Employer of Record in Gambia

An Employer of Record (EOR) in Gambia is a straightforward way for your company to hire employees in the country without setting up a local entity. An EOR acts as the legal employer for your Gambian team members, handling all the HR tasks like payroll, taxes, benefits, and compliance with local labor laws. This lets you focus on your core business operations. For companies looking to hire in Gambia, an EOR provider like Rivermate can simplify the process.

How an Employer of Record (EOR) Works in Gambia

Using an EOR in Gambia simplifies hiring and employment. Here is how it typically works:

• You Find the Talent: You recruit and select the best candidate for your team in Gambia.
• The EOR Hires Your Candidate: The EOR legally hires the employee on your behalf through a compliant local employment contract.
• Onboarding is Handled: The EOR manages the entire onboarding process, ensuring all necessary paperwork is completed correctly.
• Payroll and Benefits are Managed: The EOR takes care of salary payments, taxes, and statutory benefits, making sure everything aligns with Gambian regulations.
• Ongoing HR Support: The EOR provides continuous HR support for your employees, managing things like leave entitlements and other administrative tasks.
• You Manage Daily Work: You maintain control over your employee's day-to-day tasks and responsibilities, just like any other member of your team.

Why use an Employer of Record in Gambia

Using an EOR in Gambia gives your business a competitive edge when expanding into West Africa. It allows you to tap into the local talent pool quickly and efficiently, without the bureaucratic hurdles of establishing a legal entity in the country. This approach saves you time and money, letting you test a new market with minimal risk.

Here are some key benefits of using an EOR in Gambia:

• Avoids Setting Up a Local Company: You can hire employees without the need to register a local business, which can be a complex and time-consuming process.
• Ensures Legal Compliance: An EOR stays up-to-date with Gambia's labor laws, so you don't have to. This includes managing employment contracts, working hours, and leave policies.
• Simplifies Payroll and Taxes: The EOR handles all payroll processing and tax deductions, ensuring your employees are paid correctly and on time.
• Manages Employee Benefits: Your Gambian employees will receive all mandatory benefits, such as social security contributions, managed by the EOR.
• Reduces Administrative Burden: You can offload HR and administrative tasks, freeing up your internal resources to focus on growing your business.

Rivermate's transparent pricing model eliminates complexity with a single, competitive monthly fee per employee. Unlike traditional PEO providers, our pricing in Gambia includes comprehensive HR support, benefits administration, compliance management, and access to our proprietary dashboard for real-time workforce analytics. No hidden costs, no setup fees—just straightforward pricing that scales with your business needs while ensuring full legal compliance in Gambia.

Hiring in Gambia requires understanding the local labor laws to ensure a fair and compliant relationship with your employees. The legal framework, primarily the Labour Act of 2007, sets the standards for employment, aiming to protect both you and your workers. It covers everything from contracts and working hours to termination procedures.

Employment contracts & must-have clauses

You should provide a written contract for all employees, except for casual or temporary workers. While oral contracts can exist, a written agreement in English provides clarity and protection for both you and your employee.

There are a few types of employment contracts you can use:

• Indefinite-term: These contracts have no set end date and are for ongoing roles.
• Fixed-term: These are for a specific period or project.
• Task-based: These contracts end when a specific job is completed.

Your employment contracts must include key details to be compliant.

Probation periods

You can include a probationary period in the employment contract to assess a new employee's suitability. The maximum length of this period depends on the employee's skill level.

• Skilled employees: Up to 12 months.
• Semi-skilled employees: Up to 6 months.
• Unskilled employees: Up to 3 months.

During the probation period, either you or the employee can terminate the contract, often with a shorter notice period.

Working hours & overtime

The standard workweek in Gambia is typically 40 hours, often structured as 8 hours a day for 5 days. However, some sources state it can be up to 48 hours a week, spread over six days.

If an employee works beyond the standard hours, you must pay them overtime. The overtime rate is generally:

• 1.5 times the normal hourly wage for overtime on regular workdays.
• 2 times the normal rate for work on public holidays or weekends.

Public & regional holidays

Your employees are entitled to paid time off for public holidays. Gambia celebrates both secular and religious holidays. Some holidays are based on a lunar calendar, so their dates change each year.

Here are the public holidays for 2025:

Hiring contractors in Gambia

You can hire independent contractors for project-based or specialized work. This offers flexibility and can be cost-effective as you generally do not have to pay for benefits or payroll taxes.

However, it is crucial to correctly classify workers. If a contractor is treated like an employee, there is a risk of misclassification. This can lead to penalties, including back taxes and fines.

An Employer of Record (EOR) can help you mitigate this risk. An EOR acts as the legal employer for your workers in Gambia. They handle all aspects of employment, including:

• Compliant local contracts
• Payroll and tax administration
• Benefits management

Using an EOR ensures that your hiring practices comply with Gambian labor laws, allowing you to focus on your business operations without the legal and administrative burdens of international employment.

Navigating compensation and payroll in Gambia requires understanding the local labor laws. This ensures you attract and keep talented people. It also keeps you compliant with the country's regulations. Paying your team accurately and on time is key to a good working relationship.

Payroll cycles & wage structure

In Gambia, the most common payroll cycle is monthly. You typically pay employees at the end of the month. Direct bank transfers are the preferred payment method. Mobile money is also becoming a popular option.

Your wage structure should include the basic salary. It is also common to offer allowances. These can cover expenses like:

• Transport
• Housing
• Meals

You must provide employees with a payslip each pay period. The payslip should detail gross pay, all deductions, and the final net pay.

