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Kaab amal in Egypt: how to get the labour office registration certificate (shahadat al-qaid)

The kaab amal (كعب العمل) is a free certificate from the labour office. By law you need it to be hired. Take your ID, your qualification, your insurance number and, for men, your military status paper.

By WorkEgyptPublished 2 November 2026

Photo: fady Adel Ramzy, Pexels License, via Pexels

Its full name is the registration certificate (shahadat al-qaid, شهادة القيد). Article 33 of Labour Law 14 of 2025 says anyone able and willing to work can register with the labour authority and get the certificate at no charge. A firm can't employ you without it, with one exception: it may hire you first if it registers you within 30 days. The steps and paper lists below come from the ministry's service page, in the archive copy of 14 April 2026, since the page didn't open for us directly. Offices can differ, so call yours or ask before you go.

What do I bring if I have a qualification?

Your national ID: the original, to show them.
Proof of address, if it's different from your ID.
You, in person.
Your qualification: the original.
Men: your military status paper, the original.
Your insurance number, from your local social insurance office.
An experience certificate, if you have one.
A vocational rehabilitation certificate, for people with disabilities.
A skill certificate and a craft licence, if you'll work outside your field.

What do I bring if I don't have a qualification?

Your national ID and proof of address, in person.
Men: your military status paper.
Your insurance number.
A literacy certificate, unless you're excused from it.
A skill certificate and craft licence, for listed trades.
A valid driving licence, if you're a driver.
A health certificate, if you'll work with food.
A practice licence where the job needs one, such as nursing.

What if I've worked before?

The office also asks about your last job.

Bring Form 6 (استمارة 6), the form that tells the social insurance authority your insurance with that employer has ended.
If you have no Form 6 because you were never insured, bring a statement that you weren't insured.
If your employer refuses to give it to you, bring a statement saying so, with proof that you've made a complaint.
If you're a pensioner, bring your pension print. If you ran a business, bring proof that you've closed it.

What happens at the office?

The ministry's page gives four steps, and it says you get the certificate the same day.

You fill in the card.
An inspector checks it and your papers.
Your details are entered.
You sign, it's stamped, and it's handed to you.

An office can issue the certificate for someone who lives outside its area, and then tells that person's home office. So if you've moved to Cairo for a job, you can ask at the office near you.

Can I get it online?

The Ministry of Labour's home page says you can get the registration certificate through Digital Egypt (misr ar-raqamiya). We couldn't see the screens behind the login, so we can't give you the steps, the papers it asks you to upload, or whether every governorate is included. Try it first, and go to the office if it doesn't work for you.

What happens to it after I'm hired?

Your employer fills in its part and returns the certificate to the labour office within 45 days of your start date (Article 35). So it doesn't stay with the firm for good. Keep a copy or a photo for yourself.

We haven't stated how long the certificate is valid, because we couldn't confirm that on an official page. Ask at the office.

Is there a fee?

The law says the certificate comes at no charge (دون مقابل). If someone offers to get you one for a fee, you don't need them, and handing your ID and originals to a stranger is a real risk. Ask the office directly if you're asked to pay anything.

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Frequently asked questions

Where do I get kaab amal from?

From the labour office, which is the local office of the Ministry of Labour. The ministry's home page also says it's available through Digital Egypt.

Do I need it before I apply for a job?

You don't need it to apply. By law you need it to be hired, but an employer may hire you first and register you within 30 days. Some employers will ask for it early, so it helps to have your papers ready.

Why do they want my military paper?

It's on the ministry's list for men who register. Bring the original. If you've lost it, the Interior Ministry's conscripts administration lists a replacement service.

My old employer won't give me Form 6. What can I do?

The ministry's page accepts a statement that the employer refused, with proof that you've made a complaint. Keep a copy of your written request to the employer and of the complaint.