Gambia EOR & PEO

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Hire in Gambia

Traditionally an agricultural region, The Gambia is a small West African nation with a population of approximately 2.7 million and a labor force totaling just under one million. In 2023, it experienced a 5.3% growth in GDP as its government continued to focus on improving healthcare, education, and infrastructure. While it varies significantly depending on the industry and the location, the average monthly wage in The Gambia is approximately GMD 16,000, or $240. With the government promoting the development of skills in technology and renewable energy, The Gambia is quickly becoming an attractive proposition for global employers seeking to expand into the region.

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hire employees in Gambia

What Is a Gambia EOR?

In Gambia, an Employer of Record (EOR) is a service that connects global businesses to local talent. It is an expert in the local labor market with extensive knowledge of the laws that govern it and experience working with both Gambian workers and international companies. An EOR acts as a legal employer and agency within The Gambia, saving its clients the time and cost of establishing a local entity and developing a knowledge of the market. For an agreed fee, an EOR recruits local workers and assigns them to roles with foreign businesses while administering all aspects of the service, from hiring and payroll to benefits and termination.

Another human resource management service operating on behalf of foreign businesses within Gambia is a Professional Employer Organization (PEO). While these two services are often discussed as though they are interchangeable, it should be noted that a PEO does not assume the role of a local entity, and their clients still need to undertake the expensive and challenging process of establishing a legal presence in Gambia without assistance.

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What Are the Benefits of a Gambia EOR?

Working with an EOR in Gambia allows global businesses to gain quick and easy access to the local labor market with the minimum investment of resources and a greatly reduced level of risk. By assuming the role of local employer to Gambian workers and assigning them to positions with their client company, an EOR serves as a one-stop-shop for outsourcing human resource management in The Gambia.

Among the specific benefits an EOR offers are:

Local entity: One of the biggest barriers for foreign businesses seeking to hire in Gambia is the requirement to establish a legal local identity. This can require significant investment and take a great deal of time. An EOR, on the other hand, is an existing organization that immediately fills this role, allowing any business to begin recruiting almost immediately.
Legal compliance: Among the most significant challenges and risks when employing workers in an unfamiliar territory is ensuring full compliance with local labor laws. As a local expert, an EOR can provide this service and, crucially, assume full liability for any issues or disputes that arise.
Complete service: An EOR takes care of every part of hiring and managing a workforce in Gambia from the first time it advertises roles to the termination of the last worker’s contract. This included assessments, onboarding, payroll, benefits, bonuses, and all exit procedures. By using this complete service, a global business can enjoy all the benefits of establishing and working with a Gambian labor force without the need to dedicate any of its own resources beyond an agreed fee and a point of contact.

Horizons is Best IN Class

Why Choose Horizons?

Horizons stands out as a Gambia EOR through:

A strong regional presence in Africa, meaning senior management are on the ground to deal with any issues.
Client-focused infrastructure. Horizons won’t oversell you on products and services you don’t need. Horizons offers the easiest platform to compliantly hire and pay people worldwide.
Cost-effective solutions. At $499 per employee, per month, no EOR in Gambia is more affordable. The cost is 100% transparent (onboarding, offboarding, deposit, no extra charges).
A customer-first culture. Horizons is an efficient bootstrapped company. It is not an externally-funded company burning investor cash to aggressively acquire new clients. Horizons is the only EOR that grows with its customer, reflecting the level of care and personal attention provided to each customer. Horizons will carefully advise on the best setup in each country: the type of contract needed, how to structure your benefits, and how to offboard a person while minimizing the risk of conflicts and extra cost
A long-term partnership. Horizons is the only EOR platform with a recruitment arm — a direct response to client demand. If any employee is leaving, or if our clients want to explore a new country, Horizons can recruit new candidates directly for the client. Horizons is:
- The only EOR doing this in-house — no subcontracting
- The only EOR doing this without a retainer — clients are only charged upon success
- The only EOR charging just a 2% fee per month.

Step-by-step Gambia EOR

How Does a Gambia EOR Work?

An EOR in Gambia works by forming a triangle of relationships between itself, a foreign business seeking to hire Gambian workers, and local talent seeking opportunities with global companies. The EOR first makes an agreement to fill vacancies for a foreign client. It then recruits the right people from within The Gambia at the right cost and assigns them to the positions available. The EOR acts as the legal employer within The Gambia, thus removing the burden of human resource management and labor law compliance from the foreign client company.

