Employment in Malawi

The Ministry of Labour, Skills and Innovation provides job-search support through the Employment Exchange Bureau in Regional and District Labour Offices. These offices register job seekers and vacancies and can provide career guidance. In 2025/26, 47,083 people were registered and 1,841 were placed; at December 2025, 4,459 vacancies had been recorded, 1,700 filled and 2,759 still open. A Labour Market Information System (LMIS) is being developed, but there is no reliable evidence of a live public self-service portal. Official pages do not state a general registration or placement fee, and registration does not guarantee a job. A typical formal pathway is vacancy, application, selection, contract and onboarding. Employers may also recruit through direct contact and personal or professional networks. Malawi has no evidenced nationwide application-document standard or mandatory recruitment platform. Informal work, self-directed activity and subsistence agriculture remain dominant, so documentation and enforcement differ substantially between jobs. An employment contract may be oral, written or implied. It can cover an unspecified period, a specified period or a specific task. For a skilled worker, probation may not exceed 12 months. An employer with at least five employees must provide written employment particulars within one month after work begins, including the parties, start date, pay and calculation method, payment interval, duties, normal hours, termination arrangements and disciplinary rules. A written offer should also state the applicable pay rate, working hours, duties, contract term, deductions and pension arrangements before acceptance. The Employment (Minimum Wages) (Amendment) Order 2026 applies from 1 June 2026. The current schedule is category- and area-dependent; listed monthly figures include K83,720 for domestic work, K157,500 for commercial work, K131,250 for micro and small enterprises and K187,500 for shop work. The general daily rate is approximately K6,057.70. The applicable Gazette category should be checked instead of carrying forward the 2025 rates. Pay may be hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, piece-based or task-based. Hourly, daily, weekly and piece or task pay is generally due at least weekly or fortnightly, while monthly and yearly pay is due at least monthly. The employer should provide an itemized pay statement. Deductions are limited to compulsory social security, a legal or court-authorized deduction, or a written authorization that the law permits; they generally may not exceed half of the worker's pay. An employer may not demand payment to obtain or keep a job. Pay As You Earn (PAYE) income tax rates from 31 December 2025 are 0% up to K170,000 per month, 30% above K170,000 to K1,570,000, 35% above K1,570,000 to K10,000,000 and 40% above K10,000,000. Employers register workers and their taxpayer identification numbers and remit PAYE, so gross pay and net pay are different amounts. The Pension Act 2023 generally requires occupational pension coverage, including for government employees. The minimum contribution is 10% from the employer and 5% from the employee on pensionable emoluments. The employer should pay its contribution to the trustee within 14 days after the end of each month. Workers should check pension membership and payroll deductions. On termination, pension benefits are generally due within six weeks under the Employment Act. The contract sets normal hours, subject to statutory limits. Normal work should not exceed 48 hours per week excluding overtime, and workers receive at least 24 consecutive hours of rest after no more than six consecutive working days. Daily limits are 12 hours on a five-day week and 8 hours on a six-day week. Annual leave is at least 15 working days on a five-day week or 18 working days on a six-day week. After 12 months, sick leave provides four weeks on full pay and eight weeks on half pay. Maternity leave provides eight weeks on full pay within the applicable statutory period, with a general right to return to the same job and benefits. The Workers Compensation Department covers workers under service or apprenticeship contracts, including oral, written and implied arrangements. After a workplace accident or occupational illness, the worker should document what happened, notify the employer and preserve medical evidence. Labour and occupational-safety inspections fall within the Ministry of Labour system. Graduate internships can provide an entry pathway but do not automatically become permanent employment: 4,627 graduates were placed in the 2025/26 programme, and 2,500 places were announced for the 2026/27 Cohort 13. Trade Testing offers Grade 3, Grade 2 and Grade 1 assessments through centres in Lilongwe, Blantyre and Mzuzu. Published fees are K5,000, K7,500 and K10,000 respectively; retesting is available after six months and progression to the next grade after one year. Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) assesses skills gained informally; 157 informal candidates were recorded in 12 trades in 2025/26. For an unspecified-period contract, notice depends on the payment interval and length of service. Monthly-paid workers generally receive one month's written notice; fortnightly-paid workers receive one fortnight for service under five years and one month after five years; weekly-paid workers receive one week under two years, two weeks from two to five years and one month after five years. Daily or hourly workers receive one day under six months, one week from six months to two years, two weeks from two to five years and one month after five years. A specified-term contract normally ends on its stated date, while a specific-task contract normally ends when the task is completed without notice. Wages and other remuneration are due within seven days after termination, and the worker can request a termination certificate. Severance is not automatic after resignation or expiry of a fixed term; it generally concerns redundancy, retrenchment, economic, technical, structural or operational reasons, or unfair dismissal. A District or Regional Labour Office can receive a complaint, investigate and mediate disputes involving termination, underpayment, minimum wages or overtime. A severance complaint should generally be filed within three months. The Industrial Relations Court should be considered only after the applicable local labour procedure. Acts and regulations were under review in the research period, so the current Gazette or Ministry notice should be checked for an individual case.