Professions in Mauritania

Professional work in Mauritania includes both regulated and non-regulated occupations. Commerce, livestock, agriculture, construction, fishing and mining account for a large share of recorded economic activity. Education, public service, transport, crafts, industry, maintenance, energy, agro-processing, health care and information technology are also significant or developing fields. The national population census for 2023–24 recorded 1,015,841 employed people in the cited employment classification, including 523,639 independent workers, 229,500 temporary private employees, 111,622 public employees, 65,217 permanent private employees, 48,320 contributing family workers, 30,377 employers and 7,165 apprentices. These figures describe employment status, not a complete list of job titles, and non-salaried work is not automatically informal. Mauritania has no general national professions register or single licensing system evidenced in the reviewed official sources. Access to an ordinary private occupation generally does not require one specific diploma, although an employer, sector or safety rule can set additional conditions. Formal technical and vocational education and training, commonly called FTP, provides recognized qualification pathways. The Centre Supérieur d’Enseignement Technique, or CSET, supports higher technical qualifications, teacher training and continuing education. INAP-FTP studies employment and qualification needs, develops occupational standards and supports training planning. Public provision includes CSET and 20 technical and vocational schools; around 50 private institutions also offer training, especially in Nouakchott, but private certificates are not uniformly nationally certified. The documented FTP pathways include a short course lasting about 6 to 9 months, a Certificat d’Aptitude Professionnelle (CAP) lasting 2 years after approximately the fourth year of middle school, a Brevet de Technicien (BT) lasting 2 years after the final secondary level or a CAP, a technical baccalaureate lasting 3 years and a Brevet de Technicien Supérieur (BTS) lasting 2 years after a technical baccalaureate or BT. The 2023–24 provision recorded 12,188 trainees across 86 tracks, while the 2024–25 plan targeted 19,000 trainees across 94 tracks. Training areas include industry, energy, agriculture, livestock, construction, commerce and management, tourism and hospitality, and information technology. Tuition and other fees vary by institution because no uniform national fee schedule was located. Apprenticeship offers another entry pathway. A written contract should state the occupation, duration and agreed remuneration or arrangements for food and housing. The maximum documented duration is 4 years, with a mandatory 3-month trial period. The labour inspector reviews the contract, and the legal process provides for an apprentice card. The apprentice master should be at least 21 years old. Inspection authorities can limit or suspend the right to provide training. The detailed application of older apprenticeship provisions should be checked against Law 2024-048, which replaced parts of the 2004 Labour Code. The Ministry of Vocational Training, Crafts and Trades (MFPAM) handles FTP and crafts policy, programmes, certification, access, competitions and oversight of private FTP providers. The Ministry of Public Service and Labour (MFPT) covers the labour framework, employment, inspection and labour standards. The National Agency for Statistics and Demographic and Economic Analysis (ANSADE) produces national statistics. The National Social Security Fund (CNSS) administers family benefits, occupational risks and pensions for covered groups. The cited CNSS contribution information states 13% for the employer and 1% for the worker on a wage base capped at MRU 15,000, but the current application should be confirmed directly. A historical reference to a 4,500 MRU minimum wage should not be treated as current because Decree 2026-064 governs the current SMIG amount and effective date. Public-service occupations normally require a relevant qualification, verification of the diploma or title, and a concours, meaning a competitive public recruitment process, followed by the applicable statutory appointment rules. A qualification does not automatically create a public appointment or a job. Special statutes apply to areas such as customs, water and forests, hunting, the judiciary, police, civil protection, coast guard and environmental policing. Mining, fishing, maritime work and other safety-sensitive functions require a separate sector check. Foreign workers need prior authorization to work in Mauritania. Working conditions depend on the contract and sector. The current labour framework covers contracts, collective relations, working time, rest, leave, wages, occupational safety and health, medical services, disputes and labour inspection. The legal framework includes a non-discrimination principle. CNSS coverage described in the research includes workers covered by the Labour Code, merchant marine workers, state contract and non-permanent staff, FTP pupils, trainees and apprentices, domestic workers, and temporary or occasional workers, subject to the applicable rules. Informal or self-employed work may lack a written contract, qualification evidence or CNSS records even when the occupation itself is lawful. Career progression differs by field. A formal technical pathway can move from a short course to CAP, BT or a technical baccalaureate and then BTS. CSET provides initial and continuing options, while INAP-FTP supports qualification forecasting, standards and enterprise training. Public-service progression follows statutory rules and continuing training. Craft careers usually develop through experience, customers and market reputation. No automatic validation-of-prior-learning process was evidenced in the reviewed material. Access and training availability can differ between Wilayas and communes, and the reviewed research did not establish reliable profession-specific fees, earnings, placement times, gender or disability barriers. Those details require direct local verification.