Some of the main functions of providing this role include:

Hire your employees: An EOR in The Gambia will establish a labor force for its foreign clients by sourcing the right talent at the most competitive cost. It does this either through accessing an existing roster of available workers or by advertising and assessing applicants for each role individually.
Manage employment contracts and onboarding: Once the right workers have been found and terms of employment are agreed upon, the EOR will draw up contracts for everyone to sign. It will then complete any legally required or client-specified onboarding processes to prepare each worker for handover before assigning them to their new roles.
Process payroll and handle employment taxes: While the business for whom each worker completes duties each day funds them, the EOR fulfills the role of their legal employer. As such, The Gambia EOR is responsible for processing payroll and handling any employment taxes. It will continue to perform this function throughout the period of employment.
Administer benefits: In addition to paying each worker’s salary, the EOR is responsible for ensuring all entitlements and benefits are provided. This includes managing leave and paying any social security contributions or agreed allowances. The EOR is also liable for resolving any disputes arising from this service.
Take care of exit procedures: Finally, when the working relationship comes to an end, either by mutual consent or due to fault on either side, the EOR must ensure all exit procedures are carried out. This includes those mandated by law and those required by the foreign client. Should replacements need to be hired, the EOR will then begin the process once more.

stay compliant with Gambia labor laws

Labor Laws

Keeping all employment practices compliant with local labor law is one of the prime responsibilities of an EOR in Gambia. Moreover, the EOR is fully liable for any errors, oversights, or disputes in this area.

Employment contract types

Gambia requires that all employment be confirmed by a written contract that outlines the basic details about the parties, the job, any remuneration and benefits, and the working hours and conditions. Contracts should also address processes for dispute resolution and termination, along with ownership of any intellectual property generated during the employment.

Project-based

Fixed-term

Indefinite

Working hours in Gambia

While there is no standard working week established in Gambian law, maximum regular working hours are set at 40 hours each week, with at least one full day of rest offered in every seven. Overtime can be requested in exceptional circumstances, paid at 150% for weekdays and 200% for Sundays or public holidays, but the total working time can never exceed 48 hours. There are no maximum daily hours, but employees should be given at least a one-hour break each day.

Overtime must be compensated in the following way:

Holiday Schedule in Gambia [2024]

Gambia observes a series of public holidays every year. In 2024, this amounts to 13 days and combines secular landmarks, Christian holidays, and religious days from the Islamic calendar. All workers should be offered paid leave for these days.

Date	Holiday name
1 Jan, 2024	New Year’s Day
18 Feb, 2024	Independence Day
11 Mar, 2024	Ramadan
29 Mar, 2024	Good Friday
1 Apr, 2024	Easter Monday
10 Apr, 2024	Eid al-Fitr
1 May, 2024	Labour Day
25 May, 2024	Africa Day
16 Jun, 2024	Eid al-Adha
16 Jul, 2024	Ashura
22 Jul, 2024	Revolution Day
15 Aug, 2024	Assumption of Mary
16 Sep, 2024	The Prophet’s Birthday
25 Dec, 2024	Christmas Day

Paid time off

The amount of paid time off employees are eligible to receive is based on how long they have been employed at their current company:

Sick leave in Gambia

Probationary periods in Gambia can last for up to six months for unskilled workers and twelve months for those in skilled positions. Once this period is complete, workers become entitled to paid sick leave when an employee is unable to work due to illness or injury. The amount of sick leave deemed acceptable and the conditions in which it should be granted must be negotiated and agreed upon at the time of hire.

Less than 6 months of sick leave:

(percentage of regular wages owed to the employee)

Over 6 months of sick leave

In order for employees to receive the full wages due to them, workers must present a valid medical certificate from a certified doctor to their employer.

Maternity leave in Gambia

In addition to public holidays, annual leave, and sick leave, workers in Gambia are entitled to paid leave for maternity, which must be a minimum of 84 days, and paternity, which should be at least five. Any other paid absences, such as for bereavement or family duties, are at the employer’s discretion unless contractually specified.

Annual leave in Gambia

After one year of continuous service, The Gambian Labor Act of 2007 guarantees every worker at least 14 days of paid leave each year. Once the worker has completed five years of continuous service, this increases to 21 days. These should be granted in addition to public holidays.

Termination & severance in Gambia

The amount of notice required for termination in Gambia depends on the circumstances. For standard no-fault termination, any worker paid monthly should be given one month’s written notice. Workers on fortnightly payments should be given two weeks for the first six years and a month after that time. Fixed-term contracts can be ended early at 14 days’ notice. In the case of redundancy, however, a minimum notice period of six months and severance pay amounting to the same should be given.

Gambia's compulsory social security contributions

The main institution responsible for administering social security in Gambia is the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC).

Benefits include old-age pension, disability, survivor’s pension, maternity and sickness benefits.

