Working in Mauritania: market, laws and schemes

Unemployment of around 10 to 11%

The national quarterly employment survey gives 11.1% unemployment in 2024, with 15% for women and 8.7% for men. A rate of 10.3% is circulating for 2025, but its exact source is not specified.

Young people on the front line

According to ILO estimates, 22.9% of young people in the labour force are unemployed. The authorities keep launching integration plans, but Agence Ecofin noted in July 2026 that no public assessment of their results had been published so far.

Much wider labour underutilisation

Adding time-related underemployment, labour underutilisation reached 16.3% in 2024. Including the potential labour force as well, it climbs to 30.5%, a sign of a large pool of people without enough work.

Informal work, the market norm

Around 84% of jobs are informal and only 16% are formal according to the World Bank. For a candidate, this means that many posts circulate by word of mouth and that social protection must be checked contract by contract.

The 2004 labour code under review

Law No. 2004-017 of 6 June 2004 remains the text in force. A workshop held on 13 May 2026, under the aegis of the Ministry of the Civil Service and Labour, launched its reform. Keep an eye on the new provisions before signing.

Mourchid, the digital one-stop shop

Launched in June 2026 by the ministry responsible for youth and employment, the Mourchid platform gives access to public integration programmes. Register to be informed of the training courses and schemes open to your profile.

Employment and artificial intelligence

A national forum on the future of work in the age of AI was held in Nouakchott on 21 July 2026. This event shows the authorities' interest in the subject: mentioning your digital skills can usefully strengthen your application.

An information system still incomplete

The PNE-SIMEF project, launched with the ILO in November 2015 and funded with about one million dollars by the AfDB, aimed at a national employment policy. No public assessment of it has been released, which limits the data available.

Health: unmet needs

Mauritania is among the countries struggling to reach the health worker densities recommended by the WHO, according to the World Bank. Career paths in this sector are described on our page on jobs in health.

Comparing with Morocco and Senegal

Mauritanian candidates often look north and south when widening their search. The pages on Moroccan employment figures and job hunting in Senegal present active vacancy platforms and detailed official statistics on both labour markets.

Where to find adverts

No Mauritanian vacancy site could be verified during our research. Combine Mourchid, professional networks, the careers pages of large companies and the regional platforms listed in our overview of African job sites.

Information still missing

The amount of the SMIG minimum wage, the current name of the public employment service and the permit procedure for foreign nationals have not been confirmed. Contact the relevant ministry or the consulate before taking any binding step.

Employment institutions in Mauritania

• Ministère de la Fonction publique et du Travail: Ministry steering the reform of the 2004 labour code, launched by a national workshop in May 2026.
• Ministère chargé de la jeunesse et de l'emploi: Launched the Mourchid platform in June 2026, giving access to public integration programmes.
• Plateforme Mourchid: Digital platform launched in June 2026 by the ministry responsible for youth and employment, giving access to its programmes.
• Banque africaine de développement: Publishes a country note on Mauritania's economic outlook and funded the PNE-SIMEF project.

Steps to find a job in Mauritania

1. Register on Mourchid to follow public integration and training programmes.
2. Activate your personal and professional network, essential in a largely informal market.
3. Prepare a CV in French and a version in Arabic for local employers.
4. Highlight your digital skills and recent training, with supporting evidence.
5. Check that the contract offered provides for social security registration and written pay terms.
6. Follow the progress of the labour code reform before signing a long-term commitment.

Mauritanian labour market indicators

Useful documents in Mauritania

• CV in French and in Arabic
• Legalised diplomas
• National identity card or passport
• Training and internship certificates
• Work authorisation for foreign candidates
• Written contract signed by the employer

Pitfalls to steer clear of in Mauritania

• Handing money to an intermediary who promises a place in a public programme: registration for official schemes is free.
• Accepting a job with no contract or social security registration, when the vast majority of posts remain informal and unprotected.
• Relying on a SMIG amount found online without an official source, as no recent scale has been verified.
• Ignoring the ongoing reform of the labour code, which may change the rules applying to contracts.
• Working on a visitor visa without a work authorisation when you are not Mauritanian.

Information up to date as of October 2026. AfriqueJob.com does not recruit and never asks for money: beware of offers that demand fees.