Working in Tanzania: wages, TaESA and e-Permit

Tanzania's new minimum wage schedule

Order GN No. 605A, published on 13 October 2025 under the Labour Institutions Act, has set monthly private-sector minimums since 1 January 2026. Each sector has its own rate, so identify your employer's branch of activity carefully.

Examples of sector minimums in Tanzania

Agriculture stands at 175,000 TZS a month, and private security at 197,000 TZS in local companies and 292,000 TZS in international ones. Call centres are at 380,000 TZS and telecommunications at 644,000 TZS.

Around thirty rates, a unique case in Africa

According to the ILO (2025), Tanzania has around thirty sectoral minimum rates and remains the only African country that also provides a fortnightly rate. If you are paid every fifteen days, check that your payslip respects that amount.

Tanzanian labour law

The central text is the Employment and Labour Relations Act No. 6 of 2004, consolidated in 2019 as Chapter 366. The Labour Institutions Act, Chapter 300, organises the labour institutions, including wage setting.

TaESA, Tanzania's public employment service

TaESA, attached to the Prime Minister's Office, runs a portal where jobseekers register with their NIDA number and qualifications. It offers career guidance, matching with employers and searches for jobs abroad for Tanzanians.

The labour ministry in Tanzania

Employment policy falls under the Prime Minister's Office responsible for Labour, Youth, Employment and Persons with Disability (PMO-LYEPD). Its website publishes laws and wage orders, and hosts the work permit system.

Tanzanian work permit classes

Class A targets investors and the self-employed (1,000 USD), Class B prescribed professions (500 USD, five years at most) and Class C other occupations (1,000 USD, five years). Class D covers religious or charitable work, and Class E refugees, free of charge.

How the e-Permit works in Tanzania

Applications are filed online. They are reviewed by the Labour Commissioner, then granted by the Commissioner General of Immigration. The system is integrated with the residence permit and results in an e-Permit card. Plan its renewal ahead.

Energy and mining, sectors to watch in Tanzania

According to the AfDB in June 2026, Mission 300 has connected 7.5 million people to electricity in Tanzania, a high figure. The mining minimum reaches 695,000 TZS: see jobs in mining and energy.

Health: Tanzania tops a World Bank study

In a World Bank study, diagnostic accuracy reaches 69% in Tanzania, the best score in the sample. Doctors, nurses and clinicians will find leads on our page about healthcare careers in Africa.

Job sites for Tanzania

AfriCareers has a Tanzania menu, and humanitarian organisations post on ReliefWeb, NGO Jobs in Africa and Devex. The status of BrighterMonday Tanzania has not been verified by our sources; the TaESA portal remains the official public channel.

Kenya and Uganda, Tanzania's neighbouring markets

Before committing, it is worth comparing several countries in the region. Our guides to the job market in Kenya and the job market in Uganda present agencies, platforms and wage rules that differ greatly from the Tanzanian model.

Institutions and platforms for jobs in Tanzania

• PMO – Labour, Youth, Employment and Persons with Disability: Prime Minister's Office responsible for labour; publishes laws, wage orders and official documents.
• TaESA: Public employment service: online registration, guidance, job matching and overseas jobs for Tanzanians.
• Tanzania Work Permit Application: The Labour Commissioner's e-Permit system for filing and tracking a work permit application.
• Tanzania Immigration – Residence Permit: Online immigration services, which grant the residence permit linked to the work permit.
• AfriCareers: East African job platform with a Tanzania menu, employer profiles and tenders.

Your path to a job in Tanzania

1. Register on the TaESA portal with your NIDA number and qualifications if you are Tanzanian.
2. Find your sector's minimum in Order GN 605A before any salary negotiation.
3. Target sectors with high minimums, such as banking, telecoms and mining, and adapt your English CV.
4. If you are a foreigner, check with the employer which permit class applies: A, B, C or D.
5. File the application on the e-Permit system and follow its review by the Labour Commissioner.
6. Collect the e-Permit card, linked to the residence permit, before starting the job.

Minimum wages and permit fees in Tanzania

Supporting documents for working in Tanzania

• NIDA identification number for TaESA registration
• Degrees and professional certificates
• CV in English
• Valid passport for foreigners
• Contract or job offer from the Tanzanian employer
• Proof of payment of permit fees according to class

Missteps to avoid in Tanzania

• Accepting pay below your sector's minimum, when the schedule in force since January 2026 distinguishes many branches.
• Applying under Class C when the occupation belongs to the cheaper Class B prescribed professions, or vice versa.
• Working on a tourist visa while waiting for the e-Permit, when work and residence permits are processed together.
• Handing money to a so-called agent promising a job abroad via TaESA: go directly through the official portal.
• Forgetting to check pay frequency, when a specific rate exists for wages paid fortnightly.

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