Working in Brunei is an attractive proposition for many people as there is no income tax to pay and the cost of living is much lower than in many western countries. It is also good for those who have English as their first language as this is widely used, particularly in business, even though the official language of the country is Malay.

Workers from abroad account for around 40% of the Brunei workforce and all foreign workers must have a valid work permit. There are a number of companies which employ staff from abroad and these include Shell, several banks including HSBC, Royal Brunei Airlines, schools and hospitals.

There is a shortage of skilled labour in the country and so organizations recruit medical staff, teachers, engineers and other workers with specialist skills from abroad. However, the government is seeking to limit the number of foreign workers in the country so the necessary work permits are only issued for a limited period of time, and are rarely renewed.

There are also opportunities for those who wish to do volunteer work with charities and teach English as a foreign language, although many workers who move to Brunei are transferred by a company that has a base there, and will be skilled oil workers or financial sector workers.

Workers enjoy 14 days of public holidays every year, including Christmas day. The average salary is the equivalent of $15000 (US dollars), which is lower than in most western countries but this is counteracted by the low cost of living.

The country has a small unemployment rate as there are an increasing number of native Bruneians who refuse to take unskilled manual work, but who are not qualified or experienced for other types of work. The government is establishing a number of schemes to help unskilled workers and in this way hopes to reduce the country’s reliance upon foreign workers.

The employment laws in Brunei protect female workers and children. Women who are under the age of 18 are not permitted to work at night or in dangerous jobs and no child under the age of 16 is allowed to work. Enforcement of health and safety regulations is not as strict as it should be.

There are currently only three trade unions in Brunei though they are all in the oil industry and not very active as most disputes are settled quite amicably and industrial action is rare.