, such as public transportation networks, but they are often rather hard to grasp for the uninitiated and also rather daunting.
Do you want to relocate? If you have never moved abroad, the process will be overwhelming, and if you have, you know the burden that lies ahead. Whatever stage you are at, we can help you with a complete set of relocation services, such as home finding, school search, visa solutions, and even pet relocation. Our expert expat team is ready to get your relocation going, so why not jump-start your move abroad and contact us today? Best to start early!
Contact: +233557760765 /
