Employment in Comoros

Employment in Comoros covers dependent paid work performed under an employer, whether the contract is permanent, fixed-term or for a specific task. The labour market is mainly informal, so many workers find work through direct contacts, family networks, local communities or existing business relationships rather than through a modern nationwide job portal. The employment service on each island is legally responsible for receiving and centralizing job offers and applications, providing career guidance and placement, and maintaining labour-market information. Its service is legally free, but current operational availability and online access have not been established. A worker dossier and a carte de travail may be required for formal employment, and the employer must report a new hire within 48 hours and report the departure as well. The three main islands are Ngazidja, Ndzuwani and Mwali. Labour-market conditions differ by sector and locality, but the available national research does not establish a separate employment system for a particular city or administrative region. Subsistence agriculture, fishing, trade, services and public employment are prominent. Labour-force participation was about 52.6% in 2024, with substantially lower participation among women. Rural participation increased from 50.6% to 55.0% between 2020 and 2024, while urban participation decreased from 52.1% to 49.4%. Remittances also influence household income and work decisions. The Code du Travail 2012 provides the main legal framework. A contract may be permanent, fixed-term or linked to a defined piece of work. A contract performed in Comoros is subject to Comorian labour rules. The contract is generally valid without a special form if it can be proven, and it is not generally subject to stamp duty or registration. A probationary period may last up to six months including an extension. For Comorian nationals and ordinary residents, a fixed-term contract may last up to two years with one extension of up to one year. For non-originaires, the maximum is generally three years unless the competent minister authorizes otherwise. An apprenticeship contract must be written and may last up to three years. Tâcheronnat is a form of functional subcontracting and does not automatically create dependent employment, so the actual working relationship must be examined. Foreign workers require a carte spéciale de travailleur étranger in addition to the employment rules that apply to the job. This document is separate from the ordinary worker documentation. Access, validity and administration should be confirmed with the competent employment and immigration authorities for the individual case. Normal working time is limited to 40 hours per week and eight hours per day. Agriculture has a separate limit of 2,340 hours per year or 45 hours per week. Night work runs from 19:00 to 05:00 and requires at least 12 hours of rest. Weekly rest must generally last at least 24 hours and normally falls on Sunday or Friday. Paid leave amounts to at least 2.5 calendar days for each month of effective service. The rate is three days for workers under 18, mothers with children under 15 and workers with more than 15 years of service. The right to use accumulated leave generally arises after one year. Leave may be accumulated for up to two years with one month's notice, while at least ten working days must be taken within one year. Maternity protection lasts 14 weeks, including eight weeks after birth, and may be extended by three weeks in the circumstances provided by law. A breastfeeding worker may receive up to one hour of breastfeeding breaks per working day for 15 months. The ordinary minimum age for employment is 15. Forced labour, discrimination and sexual or moral harassment are prohibited. The interprofessional minimum wage is set by decree after consultation with the Conseil Consultatif du Travail et de l'Emploi. Sector-specific minimum wages and supplements may be set by ministerial order. The exact current minimum amount was not verified in the available research, so it should be confirmed with the employment administration or Inspection du Travail et des lois sociales before relying on a figure. Equal pay applies to equal or equivalent work. Wages must be paid in legal currency rather than in kind. Daily and weekly wages must be paid at least every 15 days, while monthly wages must be paid no later than eight days after the end of the month. For piecework, the advance must be at least 90% of the applicable minimum wage every 15 days, with the balance due within 15 days after delivery. Final wages and compensation are due on the last working day, and an individual payslip is generally required. Wage claims are not subject to prescription under the Code du Travail. Employers must prevent work and health risks, provide personal protective equipment and pay the related safety costs. A workplace accident or occupational disease must be reported within two days to the Inspection du Travail et des lois sociales and the Caisse Nationale de Solidarité et de Prévoyance Sociale. A medical service and an initial examination are provided for in the legal framework. Statutory social protection is linked to the Caisse Nationale de Solidarité et de Prévoyance Sociale and relevant schemes, but actual coverage and contribution access are fragmented because informal work dominates. Ratification of ILO Convention No. 102 in 2022 does not automatically provide the same coverage to every informal worker. A worker may request disponibilité, an exceptional interruption of employment. It is generally unpaid and does not normally count toward promotion, seniority or pension rights. It cannot be refused for breastfeeding, professional training or a serious illness of a close relative in the situations protected by law. An early return normally requires three months' notice. Chômage technique or chômage économique temporarily interrupts the contract for up to three months per year. The employer must consult worker representatives and inform the Inspection du Travail. The worker receives at least 30% of basic pay during the interruption, retains the relevant social-benefit claim, and the employer may not make new hires or require overtime during that period. An open-ended contract may be ended by either party, but dismissal requires a legitimate reason. Written notice must state the reason, notice period and dismissal compensation. The applicable notice period and amount may be set ministerially after consultation when no collective agreement applies. The employer must hear the worker before a dismissal based on conduct or performance. An abusive dismissal leads first to an attempt at reinstatement and otherwise to damages. A dismissal claim normally begins with the Inspection du Travail and must be brought within six months. A fixed-term contract may end early only by written agreement, force majeure or serious misconduct. The final settlement is due on the last working day. Certain claims for leave, travel and transport rights may remain possible for up to two years after departure. A worker should first take a wage, contract, accident or dismissal dispute to the Inspection du Travail et des lois sociales for an amicable settlement. If conciliation fails, the authority issues a certificat de non-conciliation, which allows the worker to apply to the Tribunal du Travail at the workplace and, for a dismissal dispute, potentially also at the worker's residence. The court summons should be issued within five days after the application. The Tribunal du Travail handles disputes concerning contracts, wages, occupational accidents, family benefits and pensions. Keep the contract, payslips, work schedule, notices, medical records, messages and proof of payment because informal work often makes the employment relationship harder to prove.