Finding work in Zambia: figures and procedures

A Zambian unemployment rate of 12.9%

The 2024 labour force survey, published by ZamStats in November 2025, records an unemployment rate of 12.9%. The labour force numbers 4,560,760 people, of whom 3,972,883 are in employment, according to this latest edition of the annual survey.

Young people hit hardest

Unemployment rises to 18.4% among 19 to 34-year-olds and to 29.1% among 15 to 24-year-olds. For a young graduate, internships, apprenticeships and first short assignments often remain essential to build experience that recruiters will value.

Widespread but poorly measured informality

The ZamStats report is inconsistent on this point: the executive summary states 74.2% informal employment, the detailed section 71.2%. Bear in mind that around seven workers in ten have no formal protection, and check your status before accepting.

Agriculture and trade, the pillars of employment

In 2024, agriculture, forestry and fishing employed 28.0% of working people, ahead of wholesale and retail trade with 23.9%. Our guide to agricultural and agri-food occupations presents the profiles sought in this sector.

Lusaka accounts for more than a quarter of jobs

Lusaka Province is home to 25.7% of the labour force and 27.9% of employed people. It is well ahead of the Copperbelt and is a logical starting point for a first search, particularly for office and service positions.

The Copperbelt and mining occupations

The Copperbelt accounts for 18.6% of the labour force and 16.7% of employed people. Vacancies also appear in Kitwe and Solwezi. Technical profiles can consult our page on mining and energy employment to prepare their application.

The Employment Permit for long contracts

The Department of Immigration issues the Employment Permit to foreign nationals employed for more than six months, renewable up to a maximum of ten years. The application is addressed to the Director General of Immigration, solely by the employer, a lawyer or an immigration consultant.

Short assignments and other permits

For an assignment of no more than six months in any twelve, there is a Temporary Employment Permit, applied for with form 25. Zambian immigration also offers an Investor's Permit and a Transit Permit, which cover situations other than salaried employment.

Labour ministry and minimum wages

In January 2025, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security revised the minimum wages of bus and truck drivers, with no amount verified here. The Minimum Wages and Conditions of Employment Act provides the framework; the current general minimum remains to be confirmed.

Go Zambia Jobs and specialist sites

Go Zambia Jobs, active since 2011, lists 2,694 employers and 82,107 active jobseekers, with vacancies in Lusaka, Kitwe and Solwezi as well as tenders. PNet has a Zambian section and JobnetAfrica targets executive positions.

Looking at neighbouring Malawi as well

Candidates in the region often compare several markets. Our page on employment in Malawi describes a different temporary permit system, applied for by the employer while the candidate waits outside the country for a decision.

Other leads across the continent

If no Zambian vacancy matches your profile, our selection of African platforms lists general job boards, humanitarian portals and executive networks that are useful for a search on a regional and international scale.

Employment players in Zambia

• Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS): Ministry responsible for labour, sectoral minimum wages and employment legislation.
• Zambia Statistics Agency (ZamStats): Statistics institute that publishes the annual labour force survey, including the 2024 edition.
• Department of Immigration: Department that issues the Employment Permit, the Temporary Employment Permit and other permits.
• Go Zambia Jobs: Zambian job site active since 2011, with vacancies and tenders in several cities.
• PNet (rubrique Zambie): South African job board that also publishes vacancies located in Zambia.
• JobnetAfrica: Executive recruitment platform for Africa, with vacancies in Zambia.

Stages of an application in Zambia

1. Prepare an English CV highlighting the skills in demand in Lusaka or the Copperbelt.
2. Create an account on Go Zambia Jobs and activate alerts by city and occupation.
3. For a post lasting more than six months, make sure the employer files the Employment Permit.
4. For a short assignment, check eligibility for the Temporary Employment Permit and form 25.
5. Check the formal status of the job, social protection and salary before signing.
6. Keep copies of the permit and contract for any future extensions.

Zambian employment statistics

Documents required in Zambia

• CV in English
• Certified qualifications and professional certificates
• Valid passport
• Contract or job offer
• Employment Permit file submitted by the employer
• Form 25 for a temporary permit
• Police clearance certificate

Common mistakes in Zambia

• Handing money to someone who is neither an employer, a lawyer nor an immigration consultant to obtain a permit.
• Working beyond six months on a Temporary Employment Permit, which is designed only for short assignments.
• Believing that a low overall unemployment rate guarantees formal employment, when informality exceeds 70%.
• Applying to adverts with no identifiable employer or that demand payment for prior training.

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