Talent Wiki - Egypt
Your quick guide on talent and labor compliance norms in Egypt
Capital
Cairo
Currency
Egyptian Pound (EGP)
Languages
Arabic, English
Payroll Frequency
Monthly
GDP per Capita
$4,504.37
Employer Tax
18.75%
Talent Overview
The country of Egypt is a developing one with a diverse economy. It has the 3rd largest economy in Africa and the 33rd largest by nominal GDP globally. Liberal economic policies have strengthened the economic conditions of the country.
Major economic hubs:
Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Alexandria
Skills in demand:
Machine Learning, Python, IT skills
Local Universities
Some top local universities in Egypt and their rankings are as follows:
The American University in Cairo
Ranking
Local: 1
World: 936
Cairo University
Ranking
Local: 2
World: 1396
Mansoura University
Ranking
Local: 3
World: 1930
Ain Shams University
Ranking
Local: 4
World: 2367
Alexandria University
Ranking
Local: 5
World: 2835
Salary Data
Monthly salary information on some top jobs in Egypt:
| Job Title | Average Monthly Salary (EGP) | Average Monthly Salary (USD) |
| Accountant | 6350 EGP | 256.43 USD |
| Administrative Assistant | 4640 EGP | 187.37 USD |
| Graphic Designer | 5700 EGP | 230.18 USD |
| Business Analyst | 11600 EGP | 468.43 USD |
| Customer Service Manager | 12100 EGP | 488.62 USD |
| Human Resource Manager | 13700 EGP | 553.23 USD |
Employing in Egypt
Egyptian labor laws favor employees and prohibit wage discrimination based on sex, origin, language, religion, or creed. It is based on equal opportunity for all. Below is information on the laws that employers must observe in Egypt.
Employee Contract: Employment contracts in Egypt need to be in writing, and the language of use should be Arabic. The employer, employee, and social insurance office will keep a copy of the contract.
Probation Period
The usual probationary period followed in Egypt is 1 to 3 months.
Public and Provincial Holidays 2023
| Date | Name | Type |
| 7 Jan | Coptic Christmas Day | National Holiday |
| 25 Jan | 25 January Revolution Day | National Holiday |
| 16 Apr | Coptic Easter Sunday | National Holiday |
| 17 Apr | Sham el Nessim | National Holiday |
| 21 Apr | Eid al-Fitr | National Holiday |
| 22 Apr | Eid al-Fitr Holiday | National Holiday |
| 25 Apr | Sinai Liberation Day | National Holiday |
| 1 May | Labour Day | National Holiday |
| 27 Jun | Arafat Day | National Holiday |
| 28 Jun | Eid al-Adha | National Holiday |
| 29 Jun | Eid al-Adha Holiday | National Holiday |
| 30 Jun | 30 June Revolution Day | National Holiday |
| 19 Jul | Islamic New Year | National Holiday |
| 23 Jul | Revolution Day | National Holiday |
| 27 Sep | Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday | National Holiday |
| 6 Oct | Armed Forces Day | National Holiday |
Employee Leaves
| Type of Leave | Time Period | Mandatory |
| Annual/Earned Leave | 21 days | Yes |
| Sick Leave | 90 days | Yes |
| Maternity Leave | 13 weeks | Yes |
Payroll
Payroll Cycle
The employee must be paid monthly, usually, on the 5th of every month.
Minimum Wage
The official minimum wage is EGP 2,700 per month.
Overtime Pay
The standard working hours in Egypt is 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week. Overtime is allowed in the country and its compensation varies as per the table below:
Bonus
13th Month Pay
There is no provision for the 13th-month salary in Egypt.
Employee Benefits
Egyptian employees are entitled to the following during their employment:
- Maternity leave
- Social Security
- Free Healthcare
Taxes
Employer Payroll Tax
| Type of Contribution | Contribution |
| Social Security Contribution | 18.75% (Minimum wage: 1400, Maximum wage: 9,400) |
Employee Payroll Tax
| Type of Contribution | Contribution |
| Social Security Contribution | 11% (Minimum wage: 1,400, Maximum wage: 9,400) |
Employee Income Tax
| Annual Taxable Income | Tax rate % |
| From 0 to 15,000 | 0 |
| 15,000 to 30,000 | 2.5% |
| 30,000 to 45,000 | 10% |
| 45,000 to 60,000 | 15% |
| 60,000 to 200,000 | 20% |
| 200,000 to 400,000 | 22.5% |
| More than 400,000 | 25% |
VAT
The standard rate of VAT followed is 14%.
Offboarding & Termination
When terminating an employment contract without legitimate and adequate justification, either of the parties shall compensate the affected one.
An employer in Egypt cannot dismiss a worker except when the worker is involved in a serious offense. In dismissals due to offense, the employer has to submit a request to a committee to decide on the dismissal.
Termination of employment in Egypt is only allowed on the following grounds of a fundamental breach of contract, which is outlined as follows:
- False Identification
- Consecutive Absence
- Professional Incompetence
- Violation of safety instructions
According to the New Labor Law, the employment shall terminate at the expiry of a fixed-term contract or with the completion of the task for which the contract was made. Both parties can terminate an open-ended contract, provided that the notice period and writing procedures are respected.
The notice period during probation is 7 to 10 days, while for permanent employees, it is two to three months.
No statutory severance pay is mentioned unless mentioned in the contract.
Visa and Immigration
Foreign employees will need a work permit from the Ministry of Manpower to work legally in Egypt. The processing usually takes a month and is valid for one year.
