Dependent employment means working under an employer’s direction and control. Employers organize work, pay remuneration, maintain employment records, register with social security and provide lawful working conditions. A formal employment relationship normally uses a dated written contract, recorded pay and registration with the Instituto Nacional de Segurança Social, known as INSS. Working time, leave, contributions, sector minimum wages and termination evidence are central matters for employees. Mozambique also has extensive informal and own-account work. Own-account workers operate without an employer, while a business may organize an economic activity through registration, a tax number, activity licensing and, where applicable, social-security registration. In 2024, 85,423 active companies were recorded, but this figure does not cover informal activity. The labor market differs sharply between rural and urban areas and across provinces. A 2022 household survey recorded 11,389,792 employed people aged 15 and over, with agriculture, forestry and fishing accounting for 74.7% of employment. Professions also cover construction, industry, mining, fishing, transport, technology, health, education, finance and tourism. Entry requirements, licensing, earnings and career opportunities depend on the occupation, sector, location and form of work. Job loss does not generally lead to a universal unemployment insurance payment or standard cash allowance in Mozambique. Public employment centres can register job candidates, provide vacancy information and support placement. The Productive Social Action Programme, or PASP, provides temporary, means-tested support for eligible vulnerable households rather than a general payment for every person who loses a job. Unemployment figures also depend on the measurement used: the 2022 alternative survey reported 18.4%, while the ILO-based measure reported 9.6%.
Work in Mozambique
Work in Mozambique includes dependent employment, self-employment, business activity and work in the formal or informal economy. Formal jobs usually involve a written contract, recorded pay and registration with the Instituto Nacional de Segurança Social (INSS), while access and conditions vary by sector and location. Agriculture remains the largest source of employment, and formal company statistics do not cover the whole economy.
Treat the choice between employment, own-account work and business activity as a decision about control, records, obligations and access to services. For a formal job, secure a written contract, pay records and INSS registration; for independent work, clarify the registration, tax and licensing requirements that apply before starting. Keep evidence of work and termination because it can be needed to document your position and seek support.
Employment
Dependent employment in Mozambique is paid work performed under an employer’s direction and control. Formal employment normally uses a dated written contract, recorded pay and registration with the Instituto Nacional de Segurança Social (INSS), while informal and own-account work also have high practical relevance. Sector, province and district can affect the applicable rules and access to services. The main checks concern the contract, sector minimum wage, working time, leave, contributions and evidence of termination.
Employer
An employer in Mozambique, called an empregador or entidade empregadora, organizes work, hires and manages workers, pays remuneration and maintains lawful working conditions. Formal private and public employers follow a national system, while administration and service access vary by sector and province. Employers register with social security, declare and pay contributions, prevent occupational harm, support worker representation and keep employment records. Informal own-account activity usually has no employees and is not an employer equivalent.
Unemployment
No universal unemployment insurance or standard cash unemployment allowance has been identified in Mozambique. Public employment centres offer registration as a job candidate, vacancies and placement, while PASP provides temporary, means-tested support for eligible vulnerable households rather than a general job-loss payment. Unemployment figures differ by measurement: the 2022 alternative survey rate was 18.4%, compared with 9.6% under the ILO-based measure.
Labor market
Mozambique's labor market combines formal jobs with extensive informal and own-account work. A 2022 household survey recorded 11,389,792 employed people aged 15 and over, with agriculture, forestry and fishing accounting for 74.7% of employment. Access, job type and pay differ sharply between rural and urban areas and across provinces.
Professions
Professions in Mozambique include formal, regulated and informal work across agriculture, construction, industry, mining, fishing, transport, technology, health, education, finance, tourism and other fields. Entry can come through accredited professional education, higher education, public-sector career paths, workplace learning or practical experience in self-employment. The requirements, legal protection, earnings, licensing and career opportunities depend on the occupation, sector, location and form of work.
Business
Business in Mozambique covers independent activity and the creation, operation, growth, transfer or closure of an economic organisation. Formal businesses use legal registration, a tax number, activity licensing and, where applicable, social-security registration. Mozambique recorded 85,423 active companies in 2024, but formal company statistics do not cover the entire economy because the informal sector is surveyed separately.
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