Employment in Senegal

The operative legal reference for dependent paid employment is Loi 97-17 of 1 December 1997, as amended. A bill adopted by the National Assembly on 18 August 2026 had no verified promulgation, Journal officiel publication or entry into force at the research date, so its proposed changes do not replace the current rules. The Code applies to dependent paid work regardless of gender or nationality. The minimum employment age is 15, while a decree may restrict some employment of foreign nationals in favour of national labour. Job seekers can register with ANPEJ, the national employment agency, through its database and Guichet unique. Available services include counselling, skills assessment, CV and interview coaching, training or apprenticeship pathways, e-taggat, job offers and placement support through regional offices. These services are free, but registration does not guarantee a job. Registered users are expected to keep their profile current, attend appointments and assigned activities, provide a copy of the employment contract when requested and accept suitable work. Public-service recruitment uses a separate employment platform and matching process based on the profile, ministry needs, age, gender and disability; permanent administration posts follow their own statute rather than the Labour Code and are not automatic appointments. A CDI, or open-ended contract, is the normal contract type. A CDD, or fixed-term contract, must be written and generally cannot exceed two years. In one company, the usual limit is two fixed-term contracts plus one renewal, although exceptions apply to seasonal, daily, dock, replacement and other temporary work defined by sector rules. If the employer cannot prove the required written form, the relationship can be treated as a CDI. An engagement à l'essai is a trial period that either side can end without notice; if the worker continues after the trial period without a new contract, the employment can become a CDI from the beginning of the trial period. Wages are paid in FCFA. The SMIG minimum wage is 370.526 FCFA per hour, approximately 64,223 FCFA per month, while the SMAG agricultural minimum is 236.865 FCFA per hour. A category rate or collective agreement may set a higher minimum. Monthly wages must be paid no later than eight days after the end of the month, and the employer must provide a payslip for each payment. Piece-rate or performance-based pay must be set out in writing and must provide at least a comparable time-based wage. Normal working time is limited to 40 hours per week; agriculture follows an annual limit of 2,352 hours. Workers receive at least 24 consecutive hours of weekly rest and two working days of paid leave for each month worked. Maternity protection lasts 14 weeks, including at least eight weeks after birth, with up to three additional weeks for illness. An employer may not dismiss a worker during a protected suspension of the employment contract. Equal pay applies to work performed under the same conditions. Workers must follow contractual duties, working-time rules and safety instructions, while employers must provide safe work and the required employment records. Formal employment can connect a worker to CSS social security, IPRES retirement insurance and an IPM health institution. IPRES contributions are 14% for the general retirement scheme, with 8.4% paid by the employer and 5.6% by the worker; the complementary retirement scheme is 6%, split into 3.6% and 2.4%. In the 2025 inspection data, missing IPM affiliation was the most frequent formalisation defect at 25.4%, followed by missing IPRES or CSS registration. DGTSS and the labour inspectorate network, known as ITSS, can check contracts, working time, pay, hygiene and safety, provide advice and support conciliation. Senegal has 16 regional ITSS offices. Public contract filing and labour-inspectorate services have no officially listed fee, while transport, legal advice and payroll contributions can create costs depending on the situation. A CDI ends through the applicable notice period, except in cases such as serious misconduct where notice may not apply. During notice, the worker receives two paid days per week to look for work. If the employer fails to give the required notice, an indemnity can be due based on wages and benefits; an abusive dismissal can lead to damages. A CDD normally ends at its agreed term. At the end of employment, the employer must provide a certificate of employment. An IPRES points statement or card can be requested with an identity document, payslips and the employment certificate.