How can a worker find formal employment in Sudan?

A worker can apply directly to companies, public bodies, NGOs and other institutions, use a Labour Office or public employment exchange where it operates, contact a licensed private employment agency or apply through an official recruitment channel. A fully functioning nationwide vacancy portal has not been verified, so the employer and vacancy should be checked independently.

What should a worker check in an employment contract in Sudan?

For employment lasting more than three months, the worker should receive a written contract signed by both parties, stating the work, duration, wage, payment schedule and benefits. Each party should keep a copy, and one copy should be submitted to the Labour Office.

What working-time and leave protections apply to formal employment in Sudan?

Normal working time is up to 48 hours per week or eight hours per day, with weekly rest and a daily paid break. Annual leave increases from 20 to 25 and then 30 days as continuous service lengthens, while maternity and sick leave follow separate statutory conditions.

How can a worker challenge an employment dispute in Sudan?

The worker can start with the Labour Office, competent authority or Commissioner and seek negotiation or mediation before arbitration. The statutory process has stated time limits, but access and enforcement can be difficult in conflict-affected areas.

Employment in Sudan

Employment in Sudan includes formal wage work, informal work, self-employment and short-term jobs. Formal employment usually uses a written contract, defined pay and statutory leave, while informal work often lacks reliable payment records and legal protection. Since the conflict that began in 2023, stable wage employment has declined sharply, and most workers remain in informal employment.

Tip

Treat a formal employment offer as safer only when the employer, payment terms and working conditions can be verified. If informal work is the available option, secure the wage, payment date, duties, hours, deductions, accommodation and transport in writing as far as possible, and keep evidence of what was agreed. Do not pay recruitment fees or rely on a vacancy that cannot be confirmed through an official employer channel.

byFatima&Ahmed

People find work in Sudan through direct applications to companies, government employment exchanges, licensed private employment agencies, recruitment contacts, apprenticeships, personal networks and informal arrangements. A reliable nationwide vacancy portal has not been verified. Agriculture, own-account work, small trade, household enterprises and daily work are especially significant, while formal private, public and NGO contracts represent a smaller part of the labour market. Available figures are dated and incomplete: informal employment covered 93.2% of adults in 2022, and full-time wage employment fell from 33% before the conflict to 16% in 2024. These figures should not be treated as a current national labour-market count. The conflict has also reduced stable employment and access to workplaces, especially where transport, production or public services are disrupted. A contract of service may cover a fixed period, an indefinite period or specific work. Employment lasting more than three months generally requires a written contract signed by both parties, with a copy for each party and one submitted to the Labour Office. The contract should state the work, duration, wage, payment schedule and agreed benefits in language the worker understands. Fixed-term employment is generally limited to two years and may be renewed once with the same employer; continuation after that can lead to an indefinite contract. Probation normally lasts no more than three months, except where training rules apply. Wages include basic pay, overtime and certain benefits. Payment should go directly to the worker or an authorised representative. Benefits in kind are limited to legally recognised allowances such as food, fuel, housing, transport or clothing. The current national minimum wage amount was not verified in the available research. A worker should record the wage, payment date, deductions, accommodation and transport arrangements before starting. Recruitment fees charged to workers are a serious warning sign. Fake vacancies may circulate through WhatsApp, email and social media, including false UNICEF branding. Genuine UNICEF applications use official vacancy or career pages and do not charge application, interview, travel, processing or training fees. Normal working time is up to 48 hours per week or eight hours per day, with a paid rest break of at least 30 minutes per day and at least 24 consecutive hours of weekly rest. During Ramadan, fasting workers receive one fewer paid working hour per day. Breastfeeding mothers receive one fewer hour per day until two years after birth. Overtime normally requires agreement, is limited to four hours per day or twelve hours per week, and is paid at 1.5 times the normal hourly rate; work on public holidays or weekly rest days is paid at twice the normal rate. Annual leave is 20 days after one to less than three years of continuous service, 25 days after three to less than fifteen years and 30 days after fifteen years or more. Maternity leave is eight weeks after six months of service, normally divided into four weeks before and four weeks after birth. Sick leave after three months of service can provide three months at full pay, three months at half pay and three months at one quarter pay, subject to the applicable medical process. Children under twelve generally cannot work. Work by people under sixteen is restricted, and young workers generally have a seven-hour daily limit with a one-hour paid break. Hazardous work and some night work for women are restricted, with stated exceptions such as administration and health care. Project and United Nations contracts may impose stricter age and safeguarding requirements. Employers owe wages, a contract copy, safe working conditions and applicable leave, notice and gratuity rights. Workers owe the agreed work, compliance with safety instructions and protection of confidential information. Employment can end through resignation, expiry or completion of a contract, incapacity established through the required medical process, retirement at sixty, written mutual agreement, death, probation or other legally recognised grounds. Written notice periods vary by pay frequency and length of service. A worker with at least three years of continuous service may qualify for gratuity calculated from the final monthly basic wage: one month per year for three to ten years, 1.5 months per year above ten years and 1.75 months per year above fifteen years, subject to a maximum of 36 monthly basic wages. Unused annual leave is payable when employment ends. Economic or technological redundancy follows an employer application to the competent authority, review by a tripartite commission and a decision by the Governor or Wali. The procedure and actual access can vary significantly by state and conflict conditions. A worker can first raise a dispute with the Labour Office, competent authority or Commissioner. Negotiation, mediation and then arbitration may follow under the Labour Act, with stated time limits at each stage. Access can be difficult in conflict-affected areas. Trade unions and collective bargaining have a legal framework, but local recognition and presence should be checked. Social Security Act coverage, pension rights and injury benefits form separate entitlement systems, and current coverage was not fully verified. Sudanese workers taking employment abroad may also require permission under the Labour Act, although the current procedure and responsible authority were not verified.