Employment and labor laws vary from country to country. This guide is intended to provide the most up to date information available. We will update this guide as needed when changes are made to the laws.
Employment Contracts
Employers are legally required to provide formal written contracts for all employees that include salary/wage, termination terms, job title, etc. The contracts must be written in Portuguese and use the Angolan Kwanza currency (AOA).
Working Hours
The working hours are determined by the General Labor Law that outline specific conditions that are applied to each company activity. The standard maximum working day is 8 hours or 44 hours per week. Working hours are often increased to 9 hours per day if the work is intermittent or requires the employee’s presence, and the employer limits the working week to 5 consecutive days.
Overtime
All employers must keep complete overtime records. The maximum number of overtime hours an employee can work is 2 hours per day, 40 hours per month, and 200 hours per year.
Hours worked during the mandated rest day are paid at 110% of the regular pay. Hours worked during the complimentary rest period are counted as overtime. Overtime pay is determined by the time worked for every additional 15 minutes (i.e., if overtime is performed for more than 15 minutes, but less than 44 minutes, it is calculated as half an hour overtime. It is calculated as an hour if the hours are over 45 minutes and up to 60 minutes. In general, overtime payments are calculated per the size of the company and number of overtime hours performed:
Up to 30 hours of overtime per month:
- Large companies: 150% of the regular pay
- Medium companies: 130% of the regular pay
- Small companies: 120% of the regular pay
- Micro companies: 110% of the regular pay
Over 30 hours of overtime per month:
- Large companies: 175% of the regular pay
- Medium companies: 145% of the regular pay
- Small companies: 120% of the regular pay
- Micro companies: 110% of the regular pay
Working Week
Monday-Friday
Public Holidays
There are 12 National Holidays in 2022.
For the year 2022:
- Jan 1: New Year’s Day
- Feb 4: Day of the Armed Struggle
- Feb 28: Carnival Holiday
- Mar 1: Carnival
- Mar 7: International Women’s Day Holiday
- Mar 8: International Women’s Day
- Mar 23: Southern Africa Liberation Day
- Apr 4: Angolan Peace Day
- Apr 15: Good Friday
- May 1: Labor Day
- Sep 17: National Heroes Day
- Nov 2: All Souls’ Day
- Nov 11: Independence Day
- Dec 25: Christmas Day
Paid Time Off
In the first year of employment, annual leave is generally accrued at two days for each month of work, with a minimum of 6 days of annual vacation to be taken in that particular year. Leave is acquired on the 1st of January the following year and can be taken once six months of work has been completed. After completing one year of employment, employees are entitled to 22 days of annual leave. The annual leave entitlement begins on the 1st of January and is to be used by the 31st of December of the same year.
Female employees who have children under the age of 14 are entitled to one additional day of leave for each child.
An employee is entitled to full pay for the annual leave period and any other benefits accumulated during the year. There is also a standard bonus amount equal to 50% of the monthly salary paid before the beginning of the annual leave period.
Sick Leave
Employees on sick leave in medium or large companies receive full payment of their basic salary for the first two months of absence. From the third month to the 12th month of absence, the employer must pay the employee 50% of the basic salary until the relevant social protection entity takes over. For smaller companies, employers shall pay 50% of the regular wage for 90 days.
Employees are entitled to be absent from work with paid remuneration due to illness, providing that such absence is documented and justified by providing a medical certificate.
Maternity and Paternity
Maternity Leave
Women who have contributed to the social security system for a minimum of 6 months before their pregnancy will receive 12 weeks’ maternity leave. This leave is supplemented by the employer if necessary. Maternity leave commences four weeks before the due date (8 weeks before the due date for multiple births) and nine weeks of maternity leave after the child’s birth.
If the birth takes place after the expected delivery date, the period of leave is extended by the necessary period to last at least nine weeks after the child’s birth. Maternity pay is calculated using the cumulative earnings of the preceding six months.
Paternity Leave
The Angola General Labor Law provides one day of paid leave at the time of the birth of a child.
Parental Leave
After the maternity leave ends, and with prior agreement from the employer, the employer can provide a female employee with an additional four weeks of supplementary unpaid leave to take care of the child. Employees are entitled to three days’ leave per month (up to a maximum of 12 working days a year) to provide urgent assistance to members of the employee’s household.
Other Leave
- Family Support Leave: An employee is entitled to 8 days of paid family per year with prior employer approval.
- Military Service Leave: An employee may take paid leave for military duties of up to 2 days per month to a maximum of 15 days per year.
- Education Leave: After giving the employer 30 days’ written notice, an employee may take unpaid leave for 60 days for education or training.
Employee Severance and Terminations
Termination Process
Employers must provide notice of dismissal absence and serious misconduct to the employee. Employees should receive a form of compensation if:
- They have worked for the company for at least two years.
- If they are terminated for reasons other than misconduct.
Notice Period
The statutory notice period is 6 months (increased to 12 months for skilled employees), plus five days for each year of service up to a maximum of 30 days.
Severance Pay
Severance pay is calculated at one month’s salary for the first five years of employment, reducing to half the monthly salary for each year after that.
Probation Period
Probation is not mandatory; however, 2 months is common practice. The parties may extend the probation period, in writing, up to 4 months, in the case of employees who perform highly technical complex work, which is difficult to evaluate, and up to 6 months in case of employees who perform management duties.
Payroll Cycle
The payroll cycle is generally monthly, with wages paid by the last working day of the month.
13th Salary
In Angola, a 13th and 14th salary are mandatory with 50% being paid as a 13th salary for vacation bonus (which must be paid before an employee takes vacation) and 14th salary payment for a Christmas bonus.
Employee Income Tax
Payroll Contributions
Employers are legally required to provide formal written contracts for all employees that include salary/wage, termination terms, job title, etc. The contracts must be written in Portuguese and use the Angolan Kwanza currency (AOA).
VISA
Work visas allow individuals to stay for up to 12 months and can be extended twice with multiple visa submissions. Visas are valid only for the professional activity outlined in the work contract, and types vary based on the activity mentioned—the Ministry of Public Administration, employment, and social security issue all work visas and residence permits.
All foreign employees must apply for their work visa at an Angolan consulate and provide the required documentation, including a letter from their future employer addressed to the embassy together with the completed application forms, a photocopy of the applicant’s passport, and two passport-size photos. These documents must be translated into Portuguese by an official translator and legalized by a public notary, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, or an Angolan Embassy. The law states that all Angolan work permits, and work visas must be issued within 15 days, however, in some cases, can take longer.
Angola work visas are issued for at least 3 months but no more than 3 years. All work visas will need to be reapplied for before their expiry date. The employees will also need a residence permit, a temporary permit for those staying for five years or less, or a permanent residence permit for those wishing to stay ten years or more.
VAT
The VAT standard rate is 14%. Under the 2022 State Budget, the VAT for certain food products will be reduced from 14% to a 7% tax rate.