Tanzania

The US State Department's Trafficking in Persons Report **specifically names Bangladeshi nationals** as trafficking victims in Tanzania:

> "Adults from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Yemen are trafficked for forced labor in Tanzania's mining, agricultural, and domestic service sectors, and are sometimes also subjected to sex trafficking."

This finding has appeared consistently across TIP Reports from **2012 through 2022** and has never been retracted. The sectors named — **artisanal mining** (gold, tanzanite), **agriculture** (plantation labour), and **domestic service** — are exactly the sectors where informal, undocumented recruitment of South Asian workers occurs. This page exists to warn Bangladeshi nationals about a documented exploitation pattern.

SCORE CONTEXT:

The score of 9 reflects English as an official language and a small BD presence — it does **NOT** reflect any employment opportunity. Tanzania's GDP per capita is approximately **$1,187** (2024, World Bank nominal) — roughly **44% of Bangladesh's level**. Wages in the sectors where BD nationals are documented (mining, agriculture, domestic) are **below** Bangladeshi equivalents. There is no formal labour corridor and no reason for BD workers to seek employment in Tanzania.

THE BD PRESENCE IS AN EXPLOITATION CONTEXT:

The small Bangladeshi presence in Tanzania (maintained as small-under-10k based on 10+ years of TIP documentation across 3 sectors) is **not a healthy diaspora or community**. These are workers who arrived through **irregular/undocumented channels** — not through BMET — and who work in informal sectors with **no legal status, no labour protections, and no recourse**. The TIP finding describes vulnerability, not opportunity.

There is no documented BD restaurant, grocery store, cultural centre, or community organisation in any Tanzanian city. BD nationals in Tanzania are effectively invisible to both Bangladeshi and Tanzanian authorities.

REFERRAL VISA — NOT STANDARD eVISA:

BD nationals are in Tanzania's **Referral Visa category** — one of 25 nationalities requiring special clearance from the Commissioner General of Immigration. Processing takes **4-8 weeks** (vs 5 business days for standard eVisa). Apply at least 2 months before travel. The referral list correlates strongly with countries whose nationals appear in UNODC and US TIP trafficking data for East Africa.

ECONOMY:

GDP per capita approximately **$1,187** (2024, World Bank nominal) — **below Bangladesh**. Population approximately 65 million. Informal sector accounts for approximately 80% of employment. Key sectors: agriculture (60% of workforce), mining, tourism, construction. Youth unemployment approximately 25-30%.

Minimum wages by sector (2026): domestic work TZS 80,000 (~$31/month), agriculture TZS 175,000 (~$67/month), tourism TZS 375,000 (~$144/month), mining (local) TZS 400,000 (~$153/month), mining (international) TZS 765,900 (~$293/month). Agricultural minimum wage does not cover rent in Dar es Salaam.

BD CONSULAR COVERAGE:

The **Bangladesh High Commission in Nairobi, Kenya** (nairobi.mofa.gov.bd, ~665km air from Dar es Salaam) is confirmed to cover Tanzania — the Nairobi HC passport services page explicitly states services for "Children of Bangladeshi nationals born in Kenya, **Tanzania** or Uganda" and the consular fee schedule lists Tanzania. There is also a **BD Honorary Consulate in Dar es Salaam** (1116 Chole Road, Msasani Peninsula, phone +255 22-212 6027) with **severely limited services** — by appointment only, cannot issue passports or provide full consular protection.

SECURITY:

US Travel Advisory: **Level 2 — Exercise Increased Caution** (some areas Level 3/4). Reasons: crime, terrorism. IS-Mozambique operates across the southern border. October 2025 elections triggered protests with fatalities.

NO LABOUR PATHWAY:

There is **no BMET recruitment channel** for Tanzania. No bilateral labour MOU exists. No BMET-licensed agency lists Tanzania as a destination. If anyone offers "Tanzania mining jobs" or "farm work in Tanzania" through a recruitment agent in Bangladesh — this is not a recognised BMET corridor and **matches documented trafficking patterns** identified in the US TIP Report.

US TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS: **Tier 2** (2025). BD nationals specifically named as forced-labour victims (2012-2022).

The Active Jobs section above shows the current live count for Tanzania.

The Active Jobs section above shows the current live count for Tanzania.

Tanzania is NOT a labour destination for BD workers. GDP per capita $1,187 (2024, World Bank nominal) — below Bangladesh. No BMET channel. No bilateral MOU. The US TIP Report names BD nationals as forced-labour victims in mining, agriculture, and domestic service sectors.

