Work in Madagascar covers dependent employment, self-employment, business ownership and the institutions that connect people with jobs. Agriculture, livestock, fishing, forestry, artisan work, commerce, construction, transport and domestic services form a large part of everyday economic activity. Public administration, health, education, tourism, mining, information and communication technology and professional services provide additional employment paths. The distinction between formal and informal work affects contracts, registration, social protection, working time, leave, safety and access to dispute procedures. Many people combine several activities or rely on family businesses and short-term work. A low unemployment rate therefore does not necessarily mean stable or productive employment. Open unemployment was estimated at 3.0% in 2025, while an international measure reported 6.6%; informal work, underemployment and low productivity explain why these figures do not describe all work insecurity. An employer may be a private company, public body, individual or non-profit institution. Loi n°2024-014 portant Code du travail governs employment relationships performed in Madagascar, subject to separate rules for statutory civil servants, self-employed people and maritime work. Employers organise work, pay wages, register workers, protect health and safety, consult worker representatives and manage disputes or organisational change. People enter professions through technical training, apprenticeship, work experience, family activity or self-employment. Regulated professions may require specific qualifications and registration. A person choosing business activity must also consider the legal form, premises, registration, sector permits, tax records and obligations toward employees. A sole proprietorship generally leaves the business and owner's assets together, while a company such as a SARL creates a separate legal person with liability generally limited to the contributions.
Work in Madagascar
Work in Madagascar includes employment, employers, unemployment, the labor market, professions and business activity. Agriculture provides 60.7% of employment, while informal work accounts for 95.2% of employment overall and 89.8% outside agriculture. Formal jobs usually provide clearer contracts, wage rules, social protection and procedures than informal activities.
Choose work in Madagascar by comparing income predictability, contract status, protection, working conditions and entry requirements rather than by job title alone. Treat informal income and unemployment support cautiously, and check the legal, registration and tax consequences before starting a business or hiring workers. Keep written evidence of agreements, payments and registrations so that duties and disputes can be handled more clearly.
Employment
Employment in Madagascar includes formal dependent work and a much larger informal market. Agriculture provides 60.7% of employment, while informal employment accounts for 95.2% of employment overall and 89.8% outside agriculture. Formal jobs generally involve a written contract, wage protection, social insurance and defined rules for working time, leave and termination.
Employer
An employer in Madagascar is a natural or legal person that hires and directs workers, whether the activity is public or private, individual or collective, formal or informal, and profit-making or non-profit. Loi n°2024-014 portant Code du travail covers the employment relationship when the contract is performed in Madagascar, with separate rules for statutory civil servants, self-employed people and maritime work. Employers organise work, pay wages, register workers, protect health and safety, consult worker representatives and handle disputes or organisational change.
Unemployment
Madagascar has no direct national unemployment-insurance or unemployment-allowance scheme identified. Open unemployment was estimated at 3.0% in 2025, but informal work, underemployment and low productivity mean that this figure does not capture all work insecurity. Support may come from final employment payments, public or private job services, targeted social safety nets and household coping.
Labor market
Madagascar's labor market is dominated by informal work, agriculture and large differences between regions, qualifications and earnings. About 95% of adult employment is informal, while the international unemployment rate is 6.6%, so low unemployment does not mean secure or productive work. Access to jobs and training depends strongly on location, skills, infrastructure and contact with employers or public employment services.
Professions
Professions in Madagascar are distinct kinds of work, including their tasks, entry pathways, qualifications, working conditions, career development and rules for lawful practice. Agriculture, livestock, fishing, forestry, artisan work, commerce, construction, transport, domestic services and other service activities form much of everyday work, while public administration, health, education, tourism, mining, ICT and professional services provide additional formal pathways. People enter occupations through technical training, apprenticeship, work experience or family and self-employment, but regulated professions require specific qualifications and registration. Formal status affects contracts, social protection and dispute procedures, while informal work often combines several activities with less predictable protection.
Business
Starting and running a business in Madagascar involves choosing a legal form, securing suitable premises, registering the activity and obtaining any required sector permit. A sole proprietorship keeps the business and owner's assets together, while a company such as a SARL creates a separate legal person with liability generally limited to the contributions. Taxes, records, changes to the registration and, where applicable, employee obligations continue throughout operations.
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