Gambia social security for foreigners

Foreign nationals employed in Gambia are typically required to participate in the social security system if they are working under a formal employment contract. Employers must register their foreign employees with the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC) and make the necessary contributions.

Individual income tax

Income tax is levied on the income of individuals, including both residents and non-residents who earn income within the country. The Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) is responsible for administering and collecting income taxes.

Individuals who are in The Gambia for 183 days or more in a tax year are considered residents for tax purposes. Residents are taxed on their worldwide income.

Non-residents are typically subject to a flat tax rate on their Gambian-sourced income. The rate is often around 15%, but this can vary based on the type of income and any applicable tax treaties.

Health insurance

Gambia has been working towards implementing a National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to provide more comprehensive and affordable healthcare coverage for its citizens. While the NHIS is still in development and not fully operational, its intended benefits include basic health services, including outpatient and inpatient care, maternal and child health services, and essential drugs.

Several private insurance companies operate in The Gambia, offering a range of health insurance plans. There’s also CBHI schemes often implemented in rural areas to provide affordable health coverage to communities. In addition, many employers in The Gambia provide health insurance as part of their employee benefits package. This is often more cost-effective than individual plans

hassle-free Gambian compensation & benefits

Compensation & Benefits

Gambia compensation laws

Every worker in The Gambia is legally entitled to a minimum wage of GMD 50 per day. This generally converts to between $0.75 and $1.00 per day, depending on the current exchange rate. This amount should be guaranteed to all workers, regardless of any other circumstances affecting their salary.

13 month salary in Gambia

Gambian labor law dictates every worker should be paid a mandatory bonus equating to at least one month of the basic pay after every 12 months of service. Any other bonuses or allowances are discretionary and subject to contractual negotiations.

Social security for Gambian nationals

Employers in Gambia are obliged to make contributions to the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC), the Industrial Injuries Compensation Fund, and a Provident Fund scheme. In relation to a worker’s gross salary, the contribution amounts should be 10%, 1%, and 10%, respectively. The employee is also expected to pay 5% each to both the SSHFC and the Provident Fund.

Gambia Employer Of Record Peo

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Hire in Gambia

What Is a Gambia EOR?

What Are the Benefits of a Gambia EOR?

Why Choose Horizons?

How Does a Gambia EOR Work?

Labor Laws

Employment contract types

Working hours in Gambia

Compensation & Benefits

Frequently asked questions

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Frequently asked questions

How does an EOR in Gambia manage compliance with local labor laws?

One of the primary responsibilities of any EOR is to ensure employment is in compliance with local laws and regulations. It manages this by maintaining a thorough and up-to-date knowledge of all frameworks and requirements. Furthermore, an EOR guarantees its commitment to ensuring compliance by accepting liability for failures or disputes in this area.

What are the advantages of using an EOR for hiring in The Gambia?

Working with an EOR to hire and maintain a labor force in Gambia allows businesses to recruit quicker, establish reliable relationships, and trust that their interests will be properly managed in all employment matters. An EOR is the perfect service for outsourcing hiring requirements in Gambia.

Gambia EOR & PEO

Start hiring in Gambia

Simple, compliant hiring with Horizons EOR & PEO

Hire in Gambia

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hire employees in Gambia

What Is a Gambia EOR?

Save Money And Time with A Gambia EOR

What Are the Benefits of a Gambia EOR?

Horizons is Best IN Class

Why Choose Horizons?

Step-by-step Gambia EOR

How Does a Gambia EOR Work?

stay compliant with Gambia labor laws

Labor Laws

Employment contract types

Project-based

Probationary period

Termination

Severance

Fixed-term

Probationary period

Termination notice period

Severance

Indefinite

Probationary period

Termination notice period

Severance

Working hours in Gambia

Overtime must be compensated in the following way:

For a regular workday:

For a rest day:

For a statutory holiday:

Paid time off

Under 1 year of employment

1-10 years of employment

10-20 years of employment

20+ years of employment

Sick leave in Gambia

Less than 6 months of sick leave:

Under 1 year of employment

1-10 years of employment

10-20 years of employment

20+ years of employment

Over 6 months of sick leave

Under 1 year of employment

1-3 years of employment

3+ years of employment

Maternity leave in Gambia

Annual leave in Gambia

Termination & severance in Gambia

Gambia's compulsory social security contributions

Gambia social security for foreigners

Individual income tax

Health insurance

hassle-free Gambian compensation & benefits

Compensation & Benefits

Gambia compensation laws

13 month salary in Gambia

Social security for Gambian nationals

Hire in Gambia in 24h without your own local entity.

Frequently asked questions

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