use of the services of their counterparts in the worker's country of origin or directly from the agency itself and sometimes at the request of an individual employer. First, the Ministry of Labour issues preliminary work authorization to migrant domestic workers. In 2010, the Ministry of Labour issued an approximate 118,000 work permits to migrant domestic Workers. Next, the Ministry of Interior issues entry visas through the General Directorate for General Security. Then the General Directorate of General Security authorizes the legal entry of migrant domestic workers and arranges work permission and residence when they arrived in the country. Lastly, the sponsor's name is located on the migrant domestic worker's entry visa, residence and work permit. The visa is for a three-month period and the name of the sponsor is included in the passport. When the migrant domestic worker arrives at the airport they are subjected to an immigration routine which includes the handing over of their passports to the Lebanese General Security in order to process the papers, while the migrant domestic worker waits to be collected by their sponsor. After this, the sponsor brings the migrant domestic worker to a local agency for a basic medical checkup. There are no clear criteria set by the government in terms of the requirements needed to issue an agency licence. In order to open an agency, an agent must place a $33,500 non-interest-bearing guarantee in Bank de l’Habitat which is the government's Housing Bank. There are an estimated 310 licensed agents in Lebanon. Out of this number, 44 are operating as genuine agents with office and staff while the remaining agents hold licenses, they do not focus on the obtaining and placing Migrant Domestic Workers in positions but sell their quotas to active agencies. In order to recruit migrant domestic workers, Lebanese recruitment agencies collaborate with agencies in the migrant sending countries. Migrant domestic workers are required to pay a fee to the local agent in their home country, usually a large sum of money which causes them to incur a large debt. Once the fee transaction is complete the agency arranges the transportation. The employer is obliged to meet the migrant worker at the airport gate where a general security guard who holds the employee's passport will hand it over directly to the employer. A medical examination and the resulting report must be fulfilled before the work permit is issued