How do you hire an employee in Seychelles in 2026?
A Seychelles employment contract is written in duplicate, and probation can last up to six months. A full-time worker gets 24 days of paid annual leave, and the working week is capped at 60 hours. If you are hiring in Seychelles, Teamed's real HR and legal experts, assigned within 24 hours, check the right route first. A designated person then takes you through the contract terms, with 24/5 human support.
· Seychelles guide
Photo: Luca Cavallin on Unsplash
The Employment Act asks for a written contract in duplicate for continuous, fixed-term and part-time workers. The employer keeps one copy and gives the other to the worker.
Probation can run up to six months. A full-time worker earns 24 days of paid annual leave, and maternity leave is 16 weeks.
What must a written contract cover in Seychelles?
A contract for continuous, fixed-term or part-time work must be written, in duplicate, and signed or marked by both parties.
It can be in English, French or Creole.
The contract specifies the names of the parties, the nature of the work, the place of work, pay and pay periods, other benefits, weekly hours and any overtime requirements. A continuous contract also states the probation period, if any, and a fixed-term contract states the term or the project. The employer keeps one copy and gives the other to the worker.
A fixed term that is set by its length must be at least three months. If two fixed-term contracts are separated by no more than 90 days, the worker is treated as continuously employed across the gap. A casual worker needs no written contract, but an employer cannot use a casual worker for longer than three months without authority from a competent officer.
What are the working-hours rules in Seychelles?
The Regulations cap the week at 60 hours and the day at 12 hours, or a lower figure where the Minister sets one for the occupation.
Overtime pays 1.5 times on a weekday and 2 times on a Sunday or public holiday.
| Rule | What the Conditions of Employment Regulations set |
|---|---|
| Maximum hours | 60 a week or 12 a day, whichever is less, including a half-hour break. Watchmen 72 a week |
| Rest | At least 24 consecutive hours in any 7 days, and 8 hours between the end of one shift and the start of the next |
| Overtime limit | Up to 60 additional hours a month by agreement, or 15 hours in a day |
| Overtime pay | 1.5 times for an hour on a weekday, 2 times on a holiday. A shift worker gets 3 times on a public holiday |
| Time off instead | The employer can give time off of up to two thirds of the overtime hours instead of pay, unless the parties agree to cash |
| Work on a holiday | Double pay or an alternative holiday, at the employer's option |
A holiday means a Sunday or a public holiday, and public holidays are set under the Public Holidays Act (Cap 190). Wages are paid at least monthly. The Minister can set a lower weekly figure for an occupation by Gazette notice, so we check the figure for the role before the offer goes out.
How does probation work in Seychelles?
Probation is allowed only in a contract of continuous employment, and only when the worker is first employed by that employer.
It can last up to six months unless a competent officer authorises longer.
During probation the employer can end the job with seven days' notice if the worker does not satisfactorily complete the period. The worker also gives seven days' notice. The ordinary termination procedure is not needed for a probation exit.
The termination guide has the rules after probation.
How much leave do employees get in Seychelles?
A full-time worker gets 24 days of paid annual leave for a full year, and two days for each month of employment when the job lasts less than a year.
Paid sick leave is up to 21 days in any 12 months, and maternity leave is 16 weeks.
| Leave | Entitlement |
|---|---|
| Annual leave | 24 days, paid, and Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays are not counted. At least 14 consecutive days must be taken in a year unless leave is accumulated by agreement |
| Accumulated leave | Days above 42 are paid at one and a half times the normal pay |
| Sick leave | Up to 21 days paid in any 12 months, on a medical certificate. A further 30 days paid if confined to hospital or home on medical advice, then up to 60 days unpaid |
| Sick child | Up to 7 days for a child under 12, separate from the worker's own sick leave |
| Maternity leave | 16 weeks. The worker gives at least 3 months' notice of the expected date |
| Paternity leave | 10 consecutive working days, paid, after 12 months of employment, within 4 months of the birth |
| Compassionate leave | Up to 4 days in 12 months before the excess can be unpaid or taken from annual leave |
| Civic duties | Up to 14 days paid in 12 months for duties the Minister approves |
The leave rules sit in the Conditions of Employment Regulations. The 24 days came into force on 1 January 2020, and the Ministry's own FAQ page still shows an older figure, so we use the Regulations. An employer that pays sick, maternity or paternity leave can claim the matching Social Security Act benefit.
