How do you hire an employee in Cape Verde in 2026?

The working day is interrupted by a break of at least one hour, so that nobody works more than five consecutive hours. The compulsory weekly rest is 24 hours and usually falls on Sunday.

Workers in management or supervision roles, and some others, can be exempted from fixed hours by agreement. Check each role before you write the contract.

A fixed-term contract carries two months of probation, but never more than a quarter of the agreed term. Management and senior staff can agree up to 12 months. A different probation period must be in writing, or it is void.

If the employer ends a probation actually worked for more than 45 days, the worker is owed proportional leave. The termination guide covers what follows.

A fixed end date, a probation period different from the legal one and a non-competition pact must be in writing. A fixed-term contract must state its end date and the reason, or it counts as made without a term. The employer's written notice that it will not be renewed must give at least 10 days.

A contract with someone under 15 is void. A contract with a foreign national needs the Labour Directorate-General's visa to take effect, and only someone legally resident in Cape Verde can work there for an employer.

A worker can swap up to half of their leave for cash with the employer's agreement. An employer who obstructs leave faces a fine of three times the pay for the missing period.

The Labour Code does not make a thirteenth month compulsory. Where an employer grants one, the code reduces it for absences: in full up to 3 absences, 75% up to 6, 50% up to 10, and nothing beyond 10.

Sickness absences of up to 3 consecutive days need a doctor's declaration. Longer absences, up to 30 consecutive days, need a medical certificate. Where INPS covers the worker, the employer also pays the difference between the net pay she would have had and the INPS subsidy during maternity leave.

Urgent care for a household member justifies up to 5 days of absence, unpaid. Unjustified absences lose pay and count against seniority.

A contract with someone who lives in Cape Verde illegally is void. That rule does not apply to teleworking and other work that needs no physical presence in Cape Verde. A contract with a foreign national is in writing unless an exception applies, such as three years of legal residence.

Work permits and residence rules sit outside the Labour Code. Teamed's experts check them with you before an offer is signed.

The route matters because the Labour Code licenses temporary-work agencies and sets conditions on lending workers. Real HR and legal experts check which route fits your situation before a contract is drafted.

Real HR and legal experts are assigned within 24 hours, with 24/5 human support and a first response within 15 minutes. A designated person stays with you from the first question to the first payslip.

Start from the Cape Verde hiring overview, or run the Employer Cost Calculator before your first offer goes out.