A small Portuguese-speaking island market
São Tomé and Príncipe is a small Portuguese-speaking archipelago: Portuguese is the official language and that of the labour code. Unemployment, the minimum wage and the main employment towns are not documented in our sources, so caution is needed before any plan.
Santomean growth and poverty
The World Bank estimates real growth at 1.1% in 2024, after an average of 1.3% over 2019-2024, and forecasts 2.9% for 2025. Poverty affected 15.8% of the population in 2023.
Tourism, a source of new jobs
According to the World Bank, tourism is an important source of growth, jobs and foreign currency. Front-of-house work, guiding, catering and hotel management are natural avenues; our page on tourism careers details these roles.
The weight of state-owned companies
State-owned enterprises provide about 9% of formal employment and 14% of public sector jobs, in electricity, water, ports, airports and postal services. Ten companies have a public stake above 10%, four of them wholly owned.
The 2019 Código do Trabalho
Law No. 6/2019, published in the official gazette on 11 April 2019, approves the labour code. It came into force ninety days after publication. The text refers to the ministry responsible for labour without naming it precisely.
A written contract for foreign nationals
Article 60 requires a written contract for every foreign worker. The preamble mentions limits on the number of foreigners employed, but no permit procedure was found, so have the formalities confirmed by the employer and the Santomean authorities.
Breaks and working hours
Article 33 requires a break of one to two hours so that no more than five consecutive hours are worked. The weekly ceiling was not identified in the extract consulted, so ask for it in writing before signing.
A national minimum wage with no published amount
The code refers to a national minimum wage, but no amount has been verified in our sources. To assess an offer, compare it with the pay offered by state-owned companies and ask about any benefits in kind.
Occupational health and safety
Law No. 14/2007 governs occupational safety and health. In 2024 the country also ratified three ILO conventions. The conventions concerned were not detailed in our sources, so consult the ILO country profile for specifics.
Where to find vacancies for the archipelago
No Santomean job board has been verified. In October 2026 JobnetAfrica listed a management vacancy in the country. Our guide to job boards in Africa lists the regional and international platforms worth monitoring.
International organisations and projects
Donors and agencies working in the country post their vacancies on Impactpool, ReliefWeb or the UN careers portal. Read each job description to find out the languages required and the experience expected, often in project management.
Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, Gulf neighbours
Candidates ready to leave the archipelago often look at employment in Gabon or vacancies in Equatorial Guinea, neighbours on the Gulf of Guinea. Working languages differ: French in Gabon, Spanish in Equatorial Guinea.
References for employment in São Tomé
- Código do Trabalho (Lei 6/2019): Full text of the Santomean labour code published on NATLEX, in Portuguese.
- Ministère chargé du Travail: Authority referred to in the labour code; its exact name has not been verified.
- Banque mondiale – São Tomé-et-Príncipe: August 2025 economic update on growth, poverty, tourism and state-owned enterprises.
- JobnetAfrica: Platform for managers and expatriates that listed a vacancy in the archipelago in October 2026.
- Impactpool: Search for United Nations and NGO vacancies, useful for donor-funded projects.
Moving step by step towards a post in São Tomé
- Work on your professional Portuguese, the language of the labour code and the administration.
- Target tourism, state-owned companies and projects run by international organisations.
- Set up alerts for the archipelago on JobnetAfrica, Impactpool and ReliefWeb.
- Have your degrees and employment references translated into Portuguese and certified.
- If you are a foreign national, insist on a written contract, as Article 60 of the code requires.
- Ask in writing for the weekly hours, salary and social security cover before committing.
Available indicators for São Tomé and Príncipe
| Indicator | Value | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Real GDP growth | 1.1% in 2024; 2.9% forecast for 2025 | World Bank, August 2025 |
| Poverty | 15.8% | World Bank, 2023 |
| State-owned companies' share of formal employment | about 9% | World Bank, August 2025 |
| National minimum wage | amount not published in our sources | Labour code, 2019 |
| Unemployment rate | not published | no verified source |
Documents to plan for São Tomé
- CV in Portuguese, with an English or French version
- Translated and certified degrees
- Valid passport
- Criminal record extract
- Written employment contract for every foreign employee
- Visa and residence permit compliant with Santomean rules
What not to do when job hunting in São Tomé
- Paying a so-called agent who guarantees a job in a hotel on the archipelago: a legitimate recruiter never asks the candidate for money.
- Agreeing to work without a written contract when the code requires one for foreign workers.
- Arriving on a tourist visa and planning to regularise salaried work later on the spot, at the risk of penalties.
- Applying only in French or English in a mainly Portuguese-speaking working environment, which sharply reduces your chances.
Candidates' questions about São Tomé
Which language is used at work in São Tomé and Príncipe?
Portuguese is the official language and the language of the 2019 labour code. International organisations sometimes recruit in English or French, but a command of Portuguese remains a decisive asset for most posts.
Can a foreign national work in São Tomé?
Yes, with a written contract, which is compulsory under Article 60 of the labour code. The preamble mentions limits on the number of foreigners, but the permit procedure was not found and must be confirmed with the employer and the authorities.
What is the minimum wage in São Tomé and Príncipe?
The labour code provides for a national minimum wage, but its amount could not be verified in our sources. You should ask the employer or the ministry responsible for labour before any negotiation.
Which sectors provide jobs in São Tomé?
The World Bank highlights the role of tourism in creating jobs and bringing in foreign currency. State-owned companies, active in electricity, water, ports and postal services, provide about 9% of formal employment.
Official sources
NATLEX – loi 14/2007ilo.org
OIT – ratifications de 2024ilo.org
ReliefWeb Jobsreliefweb.int
Information up to date as of October 2026. AfriqueJob.com does not recruit and never asks for money: beware of offers that demand fees.