What maternity leave must you give in Seychelles?
A female worker on a continuous or fixed-term contract, or a part-time worker, is entitled to 16 weeks of maternity leave.
She gives at least three months' notice of the expected date of confinement.
From six months of pregnancy until three months after the birth, she cannot be put on overtime or night work. She can ask for a transfer to other work without loss of wages if a medical certificate says her work should change. A worker who is on maternity leave cannot be given notice of termination unless a competent officer allows it.
The Regulation reads awkwardly on how much of the 16 weeks is paid and how much is unpaid. We confirm the paid share, and the Social Security Act benefit that the employer can claim, with the Ministry before the first payslip.
Does a hire need approval and a permit in Seychelles?
A non-Seychellois worker needs an approved post and a Gainful Occupation Permit, and the contract must be fixed-term and attested.
The Ministry aims to notify its decision on the post in 3 to 9 working days.
The employer advertises the vacancy, shows that no suitable Seychellois is available and applies to the Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs with a localisation or training plan. The application fee is SCR 150 and is not refundable. A refused employer can appeal within seven working days.
After approval, Immigration issues the permit. Within one month of employing the worker, the employer submits the contract for attestation with a fee of SCR 750. Employing a non-Seychellois without these steps is an offence, with a fine of SCR 20,000 and, for permit breaches, SCR 40,000.
What applies only to Seychellois workers?
A Seychellois worker needs a job card from the Employment Services Bureau, and is the only worker who is a member of the Pension Fund.
Most Seychellois workers also get a thirteenth-month payment.
The Employment Act bars an employer from employing a Seychellois who has no job card. The Pension Fund Act makes every Seychellois worker a member, with contributions of 5% from the employer and 5% from the worker. The thirteenth-month payment is one month's pay for a Seychellois worker below a prescribed pay limit, due on 31 December and paid by 31 January. The Act excludes non-Seychellois workers from it.
The cost guide has the numbers.
How does Teamed help with a Seychelles hire from offer to contract?
Teamed's real HR and legal experts check the right route for your Seychelles hire first: employer of record, contractor or your own entity.
Then a designated person takes you through the contract terms.
The experts apply the Employment Act's contract, probation and leave rules to the contract you choose, and you direct the work.
The check is part of every plan and comes before any contract is signed. Contractor, employer-of-record and own-entity routes run on one platform, so a change of route does not mean a change of provider.
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Agree the offer
Role, gross pay and contracted hours. Check the pay against the hourly minimum wage.
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Check the route
Experts confirm whether employer of record, contractor or your own entity fits, and whether an approved post and a permit are needed.
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Settle the contract terms
Hours, probation, leave and the written contract in duplicate are agreed before the start date.
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Plan payroll
Income tax and Pension Fund registrations are set up for the chosen route before the first payslip.
Start from the Seychelles hiring overview, or run the Employer Cost Calculator before your first offer goes out. EOR is the right model for a first hire in many countries, until it isn't.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in Seychelles?
SCR 40.95 an hour for workers on continuous, fixed-term or part-time contracts, and SCR 47.19 an hour for casual workers, from 1 April 2025. We found no later regulation on 22 October 2026.
How long can probation last in Seychelles?
Up to six months, unless a competent officer authorises longer. Probation is only allowed in a contract of continuous employment, and either side gives seven days' notice.
Is there a thirteenth-month payment in Seychelles?
Yes, for Seychellois workers below a prescribed pay limit. It is one month's pay, due on 31 December and payable by 31 January. The Employment Act excludes non-Seychellois workers.
Does Seychelles have paternity leave?
Yes. A father who has completed probation and has 12 months with the employer gets 10 consecutive working days of paid leave, taken within four months of the birth.
Can an employer use fixed-term contracts in Seychelles?
Yes. A fixed term set by its length must be at least three months, and two fixed-term contracts separated by 90 days or less are treated as continuous. A non-Seychellois must be on a fixed-term contract.
Seychelles asks for a written contract in duplicate, caps the week at 60 hours, and gives 24 days of paid annual leave.
The traps sit in the details: the job card for a Seychellois, the approved post for a foreign worker, and the thirteenth-month payment.
Your designated person takes you through the contract terms before the first offer goes out.
Looking for a job in Seychelles yourself? Teamed does not hire people directly. Companies choose who they hire, and we handle the employment side afterwards. Here is why we cannot help with your search.
