How do you hire an employee in The Gambia in 2026?

A contract that is not in writing can still be enforced by the employee, but not by the employer. The statement of particulars covers these points:

• the parties, the start date, the job title and a description of the work;
• the scale of wages or how they are worked out, and how often they are paid;
• the normal working hours, any probation and the notice each side gives;
• the place of work, any collective agreement and the terms on holidays, sickness and pensions.

Each payment of wages comes with an itemised statement of gross wages, every deduction and net wages. A contract term that is less favourable than the Act's minimum is void and the Act's rule takes its place.

The length is agreed in the contract within those limits. An employee on probation does not receive severance under section 104. Put the probation period and the skill category in the written terms. The termination guide covers what happens after probation.

Unused annual leave is paid to the employee when employment ends, at a rate not less than the normal rate and excluding bonus and overtime. The Act ties maternity and paternity pay to the Women's Act, so we confirm who funds the pay before we quote.

An employer cannot dismiss a woman while she is on maternity leave, or because of pregnancy. A pregnant employee cannot be required to work at night or overtime without her written consent.

The statement of particulars must state the normal working hours. We confirm the sector's agreement and any regulations before we quote an offer, so that the contract does not undercut a published minimum term. An employer that applies terms less favourable than a published Joint Industrial Council agreement commits an offence.

Wages are paid in legal tender, or by cheque or bank transfer with the employee's consent. Deductions the contract can allow include tax, social security contributions, a reasonable charge for housing supplied and recovery of an advance. An employer cannot fine an employee. A court cannot attach an employee's wages.

The Board will not grant a quota for a position where the skills exist locally. The employer must also employ a Gambian understudy to take over the skills, and failing to do so carries a fine of not less than GMD 500,000.

The Revenue Authority says an employer can employ non-Gambians up to 20% of its workforce without the Minister of Finance's approval, and that applications go in by 31 January each year or within 14 days of the employee starting. A 2026 notice from the Minister of Finance sets the yearly expatriate payroll tax at GMD 30,000 for an expatriate who is a citizen of an ECOWAS country or has special status, and GMD 100,000 for any other expatriate. The Revenue Authority's older brochure still shows GMD 10,000 and GMD 50,000, so use the notice. The immigration steps and permit fees sit in separate instruments, which we did not read for this page, so we confirm them before we quote.

Section 148 requires each Joint Industrial Council to fix minimum terms and conditions for its industries or job categories. An agreement cannot go below the Act. The Act does not fix a number of annual leave days. Section 109 leaves the entitlement to a Joint Industrial Council agreement, a collective agreement or the contract. It also sets no weekly hours limit and no overtime rate, and it contains no national minimum wage figure. The Joint Industrial Councils fix minimum terms for their sectors, so we confirm the sector terms before we quote an offer.

The Act does not apply to the Civil Service, the Armed Forces or the disciplined forces, except for people they employ in a civil capacity. A pension scheme sets its own rules on benefits, and the tax and payroll guide covers contributions.

Real HR and legal experts apply the Act's probation, contract and notice rules to your contract, and you direct the work. There is no setup fee.

Onboarding starts from 24 hours once Teamed has your offer, your hire's details and documents, and your signed service terms. Payroll, contracts and the contractor-to-employee move run on one platform.

1. Agree the offer

   Role, gross pay and contracted hours. Check the pay against the sector's minimum terms.

2. Confirm the route

   Teamed's experts check the right employment route and, where it allows, issue the written Gambia terms.

3. Set up payroll

   Teamed registers the hire for tax withholding and the pension fund.

4. Run the first payroll

   Your designated person's first-hire role ends at the first payslip, and the ordinary service continues.

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