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Expand your global workforce in Malawi

Your guide to the employment landscape, working customs and local labor laws in Malawi.

Capital

Lilongwe

Currency

Malawian Kwacha (MWK)

Languages

English & Chewa

GDP per Capita

$554.20

Employer Tax

10%

Payroll Frequency

Weekly or Monthly

Talent overview

Malawi is a country located in the Southern part of Africa. The country has an economic freedom score of 53 making the economy of Malawi rank  134th freest country in the 2022 list. Malawi is a growing country, and its GDP has improved since 2022. The country ranks 26th out of 47 countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa region.

Major economic hubs:

Lilongwe, Blantyre, Mzuzu

Skills in demand:

Managers, IT Professionals, Software Developers

Top local universities in Malawi

Uni1 9

University of Malawi

RANKING

Local: 1

World : 6966

Uni2 8

Mzuzu University

RANKING

Local: 2

World : 8874

Uni3 7

UNICAF University

RANKING

Local: 3

World : 9142

Uni5 6

Malawi University of Science and Technology

RANKING

Local: 5

World : 9700

Top Local Job Boards:

JobsearchMalawi, Jobisland, LinkedIn

Number of LinkedIn users:

215,700

Top Recruitment Agencies:

MyJobo, Oasis

Where to find talent

Top Local Job Boards:

Number of LinkedIn users:

Top Recruitment Agencies:

Salary Data

The average monthly salary of some jobs available in Malawi are as follows:

Job Title Average Monthly Salary (MWK) Average Monthly Salary (USD)
Financial Manager 314,000 MWK 307 USD
General Manager 280,000 MWK 274 USD
Business Development Manager 255,000 MWK 249 USD
Financial Analyst 218,000 MWK 213 USD
Business Analyst 218,000 MWK 213 USD
Project Manager 188,000 MWK 184 USD

 

Employ in Malawi

Employing in Malawi

Employers must know the Labour rules and regulations along with allowances, contributions, and bonuses to hire talent from Malawi. Here the employer can know important information regarding hiring in Malawi.

Employee Contract

According to Malawian Law, the employment contract must be in English or Chewa.

Probation Period

The probation period in Malawi ranges from 0 to 12 months.

Public and Provincial Holidays

Date Name Type
1 Jan New Year Public Holiday
15 Jan John Chilembwe Day Public Holiday
3 Mar Martyrs’ Day Public Holiday
4 Mar Day off for Martyrs’ Day Public Holiday
29 Mar Good Friday Public Holiday
30 Mar Easter Saturday Public Holiday
1 Apr Easter Monday Public Holiday
10 Apr Eid al-Fitr (Tentative Date) Public Holiday
1 May May Day Public Holiday
14 May Kamuzu Day Public Holiday
6 Jul Independence Day Public Holiday
8 Jul Day off for Independence Day Public Holiday
15 Oct Mother’s Day Public Holiday
25 Dec Christmas Day Public Holiday
26 Dec Boxing Day Public Holiday

Employee Leaves

Type Of Leave Number of Days Mandatory
Annual Leaves 8 working days if the employee works 6 days a week

15 working days if the employee works 5 days a week.

Yes
Sick Leaves 4 weeks (full pay) to 8 weeks (half pay) Yes
Maternity Leaves 8 weeks Yes

 

Leave Compliance

Payroll in Malawi

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Payroll cycle

In Malawi, the payroll frequency is Weekly or Monthly.

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Minimum wage

The minimum wage in Malawi ranges from MWK1,461.54 to MWK1,923.08.

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Overtime pay

In Malawi, overtime pay is 200% of the regular salary for the work done on a rest day. However, the overtime pay increases to 400% of the regular salary if the work is done on holiday. The overtime is mainly compensated with a rest day rather than pay.

How taxes work

Employer Payroll Tax:

Type of Contribution Contribution
National Pension Scheme (NPS) 10%

Employee Payroll Tax:

Type of Contribution Contribution
National Pension Scheme (NPS) 5%

Employee Income Tax:

Annual Taxable Income Tax Rate
From 0 to 1,200,000 MWK 0
From 1,200,001 to 12,00,000 MWK 25%
From 12,00,001 to 36,000,000 MWK 30%
From 36,000,000 to 72,000,000 MWK 35%
Above 72,000,001 MWK 40%

VAT:

In Malawi, the standard rate of VAT is 16.5%.

Bonus

13th Month Pay:

There is no statutory law for 13th-month pay in Malawi.

Employee Benefits:

  • Paid Leaves
  • Maternity leave
  • Allowances
  • Pension

Employee offboarding

The employers can terminate the contract only if there is any reason for redundancy or misconduct from the employee. Initially, a warning will be provided to the employee if there is any misconduct.

In Malawi, the notice period varies based on the type of employment and years of service;

Details Notice period
Employees paid monthly 30 days
Employees paid monthly with up to 2 years of service 7 days
Employees paid monthly with 2 to 5 years of service 14 days
Employees paid monthly with more than 5 years of service 30 days
Employees paid weekly with up to 2 years of service 15 days
Employees paid weekly with up to 5 years of service 30 days
Employees paid daily/hourly with up to 6 months of service 1 day
Employees paid daily/hourly with 6 months to 2 years of service 7 days
Employees paid daily/hourly with 2 years to 5 years of service 15 days
Employees paid daily/hourly with more than 5 years of service 30 days

 

The severance pay in Malawi is as follows;

  • For 1 year to 5 years of service; 2 weeks of pay
  • For 6 years to 10 years of service; 3 weeks of pay
  • For more than 10 years of service; 4 weeks of pay
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Visa and
immigration

An individual is required to have a Temporary Employment Permit (TEP). The employer must submit all the documents needed on behalf of the individual. All necessary documents and applications will be presented to the TEP Approval Committee. Once done, it has to be sent to the Minister of Decision for final approval.

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