A market dominated by the informal economy
The INSEED survey on the informal economy, carried out in 2021 and taken up by the ILO programme for 2024-2026, classifies 87% of Comorian jobs as informal. Of these informal jobs, 68.1% are located in rural areas.
Services and agriculture, the main sectors
Within informal employment, services occupy 84,040 people and agriculture 63,908. These two sectors account for most of the recorded activity. The breakdown of formal salaried jobs by employer is not published in the sources consulted.
Sectors considered priorities
The ILO country programme singles out agriculture and fishing, transport, energy, education, the blue economy, digital and tourism. These sectors steer projects and training; the guide hospitality and tourism careers details that last opening.
Pay: few benchmarks available
The median monthly income from paid main employment reached 75,000 KMF in 2021, with 80,000 KMF for men and 75,000 KMF for women. These survey figures give an order of magnitude, not a pay scale applicable to a specific vacancy.
Minimum wage: still under discussion
In 2024, the ILO programme reported that government, employers and trade unions had not yet adopted a joint decision on the minimum hiring wage. No official amount has therefore been confirmed; pay depends on negotiation and any applicable collective agreements.
What the Comorian labour code provides
The governing text is Law 84-108 on the Labour Code, amended by Law 12-012/AU of 28 June 2012. Its Article 139 grants migrant workers the same rights as nationals with regard to basic social protection.
The Maison de l'emploi, a job-matching office
Created in 2012, the Maison de l'emploi is responsible in particular for matching jobseekers with employers. No official online address has been identified, so it is best to make enquiries there directly or through the ministry in charge of employment.
A ministry with a broad remit
In 2024, employment came under the Ministry of Youth, Employment, Labour, Sports, Arts and Culture. This title may have changed since; check the current government structure before starting any administrative procedure.
Diaspora and remittances
Remittances from the diaspora represented around 18% of GDP in 2020. The country ratified the ILO conventions on migrant workers in 2021, and a labour migration policy was being prepared with EU support.
Looking towards Madagascar and Mauritius
As the Comorian market remains small, many candidates widen their search to the region. Our pages jobs in Madagascar and jobs in Mauritius present pay, job boards and the authorisations needed in these two neighbouring Indian Ocean countries.
What remains unpublished
The overall unemployment rate, statutory working hours, the work permit procedure for foreigners and Comorian job boards could not be verified. For these points, contact the ministry's departments or the Maison de l'emploi.
Practical leads for candidates
Agriculture and fishing are among the national priorities, as our page agricultural and agro-industrial jobs points out. NGO and international agency vacancies often go through ReliefWeb; personal networks count for a great deal in such a small market.
Useful institutions and sources
- Maison de l'emploi (MDE): Body created in 2012, responsible in particular for job matching on the Comorian labour market.
- Ministère chargé de l'emploi et du travail: Title in 2024: Ministry of Youth, Employment, Labour, Sports, Arts and Culture.
- INSEED: National statistics institute, author of the 2021 survey on employment and the informal sector.
- OIT – programme pays 2024-2026: Decent work country programme that brings together the main recent data on Comorian employment.
- ILOSTAT – profil Comores: ILO statistical profile, based on the 2021 national survey on employment and the informal sector.
- ReliefWeb Jobs: Aggregator of NGO and international agency vacancies, useful for development assignments in the archipelago.
Organising your search in the archipelago
- Register with the Maison de l'emploi and ask about current job-entry programmes.
- Identify donor-funded projects in priority sectors such as fishing, energy or digital.
- Prepare a short CV in French, with verifiable qualifications and experience.
- Regularly check NGO and international organisation vacancies on specialist aggregators.
- Activate your family, community and diaspora networks, which are decisive in a small market.
- If you are a foreigner, ask the ministry about the work authorisation before signing a contract.
Key figures on Comorian work
| Indicator | Value | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Youth unemployment | 12.8% | INSEED 2021, cited by the ILO (2024) |
| Share of informal employment | 87% | INSEED 2021, cited by the ILO (2024) |
| Median monthly income | 75,000 KMF | Informal economy survey 2021 |
| Minimum hiring wage | not adopted | ILO, country programme 2024 |
| Diaspora remittances | around 18% of GDP | ILO, 2020 data |
| Statutory working hours | not published | not verified |
Papers to gather
- Up-to-date CV in French
- Certified copies of degrees and training certificates
- Valid identity card or passport
- Criminal record certificate
- Employment certificates from previous employers
- For a foreigner, work authorisation to be confirmed with the ministry
Traps to be aware of
- Paying an intermediary who promises a job in the Comoros or elsewhere in the Indian Ocean: no legitimate recruitment requires fees.
- Relying on a minimum wage figure circulating online, when no joint decision had been adopted in 2024.
- Coming to work on a simple short-stay visa without having clarified the work authorisation with the authorities.
- Ignoring informal or occasional jobs, which nevertheless represent the vast majority of available work.
- Submitting foreign degrees without translation or legalisation, which delays or blocks the review of your file.
Questions from Comorian jobseekers
What is the minimum wage in the Comoros?
No official amount has been confirmed. The ILO programme published in 2024 states that government, employers and trade unions had not yet adopted a joint decision on the minimum hiring wage. The median income measured in 2021 was 75,000 KMF per month.
What is the unemployment rate in the Comoros?
Overall unemployment could not be verified. For young people, the 2021 INSEED survey gives 12.8%. This moderate figure hides widespread informality: according to the same survey, 87% of jobs are informal.
Where should I look for a job in the Comoros?
The Maison de l'emploi has handled job matching since 2012. Development projects and NGOs publish their vacancies on aggregators such as ReliefWeb. Word of mouth and the diaspora remain important channels in the archipelago.
Can a foreigner work in the Comoros?
It is possible, but the work permit procedure has not been verified. The Labour Code guarantees migrant workers the same rights as nationals for basic social protection. Check with the ministry in charge of labour before you leave.
Official sources
OIT : politique nationale de l'emploi des Comores (2013)webapps.ilo.org
BAD : note pays Comoresafdb.org
Information up to date as of October 2026. AfriqueJob.com does not recruit and never asks for money: beware of offers that demand fees.