A Portuguese-speaking country in the franc zone
A member of WAEMU, Guinea-Bissau uses the CFA franc but legislates in Portuguese. A French-speaking candidate should therefore prepare a CV and correspondence in Portuguese, even when the vacancy is posted by an international organisation.
The 1986 Lei Geral de Trabalho
Labour law rests on the Lei Geral de Trabalho, Law No. 2/86 of 5 April 1986. This text, cited by the World Bank in 2023 in a labour management document, remains the reference for employment contracts.
Eight hours a day, 48 hours a week
Statutory working hours are 8 hours a day and 48 hours a week. By agreement, they can be extended to 9 hours a day in industry and 10 hours in commerce and offices, which the contract must specify.
A low minimum wage compared with its neighbours
The national minimum wage cited is 19,030 CFA francs a month, well below the amounts recorded in Senegal or Benin. The text that sets it and its effective date have not been verified.
The daily rate on donor-funded worksites
For unskilled labour, the World Bank-backed WARDIP project pays 3,500 CFA francs a day. This project-specific rate gives an order of magnitude for worksites, without serving as a national pay scale.
Bissau-Guinean labour inspection and institutions
The Inspeção-Geral do Trabalho oversees enforcement of the law, and the Ministry of Social Affairs is involved in the wages council. The ministry currently responsible for labour has not been confirmed; ask locally before taking any step.
No public placement agency identified
Our sources mention no national public employment service in Guinea-Bissau. The job search therefore relies on employers' advertisements, word of mouth and international platforms, to be used with caution while checking every employer.
International organisations present in Bissau
Impactpool lists vacancies located in Guinea-Bissau, on a platform dedicated to the United Nations, NGOs and European institutions. The page on jobs in international organisations presents the other job boards in this sector and how to apply.
A decent work programme running to 2029
The ILO has published a Decent Work Country Programme for 2025-2029. Its detailed content has not been analysed here, but it shows that employment and worker protection are the subject of cooperation over several years.
Unemployment statistics unavailable
ILOSTAT maintains a country profile for Guinea-Bissau, but it could not be consulted and no unemployment rate has been verified. Be wary of figures circulating without a source: they often mix up years and definitions.
Work authorisation required for foreigners
According to the World Bank document, foreign workers need a work authorisation. The authority that issues it and the exact name of the document remain to be confirmed; the employer should state in writing who handles it.
Widening the search to the subregion
Candidates can also explore the Guinean job market or NGO positions, which recruit in several countries. Profiles that speak Portuguese, French and English then enjoy a very clear advantage.
Useful institutions and platforms in Guinea-Bissau
- Inspeção-Geral do Trabalho: General labour inspectorate, cited by the World Bank as the authority enforcing labour law.
- Ministério dos Assuntos Sociais: Ministry of Social Affairs, cited in connection with the wages council; its current remit remains to be verified.
- OIT – Programme pays de travail décent 2025-2029: Cooperation framework between the International Labour Organization and Guinea-Bissau for the 2025-2029 period.
- ILOSTAT – profil Guinée-Bissau: ILO statistical profile of the country's labour market, not consulted during our verification.
- Impactpool – Guinée-Bissau: Page of vacancies located in Guinea-Bissau on a platform dedicated to the United Nations, NGOs and European institutions.
- ReliefWeb Jobs: International job board for humanitarian and development vacancies, useful for monitoring NGOs present in Bissau.
- NGO Jobs in Africa: NGO job site covering some forty African countries, with full-time, contract or consultancy posts.
Preparing an application in Guinea-Bissau
- Translate your CV into Portuguese and keep an English version for applications to international organisations.
- Set up alerts on Impactpool and ReliefWeb, selecting Guinea-Bissau as the duty station.
- Identify donor-funded projects, including World Bank ones, that employ local staff on their worksites.
- Have your diplomas legalised and arrange their certified translation into Portuguese before the interview.
- Ask for a contract specifying hours, pay and probation period, in line with Law No. 2/86.
- If you are a foreigner, get written confirmation of who applies for the work authorisation and how long it takes.
Key labour data for Guinea-Bissau
| Indicator | Value | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| National minimum wage | 19,030 CFA francs a month | World Bank, LMP, April 2023 |
| Daily pay for unskilled labour (project) | 3,500 CFA francs | WARDIP project, April 2023 |
| Statutory working hours | 8 hours a day, 48 hours a week | Law No. 2/86, cited in 2023 |
| Unemployment rate | not published | ILOSTAT profile not consulted, October 2026 |
| Labour code | Lei Geral de Trabalho, Law No. 2/86 of 5 April 1986 | World Bank, 2023 |
Documents requested in Guinea-Bissau
- CV in Portuguese and English
- Legalised and translated diplomas
- Valid passport
- Work authorisation for foreigners
- Verifiable professional references
- Criminal record extract if the employer asks for it
Common missteps in Guinea-Bissau
- Sending an application only in French to a local employer that works in Portuguese, which sharply reduces the chances of it being read.
- Paying an intermediary who claims to reserve a post in a United Nations agency: these agencies recruit through their own portals.
- Confusing the daily rate of a donor-funded project with a statutory minimum wage applicable to all employers.
- Arriving on a tourist visa to start a job without waiting for the work authorisation required of foreigners.
- Accepting more than 48 hours a week without a written agreement, when any extension of working hours must be agreed.
What candidates ask about Guinea-Bissau
What is the minimum wage in Guinea-Bissau?
A World Bank document published in April 2023 cites a national minimum wage of 19,030 CFA francs a month. The text that sets it and its effective date have not been verified: ask the employer to confirm the amount.
Which language is spoken at work in Guinea-Bissau?
Portuguese is the official language and that of legal texts, such as the Lei Geral de Trabalho. French remains useful in the subregion, and English is often required by the international organisations recruiting in the country.
Do you need a work permit to work in Guinea-Bissau?
Yes for foreigners: the World Bank states that they must obtain a work authorisation. The competent authority and the exact name of the document have not been confirmed, hence the value of demanding written details from the employer.
Where can I find job vacancies in Bissau?
Impactpool posts positions located in the country, and ReliefWeb can complement monitoring of NGOs. No national public employment service has been identified; direct adverts from employers and donor-funded projects round off the search.
Official sources
Banque mondiale – procédures de gestion de la main-d'œuvre (WARDIP)documents1.worldbank.org
Impactpool – recherche d'offresimpactpool.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.