Minimum wages: agriculture ~$67/month, domestic ~$31/month, mining (local) ~$153/month, mining (international) ~$293/month. Agricultural minimum does not cover rent in Dar es Salaam.

GDP per capita approximately $1,187 (2024, World Bank nominal) — roughly 44% of Bangladesh's level. Currency: TZS (~2,610 per USD, June 2026). Slow steady depreciation (-5.35% YTD 2026, -16.67% over 10 years).

Minimum wages range from TZS 80,000/month (~$31, domestic) to TZS 765,900/month (~$293, international mining). Agricultural minimum TZS 175,000 (~$67) does not cover rent in Dar es Salaam. No wage protection system comparable to Gulf states. For undocumented BD workers (the only documented BD presence pattern per TIP), recovering unpaid wages is functionally impossible.

## Cost of Living in Tanzania

### Dar es Salaam (Most Likely Destination)

| Expense | Monthly (TZS) | Monthly (USD) | Notes |
|---------|-------------|-------------|-------|
| Accommodation (shared room) | 150,000-300,000 | 57-115 | Suburban areas; city center much higher |
| Food (local) | 100,000-200,000 | 38-77 | Local markets; imported goods much more |
| Transport | 50,000-150,000 | 19-57 | Dala-dala (minibus); BRT in Dar |
| Phone/SIM | 10,000-30,000 | 4-12 | Vodacom, Airtel, Tigo |
| **Total** | **310,000-680,000** | **118-261** | |

### The Affordability Problem

At the **agricultural minimum wage** (TZS 175,000/~USD 67):
- Rent alone consumes 86-171% of income
- Food adds another 57-114%
- **Total basic costs exceed income by 77-289%**

This means: a BD worker earning agricultural minimum wage in Tanzania cannot cover basic living expenses. The math does not work. Only international mining or tourism (4-5 star) wages approach viability, and those require qualifications.

### Remittance Reality

With agricultural wages of ~USD 67/month and basic expenses of ~USD 118-261/month, the remittance margin is **negative**. Unlike Gulf states where workers earn $300-1,000+ with employer-provided housing, Tanzania offers no housing provision for informal workers and wages that do not cover basic survival.

The small Bangladeshi presence in Tanzania is **not a healthy diaspora** — it is an exploitation context documented by the US TIP Report. BD nationals identified in TIP are working in artisanal mining, agriculture, and domestic service through irregular/undocumented channels. They have no legal status, no labour protections, and no community infrastructure.

There is no documented BD restaurant, grocery store, cultural centre, or community organisation in any Tanzanian city.

BD consular coverage: Nairobi HC (nairobi.mofa.gov.bd, ~665km, confirmed covers Tanzania). Honorary Consulate in Dar es Salaam (limited, +255 22-212 6027).

## Legitimate Uses of the Tanzania Referral eVisa

### Tourism

Tanzania is one of Africa's premier tourism destinations:
- **Serengeti National Park**: Great Migration — one of the world's great wildlife spectacles
- **Mount Kilimanjaro**: Africa's highest peak (5,895m) — popular climbing destination
- **Zanzibar**: Historic Stone Town (UNESCO) and beach tourism
- **Ngorongoro Crater**: UNESCO World Heritage Site, remarkable wildlife concentration
- **Tourism infrastructure**: Well-developed compared to most East African countries

### Business Travel

- **Agriculture**: Tanzania is a major producer of coffee, cashews, tea, and tobacco
- **Mining**: Gold (Africa's 4th largest producer), tanzanite (found only in Tanzania), diamonds
- **Energy**: Natural gas discoveries off the coast; development ongoing
- **Bangladesh-Tanzania trade**: Limited but existing — primarily textiles and pharmaceuticals from BD

### What the eVisa is NOT For

- **Employment seeking** — no BD labor corridor exists, and the referral process already flags BD nationals for additional screening
- **Mining "opportunities" via informal recruiters** — this matches the TIP Report trafficking pattern exactly
- **Transit for onward irregular migration** — Tanzania is flagged by UNODC as a transit country for trafficking routes

### The Referral Barrier as Information

The fact that Bangladesh is on Tanzania's referral list tells you something: Tanzania's own immigration authority has assessed BD nationals as requiring additional screening. This is not arbitrary — it correlates with the TIP Report's trafficking findings. Treat the referral barrier as the immigration system being honest about the risk profile.