Which legal area covers a workplace, residence, criminal, purchase or private-property problem in Madagascar?

A workplace dispute generally belongs to labor law, while entry or residence belongs to immigration law, an alleged offence to criminal law, a purchase from a professional supplier to consumer protection and a contract or property dispute to civil law. The facts can create overlap, so the specific conduct and parties determine the applicable rules.

Which institutions can a person contact about a legal problem in Madagascar?

The institution depends on the subject. Labor matters may involve the Inspection du travail et des lois sociales or the Tribunal du travail; immigration matters may involve the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, an embassy or consulate and domestic immigration authorities; criminal matters may begin with police or gendarmerie judicial officers; and consumer complaints may proceed from the supplier to a regulator, the Ministry of Commerce and Consumption, a consumer association or a court.

Why can a legal claim in Madagascar require different evidence and procedures depending on its subject?

Each area uses different rules, responsible institutions and forms of proof. A labor claim may concern a contract or wage record, an immigration matter may depend on visa and residence documents, a criminal case on investigative evidence, a consumer complaint on purchase and product records, and a civil dispute on contracts, ownership or registration evidence.

Law in Madagascar

Law in Madagascar governs relationships between people, companies, public authorities and institutions. Its main areas include labor law, immigration law, criminal law, consumer protection and civil law. The applicable rules, evidence and responsible institution depend on whether the matter concerns work, residence, an offence, a purchase or a private dispute.

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Labor law

Madagascar's Labor Code, Loi n° 2024-014, sets the main rules for dependent work, including contracts, wages, working time, leave, safety, representation and termination. It covers formal and informal employers and includes domestic, migrant, piece-rate, daily and seasonal work, while public servants under special statutes and self-employed people follow other regimes. A written contract must state the job, category, minimum classification index, pay and start date; a missing written contract can still be proved by other evidence. The law provides access to Inspection du travail et des lois sociales, the Tribunal du travail and free conciliation, mediation or arbitration.

Immigration law

Immigration law in Madagascar regulates entry, visas, residence, work, protection, permanent residence, citizenship, refusal and remedies for foreign nationals and stateless persons. A non-immigrant stays up to three months, while an immigrant stays longer and generally needs a long-stay visa and residence card. The pathway depends on the purpose, such as tourism, work, investment, study, family reunification or retirement. Entry and residence involve the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, embassies or consulates and domestic immigration authorities.

Criminal law

Madagascar has a formal national criminal-law system based on the Constitution, the Code pénal, the Code de procédure pénale and later special laws. It defines punishable conduct, investigation powers, court proceedings, sanctions and the rights of accused and harmed persons. Police and gendarmerie judicial officers, under the prosecution service, receive complaints and direct cases into investigation or prosecution. The outcome depends on the offence, the applicable law, the evidence and the court handling the case.

Consumer protection

Consumer protection in Madagascar gives private consumers rights when they buy goods or services from a professional supplier. The framework covers safety, information, choice, complaints, repair and compensation, while suppliers must display prices, provide truthful information and respect product and service obligations. Complaints usually begin with the supplier and may continue through a sector regulator, the Ministry of Commerce and Consumption, a consumer association or a court.

Civil law

Civil law in Madagascar governs private relationships involving people, contracts, property, family, inheritance, liability, court proceedings and enforcement. It is based on Ordonnance 62-041, sector-specific civil laws, the Code de procédure civile and limited customary-law interfaces rather than one reliably consolidated civil code. Local institutions and procedures determine how rights are registered, proved, enforced and challenged.

Madagascar's legal framework combines the Constitution, national codes, later statutes, sector-specific rules and special legal regimes. Labor law covers dependent work, including contracts, wages, working time, leave, safety, representation and termination; public servants and self-employed people may follow different regimes. Immigration law regulates entry, visas, residence, work, protection, permanent residence and citizenship for foreign nationals and stateless persons. Criminal law defines offences, investigations, court proceedings, sanctions and the rights of accused and harmed persons. Consumer protection applies when a private consumer buys goods or services from a professional supplier and covers information, safety, complaints, repair and compensation. Civil law governs contracts, property, family, inheritance, liability, court proceedings and enforcement, using sector-specific laws and limited customary-law interfaces rather than one reliably consolidated civil code. Institutions also vary by subject: labor matters may involve the Inspection du travail et des lois sociales or the Tribunal du travail, immigration matters may involve the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and domestic immigration authorities, and criminal complaints may pass through police or gendarmerie judicial officers and the prosecution service. A consumer complaint commonly begins with the supplier, while a civil dispute may require records, contracts, registration documents or other evidence before a court or competent authority.

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