In Tunisia, employers and employees must give 1 month's notice in writing. This notice period is the same for all categories of employees. If the provisions of an individual or collective agreement require a longer period of notice, those provisions will be applied.
The employer must indicate the reasons for termination of employment in the notice letter. If compensation is paid in lieu of notice, the amount must be at least equal to wages payable for the notice period's length or its remainder. The employee has a right to time off to seek other employment during the second half of the notice period, without any salary loss.
Foreign employees who wish to work in Tunisia must possess an employment contract and a residence card that includes authorization to work in Tunisia. Under certain circumstances, work permits are also issued without an employment contract, for example, in the case of managers with full powers and legal representatives or employees with international organizations.
Companies have a quota on foreign executives and managers they can employ. During the first 3 years after the company is legally established or begins operating, only 30% of its total managerial staff may be foreign, and 10% from the 4th year onward. However, regardless of these percentages, a company may employ up to 4 foreign managers. Companies that need to hire beyond these limits need authorization from the Ministry of Employment.
Employment contracts signed by a foreign national with a Tunisian company should not exceed 1 year. Moreover, the contract is renewable only once with the approval of the relevant authorities. The contract may be renewed more than once if the company is undertaking development projects that local authorities have approved. Both the contract and its renewal must be approved by the Ministry of Employment.
Tunisia's Labor Code provides annual leave to all employees upon completion of at least 1 month of service. Employees over 21 are entitled to 1 day of leave per month for a total duration of 15 calendar days (12 working days) of annual leave.
The duration of annual leave for employees under 18 years of age is a total of 30 calendar days (24 working days) annually and accrues at the rate of 2 working days per month. The duration of annual leave for employees aged 18-20 years is a total of 22 calendar days (18 working days), accruing at the rate of 1.5 working days per month.
The amount of annual leave an employee is entitled to also increases with the employee's length of service by 1 additional day of leave for every 5 years of continuous service with the same employer, up to a maximum of 18 days. Employees are entitled to their regular wages and other benefits for the duration of their annual leave.
Tunisia's Labor Code sets a standard 48-hour workweek for most sectors and requires one weekly 24-hour rest period. The standard working hours may be reduced without going below a 40-hour week or an equivalent average established over a period of time other than a week (but not exceeding 1 year). In case of interruption of work, the law allows certain industries to increase the working duration to a maximum of 64 hours a week in order to take into account the loss of time resulting from the interruption.
Female employees in Tunisia are entitled to up to 15 days of prenatal leave during the last month of their pregnancy and 3 months upon the child's birth, and may request additional leave of between 1 and 4 months at the end of the childbirth leave, subject to employer approval. In the case of multiple births or where the newborn is disabled, premature, or suffering from a medical condition, a female worker is entitled to an additional month. Leaves are granted upon the employee providing a medical certificate. The extension requires a medical report submitted within the first 3 months following the birth. Female employees are entitled to a leave of 1 month upon giving birth to a stillborn child.
On April 30, 2026, Tunisia published the guaranteed minimum wage (SMIG) for non-agricultural sectors with retroactive effect to the start of the year, effective January 1, 2026. The minimum wage is set at:
The guaranteed minimum agricultural wage is set at TND 21.336 per day for workers at least 18 years old.
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