Overtime & minimums

The national minimum wage in Gambia is 50 Gambian Dalasi (GMD) per day. A standard work week is typically 36.5 to 48 hours.

There are no national laws that limit overtime hours. Your employment contract should define overtime rates and any maximums. A common practice is to pay 150% of the normal hourly rate for standard overtime. Work on Sundays and public holidays is often compensated at 200%.

Employer taxes and contributions

As an employer in Gambia, you are responsible for several contributions. These are calculated as a percentage of your employee's salary.

Employee taxes and deductions

Employees in Gambia also contribute to their social security. Their income is also taxed at progressive rates.

Personal income tax is applied in brackets:

In Gambia, providing the right benefits and leave is essential for attracting and keeping talented employees. Understanding the local labor laws helps you stay compliant and build a strong team. This guide breaks down what you need to know about statutory leave, holidays, and other benefits.

Statutory leave

Here are the legally required types of leave you must provide to your employees in Gambia.

• Annual Leave: After one year of continuous service, employees get 21 working days of paid annual leave. You and your employee should agree on when they can take this leave.
• Sick Leave: Employees are entitled to paid sick leave if they are ill and cannot work. Typically, this is for 14 days per year, and a medical certificate is needed for longer absences.
• Maternity Leave: Female employees receive 14 weeks of paid maternity leave. This can be taken before and after childbirth. To be eligible, the employee usually needs to have worked for you for at least 12 months.

Public holidays & regional holidays

Your employees are entitled to a paid day off for public holidays. If they have to work, you must provide extra pay or a day off in lieu.

Note: The dates for Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, and Ashura change each year as they are based on the lunar calendar.

Typical supplemental benefits

To stay competitive, many employers offer more than the minimum required benefits. Here’s a look at both statutory and non-statutory benefits.

How an EOR can help with setting up benefits

Setting up a benefits plan in a new country can be complex. An Employer of Record (EOR) simplifies this process for you.

An EOR already has a legal entity in Gambia, so you don't have to set one up. They handle the complexities of local labor laws and ensure you are compliant with all regulations. An EOR manages your payroll and benefits administration, saving you time and reducing risk. This allows you to focus on growing your business while the EOR takes care of the legal and HR requirements.

Ending a working relationship in Gambia requires clear communication and following the local labor laws. The process, known as termination or offboarding, is guided by the Labour Act of 2007. This law sets the rules for both you and your employee, ensuring a fair and transparent process. Whether it's the end of a contract or a dismissal, understanding your obligations is key to a smooth exit.

Notice Periods

When you decide to terminate an employment contract, you must give your employee advance notice. The length of this notice depends on how long the employee has worked for you.

Here are the minimum notice periods required by law:

• Less than 5 years of service: 1 month notice.
• 5 years of service or more: 3 months notice.

You must provide the notice in writing. If you prefer, you can pay the employee their salary for the notice period instead of having them work. This is often called payment in lieu of notice.

Severance Pay

In some situations, you may need to provide severance pay to a departing employee. This is a payment to support them as they transition to new employment. Severance pay is typically required when you terminate a contract for reasons like redundancy.

The amount of severance pay is based on the employee's length of service. A common practice is to pay one month's basic salary for each year the employee has worked for you. However, if you terminate an employee for serious misconduct, you are not required to pay severance.

How Rivermate Handles Compliant Exits

When you partner with an Employer of Record like Rivermate, we manage the entire offboarding process for you. We ensure that every termination complies with Gambian labor law.

Here’s how we handle it:

• Legal Compliance: We stay up to date with all local labor regulations to ensure every step of the termination process is compliant.
• Documentation: We handle all the necessary paperwork, including the formal written notice of termination.
• Final Payments: We calculate and process all final payments, including outstanding salary, accrued leave, and any required severance pay.
• Clear Communication: We facilitate clear and professional communication with the departing employee to ensure a respectful and smooth exit.

Navigating visas and work permits in Gambia requires understanding a few key steps. If you plan to live and work in the country, you will need a residence permit. The process involves your employer sponsoring your application, and it's important to get everything in order before you travel.

Employment visas & sponsorship realities

To work in Gambia, you will need either a Type B or Type C residence permit. These permits are tied to your employment and essentially function as your work permit. Your employer must sponsor your application and prove that a Gambian national cannot fill the position.

An Employer of Record (EOR) can act as your legal employer in Gambia and handle the sponsorship process. Here’s a realistic look at what that means for you:

• What an EOR can sponsor: An EOR can typically sponsor foreign employees for skilled, professional, or managerial roles. This is common for positions where there is a demonstrated need for specialized skills that are in short supply locally. The EOR will manage the application process, from submitting the necessary paperwork to liaising with the Gambian authorities.

• What an EOR likely can’t sponsor: An EOR cannot sponsor a role if there is no genuine employment contract or if the position could easily be filled by a local worker. Gambian authorities prioritize hiring their own citizens, so a strong justification for hiring a foreign national is always needed. The EOR also cannot proceed without the correct documentation from you and your hiring company, such as a valid passport, proof of qualifications, and a signed employment contract.

Business travel compliance

If you are visiting Gambia for short-term business activities, you will need a business visa. This visa allows you to enter the country for a limited time, usually up to 30 days, to conduct specific business-related tasks. It is important to remember that a business visa does not permit you to take up employment in the country.

Here are some of the activities generally permitted on a business visa:

• Attending business meetings and conferences
• Exploring business opportunities
• Consulting with business associates