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Expand your global workforce in Sierra Leone

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

Capital

Freetown

Currency

Leone

Languages

English, Krio

GDP per Capita

$627.16

Employer Tax

10%

Payroll Frequency

Monthly

Talent overview

Sierra Leone is an African country with a population of 8,348,301, two-thirds of which is involved in agriculture and mining industries. The country ranks 30th among 47 nations in the Sub-Saharan region of Africa. The country’s economic freedom score is 52, the 140th freest in the 2022 Index.

Major economic hubs:

Freetown, Bo and Kenema

Skills in demand:

Analytical skills, Doctors, Managers

Top local universities in Sierra Leone

Uni1 45

Njala University

RANKING

Local: 1

World : 10,007

Uni2 39

University of Makeni

RANKING

Local: 2

World : 10,176

Uini3

University of Sierra Leone

RANKING

Local: 3

World : 10,252

Uni4 36

Milton Margai College of Education and Technology

RANKING

Local: 4

World : 12,903

Top Local Job Boards:

SierraLeoneJob.com, Careers.sl

Number of LinkedIn users:

111,400

Top Recruitment Agencies:

Sierra Leone Content Agency, SierraLeoneJob.com

Where to find talent

Top Local Job Boards:

Number of LinkedIn users:

Top Recruitment Agencies:

Salary Data

Some common jobs in Sierra Leone with average monthly salaries are:

Job Title Average Monthly Salary (SLL) Average Monthly Salary (USD)
Financial Manager SLL 10,900,000 576.42 USD
General Manager SLL 9,900,000 523.53 USD
Business Developer Manager SLL 8,570,000 453.20 USD
Financial Analyst SLL 6,800,000 359.60 USD
Business Analyst SLL 6,710,000 354.84 USD
Project Manager SLL 6,210,000 328.40 USD

Employ in Sierra Leone

Employing in Sierra Leone

The Employers and Employed Act governs the employment relationships in Sierra Leone. This section covers all the important details of the regulation that employers and employees must follow.

Employee Contract

The labour laws in Sierra Leone mandate both parties to establish a verbal or written contract. The verbal contract has a validity of 6 months. On the other hand, the written contract must be in languages understandable to both parties and include all information such as working hours, compensation, job description, starting date and place of work.

Probation Period

The probation period in Sierra Leone is up to 6 months. However, both parties can agree on shorter probation.

Public and Provincial Holidays 2023

Date Name Type
1 Jan New Year Public Holiday
18 Feb Armed Forces Day Public Holiday
19 Feb Day off for Armed Forces Day Public Holiday
8 Mar International Women’s Day Public Holiday
29 Mar Good Friday Public Holiday
1 Apr Easter Monday Public Holiday
10 Apr Eid al-Fitr (Tentative Date) Public Holiday
27 Apr Independence Day Public Holiday
1 May International Worker’s Day Public Holiday
17 Jun Tabaski (Tentative Date) Public Holiday
16 Sep The Prophet’s Birthday (Tentative Date) Public Holiday
25 Dec Christmas Day Public Holiday
26 Dec Boxing Day Public Holiday

Employee Leaves

Type of Leave Time Period Mandatory
Annual/Earned Leave Employees are entitled to the total amount paid for annual leave beginning on the date indicated in the employment agreement.  No
Sick Leave Employee needs to produce an incapacity for work certificate that is signed by a medical professional.  No
Maternity Leave 14 weeks Yes

 

Leave Compliance

Payroll in Sierra Leone

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Payroll cycle

Sierra Leone follows a monthly payroll cycle.

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Minimum wage

The minimum wage in Sierra Leone is SLL 600,000.

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Overtime pay

The standard work hours in Sierra Leone are 40 hours per week. If an employee dedicates additional time to work, they are liable to receive overtime pay. The overtime pay is 50% of the normal pay on weekdays and 100% of the normal pay on rest days and public holidays.

How taxes work

Employer Payroll Tax

Type of Contribution Rate
National Social Security and Insurance Trust 10%

Employee Payroll Tax

Type of Contribution Rate
National Social Security and Insurance Trust 5%

Employee Income Tax

Monthly Income (SLL) Tax rate
0 – 6,000,000 0%
6,000,000 – 12,000,000 15%
12,000,000 – 18,000,000 20%
18,000,000 – 24,000,000 25%
Above 24,000,000 30%

VAT

The rate of Value Added Tax in Sierra Leone is 15%.

Bonus

13th Month Pay

There are no laws in Sierra Leone that mandate a 13th-month pay.

Employee Benefits

  • Paid leaves
  • Maternity leaves
  • Flexible work hours
  • Health insurance

Employee offboarding

Terminating an employee’s definite or indefinite contract requires a justified reason behind the step stated in writing. Furthermore, the employee must serve their notice period before the contract ends. The employer must credit the severance pay and other outstanding dues to the employee before their last date of service.

The notice period in Sierra Leone ranges from one week to one month, as mentioned in the employment contract.

The severance pay in Sierra Leone is determined by the individual and collective bargaining agreements signed by both parties.

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Visa and
immigration

All professionals in Sierra Leone, both employed and self-employed, with foreign citizenship must obtain the relevant work permit before starting their work. In the event of a job change, the foreigner must get a new work permit with their updated employment details. Failure to abide by these rules may lead to prosecution or removal from the country.

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