Employment in the Republic of the Congo

Formal wage employment is relatively limited in the Republic of the Congo; about 75 percent of employed people worked under precarious conditions in 2022. Labour-market opportunities differ by gender, age, region and sector. In 2023, labour-force participation among 15- to 24-year-olds was approximately 40 percent, while their unemployment rate reached about 41 percent. The oil sector creates relatively few jobs, so economic diversification and vocational training are considered important routes to greater employment. The state employment service (Agence Congolaise pour l'Emploi (ACPE)) is the public employment agency. Jobseekers can create a free account, build a profile with their occupation, qualifications and preferred location, search for jobs by sector or contract type, and apply digitally. The ACPE also offers internships and training and is represented in all departments. The portal lists approximately 30,000 vacancies, but placement is not guaranteed. Private employment placement is intended to be carried out only by the ACPE or by placement agents authorised by it. In the private sector, the main arrangements are a fixed-term contract (CDD), an open-ended contract (CDI), temporary employment and an apprenticeship arrangement (apprentissage), meaning a training relationship. A CDD is concluded in writing; if the written form is missing, the relationship may be treated as a CDI. A CDD lasts no more than two years and may be renewed no more than once, provided that the total duration does not exceed two years. Certain special cases are subject to a maximum duration of six months. A probationary period may last no more than 15 days for a CDD of up to six months and no more than one month otherwise. A CDI may be agreed in writing or orally and may be full-time or part-time. An apprentissage is intended for people aged 16 or older and lasts no more than four years. For a contract lasting more than three months or a transfer to a location outside the place of hiring, additional formalities apply. These include a written contract, a medical examination, involvement of a placement office (Bureau de placement) and a visa. For employment involving entry into or departure from the country, a written contract and a visa from the General Directorate of Labour (Direction Générale du Travail) are required. For foreign workers, the applicable administrative procedure (ACPE, APE, AET and ANO), followed by a contract and visa, may be required depending on the profile. The individual steps depend on nationality, activity and residence status. Permanent public-service positions are generally filled through a competitive examination or on credentials (concours or sur titre). Congolese nationality, civil rights, personal suitability and a criminal record without disqualifying entries are usually required. The access categories have age limits of 18 to 30 or 18 to 35 years. The application file usually includes an application, birth certificate, a criminal-record document issued no more than three months earlier, proof of nationality, diploma, medical fitness certificate and documents relating to the concours. Appointment is documented by a formal appointment or integration instrument (arrêté or décret d'intégration) or by a formal employment commitment (engagement). Different access routes may apply to non-tenured public employees (agents non titulaires). The statutory working time outside agriculture is no more than 40 hours per week. In agriculture, the annual limit is 2,400 hours. Night work is performed between 20 and 5 o'clock and may last no more than eight consecutive hours. The weekly rest period is at least 24 hours. After twelve months of service, employees are entitled to at least 26 paid working days of leave. Maternity protection covers 15 weeks, including nine weeks after childbirth; three additional weeks may be added in the event of illness-related complications. During this period, the employer and CNSS each pay half of the salary. The nationwide statutory minimum wage (SMIG) was set by a 2008 decree at 50,400 FCFA per month for all sectors. An official social guide gives a different figure of 54,400 FCFA per month; this discrepancy should be clarified against the currently applicable law before agreeing on pay. Collective agreements or the individual contract may provide more favourable conditions. An older guide gives 90,000 FCFA as a public-sector salary but does not provide a reliable current figure. The national social security fund (Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale (CNSS)) covers employees in the territory of the Republic of the Congo regardless of nationality, contract form, contract validity or remuneration. Benefits include family benefits, maternity, occupational accidents, occupational diseases, old age, invalidity and death. According to the CNSS, the employer contributes 20.28 percent and the employee 4 percent of the contribution-based remuneration. The employer must register with the fund, register employees, declare contributions and pay them. Self-employed people are not automatically covered in the same form; voluntary coverage may be possible under the social guide. Employees should keep their contract, pay records and CNSS registration card and document working time, leave and contribution payments. Instructions and safety rules are part of work-related duties. A CDD generally ends on the agreed date. Early termination is generally possible only by agreement, for gross misconduct (faute lourde) or force majeure. An CDI may be terminated by either party with prior notice (préavis); the termination must be in writing and state a reason. In cases of faute lourde, the préavis is waived. Economic or structural dismissals follow a special procedure involving employee representatives (délégués du personnel). Unused leave must be compensated at the end of the contract if the entitlement had already arisen. In a dispute, an amicable resolution should generally be attempted first. The Labour Inspectorate (Inspection du Travail) may conduct an inspection, issue a formal notice (mise en demeure), draw up an official report (procès-verbal) and refer the case to the Labour Tribunal (Tribunal du travail). Pension benefits include, among others, old-age, proportional, early, survivor and death categories (vieillesse, proportionnelle, anticipée, survivant and décès). A reliable current framework for an independent unemployment-insurance scheme was not established in the official sources reviewed.