According to the Labor Code in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), both the employer and the employee must give notice of dismissal before terminating an indefinite contract of employment, as follows:
During the notice period, employees are entitled to 1 paid day of leave per week to look for a new job. In case employees find another job, they may leave their current position before the end of the notice period, if both parties agree.
Foreign nationals looking to work in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) may apply for 2 types of work visas:
Employees must submit an employment contract approved by the National Employment Office, proof of qualifications, and a certificate of service.
In order to receive either visa, the foreign employee's employer must apply for and receive a work card (carte du travail) from its regional Congolese employment office. The foreign employee's employment contract must also be submitted and approved by the government employment office. The employees are required to submit a service certificate and provide proof of their qualifications.
The National Commission for the Employment of Foreigners in the DRC is responsible for ruling on the issue of work cards for foreign nationals and deciding on the renewal of work cards.
According to the Labor Code of the Democratic Republic of Congo, all employees are entitled to paid annual leave after completing a year of service with the same employer. The amount of annual leave depends on the employee’s age and seniority in the company, as follows:
An additional day is added to the total amount for every 5 years of service with the same employer. Additionally, industry standards suggest a minimum of 26 days of annual leave provided between the 0 to 1 year mark of service. Employees can only accumulate half of their leave within 2 years.
When calculating service with an employer, days of work, weekly rest, paid leave, sick leave, and statutory holidays are all included as service time. Periods of incapacity for work due to a workplace injury are also considered service time, up to a maximum of 6 months per year.
In all public or private organizations (including educational or charitable organizations) the legal working hours of employees, whatever the form of work performed, cannot exceed 45 hours per week or 8 hours per day. Working hours are calculated from the moment when the employee is at the workplace at the employer's disposal, until the moment when the services cease, in accordance with the schedules set by the employer and reproduced in the regulations of the organization. Working hours do not include the time necessary for the employee to get to or from the workplace unless this time is inherent in the work. Unfortunately, the Labor Code does not further define what it means for commuting time to be "inherent in the work."
Hours worked beyond the legal working time are considered overtime and give rise to an increase in pay.
According to the Labor Code of the Democratic Republic of Congo, female employees are entitled to 14 consecutive weeks of paid maternity leave that can be split into a maximum of 6 weeks before childbirth and 8 weeks after. An employer cannot dismiss an employee during maternity leave.
The Labor Code does not provide for an extension of maternity leave due to complications. However, the right to compensation and benefits does not change, whether the child lives or not.
During maternity leave, female employees are entitled to:
The minimum wage in the DRC was last revised in May 2025 and has been set at CDF 21,500 (Congolese francs) per day since January 1, 2026.
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