People in Lesotho can earn through an employer, their own work or a registered business. Dependent employment involves working under an employer's direction for wages. Self-employment includes activities carried out independently, while a business may operate informally or through formal registration, licensing and tax arrangements. The 2024 Labour Force Survey reported that 84.0% of employment was informal. Formal opportunities are more common in sectors such as textiles, construction, hospitality, retail, transport, security, domestic work, public administration, education, health, mining, tourism and information and communication technology. Entry can depend on work experience, apprenticeship, technical training, higher education or professional registration. Regulated professions require the relevant licence or registration. Job seekers can apply directly to companies, register with National Employment Services, use a licensed private employment agency or apply through the Public Service Commission for public-service positions. Relatives, friends, factories and work sites are also common ways to hear about opportunities. Lesotho has no verified formal, ongoing unemployment insurance or universal unemployment payment; income support is fragmented and may depend on poverty, vulnerability, location and programme cycles. For employment relationships, the Labour Act 2024 has been in force since 2 April 2024, alongside the Occupational Safety and Health Act 2024. These rules cover matters such as contracts, wages, working time, equality, workplace safety, worker representation, disputes and organisational change. A formal business usually needs an appropriate structure, a Business ID, activity-specific permits and registration with Revenue Services Lesotho. Foreign-owned businesses may face additional investment and permit requirements.
Work in Lesotho
Work in Lesotho includes dependent paid employment, self-employment and business activity, as well as periods of job seeking and unemployment. Most employment is informal, while formal opportunities are concentrated in sectors such as textiles, construction, hospitality, retail, transport, security and domestic work. Access to work and earnings vary by district, sector, education and age, while formal jobs follow rules on contracts, pay, working time, leave, safety and termination.
Choose first whether you are seeking dependent employment, earning independently or setting up a business, because each path requires different checks. If you need paid work, use several job-search channels and verify the actual terms before accepting an offer. If you plan to practise a regulated profession, hire workers or operate a business, confirm the relevant registration, permit and workplace requirements before starting.
Employment
Employment in Lesotho covers finding, starting, performing, changing and ending dependent paid work. Most employed people work informally, while formal jobs are concentrated in sectors such as textiles, construction, hospitality, retail, transport, security and domestic work. Job seekers can apply directly to companies, register with the National Employment Services, use a licensed private employment agency or apply through the Public Service Commission. Contracts, pay, working time, leave, workplace risks and termination depend on the employment relationship and the applicable sector rules.
Employer
An employer in Lesotho hires workers, directs their work, pays wages and provides a lawful and safe workplace. The main framework is the Labour Act 2024, in force since 2 April 2024, together with the Occupational Safety and Health Act 2024. Employer duties cover contracts, wages, working time, equality, safety, worker representation, disputes and organisational change.
Unemployment
Lesotho has no verified formal, ongoing unemployment insurance or universal unemployment payment. The 2024 Labour Force Survey recorded 236,576 unemployed people among a labour force of 1,510,701 people aged 15 and over; the unemployment rate was 30.1%, and youth unemployment for ages 15–24 was 48.8%. Job seekers commonly rely on relatives and friends, prospective employers, factories and work sites, while National Employment Services provides a formal registration and placement service. Income support is fragmented: Social Cash Transfer and time-limited public works depend on poverty, vulnerability, location and programme cycles.
Labor market
Lesotho's labour market connects people seeking paid work, self-employment and skills development with employers and institutions. In the 2024 Labour Force Survey, 786,298 people were in the labour force, including 549,722 employed and 236,576 unemployed people. Informal work accounted for 84.0% of employment, while job access, earnings and formal opportunities differed sharply by district, sector, education and age.
Professions
Professions in Lesotho cover agriculture, household and care work, trade, manufacturing, construction, mining, tourism, information and communication technology, health, education, law, administration and security. The occupational system is established but regulation is divided by sector, and 84.0% of employment was informal in the 2024 Labour Force Survey. Entry can come through work experience, apprenticeship, technical training, higher education or self-employment, while regulated professions additionally require the relevant registration or licence.
Business
Business in Lesotho can operate informally or through a formal registration, licensing and tax system. Formalisation usually involves choosing a business structure, obtaining a Business ID, securing activity-specific permits and registering with Revenue Services Lesotho. The main structures are sole proprietorships and companies, while foreign-owned businesses face additional investment and permit requirements.
VivAVia can make mistakes. Check important information.