Sixteen minimum wages instead of one
The ILO counts sixteen minimum wage rates in Mozambique. Each sector, and sometimes each company size, has its own floor. Before any negotiation, identify precisely which branch your employer belongs to in the official scale currently in force.
Agriculture and fishing: the lowest floors
Agriculture, livestock, hunting and forestry have a minimum of 6,688.00 meticais a month. Industrial and semi-industrial sea fishing reaches 6,726.88 meticais, while kapenta fishing, at 4,991.09 meticais, sits at the bottom of the scale.
Mining: a minimum based on company size
In mining, large companies pay at least 15,176.66 meticais, medium-sized quarries 8,008.00 and micro and small salt works 6,538.44. Technical profiles can consult our guide to mining and energy occupations.
Industry, energy and construction
Manufacturing is set at 10,147.50 meticais, with specific rates for bakery and cashew processing. Electricity, gas and water reach 12,275.00 in large companies and 9,960.62 in SMEs; construction stands at 8,400.00 meticais.
Services, hospitality and private security
Non-financial services have a minimum of 10,310.00 meticais. Within this group, hospitality and tourism stand at 9,700.00, private security at 8,465.00 and fuel retailers at 9,739.00 meticais a month.
Banks, insurance and microfinance lead the way
The financial sector offers the highest floors: 19,043.61 meticais for banks and insurance, and 16,764.47 for microfinance. Our page on banking and finance careers details the profiles sought in this field.
The INSS, the reference for the current scale
The Instituto Nacional de Segurança Social publishes the table of minimum wages in force since 1 July 2025, along with a dedicated page on its website. Consult it to check that no more recent revision has changed the amounts.
The labour ministry and its quarterly bulletin
The Ministério do Trabalho, Género e Acção Social publishes a quarterly labour market information bulletin, including an edition for the third quarter of 2025. A former ministry domain also announces minimum wages: give priority to the most recent sources.
Emprego.co.mz and the major recruiters
Emprego.co.mz, available in Portuguese and English, displayed 34 vacancies on its home page when we checked. Recruiters included WFP, the United Nations in Mozambique and Cimentos de Moçambique. The site also links to a Namibian sister site.
Regional and humanitarian vacancies
Vacancy Mail carries regional posts that include Mozambique, such as security managers for Southern Africa. In 2026, NGO Jobs in Africa is publishing humanitarian vacancies in Southern Africa, which can be filtered by country to identify those concerning Mozambique.
Data not yet verified
The unemployment rate, the informal share, the exact reference of the Lei do Trabalho, the public employment service and the work permit procedure are not confirmed by our sources. Ask the consulate and the employer about these points.
Zimbabwe and Malawi: widening the scope
For comparison, our page on the Zimbabwean market presents a well-documented temporary work permit, and the one on employment in Malawi details a procedure in which the employer applies while the candidate waits abroad.
Bodies and job sites in Mozambique
- Ministério do Trabalho, Género e Acção Social (MTGAS): Labour ministry that publishes a quarterly bulletin on the labour market.
- Instituto Nacional de Segurança Social (INSS): Social security institute that publishes the official scale of sectoral minimum wages.
- Emprego.co.mz: Bilingual Mozambican job site with vacancies from UN agencies and local companies.
- Vacancy Mail: Zimbabwean portal that also carries regional posts covering Mozambique.
- NGO Jobs in Africa: Site for vacancies with NGOs and humanitarian organisations, including posts in Southern Africa.
Steps in a job search in Mozambique
- Prepare a CV in Portuguese, supplemented by an English version for international agencies.
- Identify the employer's sector and its floor in the July 2025 INSS scale.
- Browse Emprego.co.mz and NGO Jobs in Africa, then follow the profiles of active recruiters.
- Ask the consulate about the work permit before accepting an offer.
- Check the gross salary, the stated branch and INSS registration in the contract.
- Keep a copy of the official scale to challenge any salary below the minimum.
Mozambican minimum wages by sector
| Sector | Monthly minimum wage | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, livestock, forestry | 6,688.00 meticais | INSS, 1 July 2025 |
| Kapenta fishing | 4,991.09 meticais | INSS, 1 July 2025 |
| Construction | 8,400.00 meticais | INSS, 1 July 2025 |
| Manufacturing | 10,147.50 meticais | INSS, 1 July 2025 |
| Hospitality and tourism | 9,700.00 meticais | INSS, 1 July 2025 |
| Banks and insurance | 19,043.61 meticais | INSS, 1 July 2025 |
Documents to plan for Mozambique
- CV in Portuguese and English
- Qualifications legalised and translated into Portuguese
- Valid passport
- Work authorisation for foreign nationals
- Employment contract stating the sector
- Police clearance certificate
Frequent mistakes in Mozambique
- Paying fees to a fake recruiter claiming to represent a United Nations agency, which never charges for its procedures.
- Referring to the agricultural minimum for an industrial or banking post, when each sector has its own floor.
- Working on a tourist visa while awaiting a regularisation that nothing guarantees, at the risk of penalties.
- Relying on an old ministry website without checking the date of the scale displayed or its official source.
Questions candidates ask about Mozambique
What is the minimum wage in Mozambique?
It depends on the sector. Since 1 July 2025, the INSS scale ranges from 4,991.09 meticais a month for kapenta fishing to 19,043.61 meticais for banks and insurance. Construction stands at 8,400.00 meticais.
Which sector pays best in Mozambique?
Based on statutory minimums, banks and insurance come top with 19,043.61 meticais, ahead of microfinance at 16,764.47 and large mining companies at 15,176.66. These amounts are floors, not average salaries.
Where can you find vacancies in Mozambique?
Emprego.co.mz publishes vacancies in Portuguese and English, notably from WFP, the United Nations and Cimentos de Moçambique. Vacancy Mail and NGO Jobs in Africa also carry regional and humanitarian posts covering the country.
Do you need to speak Portuguese to work in Mozambique?
Portuguese is the official language and dominates working life. International agencies also recruit in English, but fluency in Portuguese considerably widens the number of vacancies open to you, particularly in local companies.
Official sources
Barème INSS des salaires minimums 2025inss.gov.mz
OIT : systèmes de salaire minimum en Afriqueilo.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.