As of March 2024, the estimated population of Cameroon is 28.6 million.
The currency in Cameroon is the Central African CFA franc (XAF). The currency symbol is F.CFA.
The labor law defines permanent employment in terms of employment contracts made for an unspecified period. Such agreements can be oral or written. A labor contract of unspecified duration may be terminated at any time at the will of either party by providing a written notice.
In Cameroon, there are no specific definitions of what constitutes a written contract. According to the law, agreements concluded for a fixed term of more than 3 months, as well as those including a probationary period, must be made in writing. Employers can stipulate a non-compete clause in employment contracts such that in the event of termination, the employee shall not engage in an activity liable to compete with the employer if the contract is broken by the employee or if the contract is broken due to a serious offense by the employee. Such prohibition will not apply outside a radius of 50 kilometers from the employee's workplace, and its duration must not exceed 1 year.
An employer can hire temporary workers for the following reasons: To replace an employee who is absent or whose contract has been terminated For the completion of a particular work in a specific time limit, as well as seasonal work To work on occasional jobs for coping with unexpected growth in activities of the company due to economic conditions, the prevention of accidents, or repair works Temporary employees may be hired through a temporary job contractor. The contract of employment between the temporary job contractor and the employee provided to a user (the employer the person will be working for) must be made in writing. The duration of such an agreement cannot exceed 1 year with the same user.
A probationary period must be stipulated in writing and can last for a maximum of 6 months, along with renewals. The probation period for executives can be extended for up to 8 months. Employees can be dismissed without any notice period and claim to compensation during the probation period.
In Cameroon, the labor law indicates that the standard workweek is 40 hours. However, standard working hours may vary for different occupations. Employees working more hours than what is considered standard for their profession are eligible for overtime benefits.
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According to the Labor Code of Cameroon, an employee is entitled to paid annual leave equal to 1.5 days of leave for every month of work done by the employee. For employees younger than 18 years, the leave is granted as 2.5 days per month of service. Employees accrue or accumulate annual leave after 1 year of service. The collective agreement of the company with the trade union or individual employment contract can provide for an increased duration of the leave. If the contract is terminated or expires before the employee has exercised their right to leave, the employer must issue compensation in lieu of the leave.
The Labor Code of Cameroon states that the employment contract can remain suspended for 6 months if the employee is sick, and duly certified by a doctor, approved by the employer, or affiliated with a state-recognized hospital. Permanent employees with a contract for an unspecified duration are paid 100% of their remuneration for the duration of the notice period if the sick leave exceeds the notice period or for the duration of sick leave if it is less than the notice period of the employee. Fixed-term employees are paid for the duration of their notice period based on the length of their employment.
The labor law of Cameroon provides maternity leave of 14 weeks to pregnant employees. It starts 4 weeks before the expected date of delivery. The leave can be extended by 6 weeks in case of medical complications. The employee is entitled to an allowance equal to her salary for the duration of the leave funded by the National Social Insurance Fund. A pregnant employee may terminate her employment contract without notice and without being obliged to pay any compensation to the employer. An employer is prohibited from dismissing an employee during her maternity leave.
There is no statutory provision granting parental leave to employees in Cameroon. However, the Cameroonian Labor Code provides a special paid leave of up to 10 days annually that employees can take for family events directly concerning their own home. This leave is not deducted from the annual leave.
The duration of the notice period depends on the seniority and professional classification of the employee. It is broken down into categories listed below (unless a collective labor agreement stipulates a longer duration) Category I to VI (all household employees): service under 1 year (15 days), between 1 and 5 years (1 month), more than 5 years (2 months) Category VII to IX: service of less than 1 year (1 month), between 1 and 5 years (2 months), more than 5 years (3 months) Category X to XII: less than 1 year (1 month), between 1 and 5 years (3 months), more than 5 years (4 months)
Severance pay is granted to employees who have worked for at least 1 year for the same employer and who are dismissed for reasons other than gross misconduct. It is paid in addition to the compensation for the notice period. Severance payment is calculated as a percentage of the average monthly salary of the employee multiplied by the number of years of service: 1st to 5th year - 20% of the monthly pay 6th to 10th year - 25% of the monthly pay 11th to 15th year - 30% of the monthly pay 16th to 20th year - 35% of the monthly pay 21st year onwards - 40% of the monthly pay
The retirement age in Cameroon is 60 years for eligible persons who have been registered with the National Social Insurance Fund for at least 20 years, have completed at least 60 months of insurance in the last 10 years, and have ceased all salaried activities. Early retirement can be granted to any salaried employee at the age of 50 years if they have obtained prior approval from the CNPS, and have accumulated at least 180 months of insurance contributions, including 60 months during the last 10 years preceding the date of cessation of all salaried activity. They must have been registered with the CNPS for at least 20 years. The monthly pension is equal to 30% of the average monthly salary and is increased by 1% for every year after 180 days. The minimum pension is 50% of the minimum wage, and the maximum is 80% of the average remuneration of the employee. The amount of the early retirement pension is calculated based on the average salary of the best years, with a base rate set at 30% for 180 months of contributions. If they have more than 180 months of contributions, an additional 1% is applied for each additional 12-month period.
In Cameroon, survivors are entitled to a pension in case of the death of an insured employee who is the holder of either an old-age pension, an invalidity pension, or an early pension, or who fulfills the conditions for a pension by contributing 180 months for insurance. The amount of survivor pension is as follows, calculated as the percentage of the allowance received by the deceased employee: 50% of the monthly pension for a widow or a widower 15% for a child if one of the parents is deceased 25% for children if both parents are deceased 10% for ascendants of the deceased, if no children or spouse are present The following persons are considered survivors: A widow who is at least 50 years of age or disabled, provided the marriage was contracted for at least 1 year A disabled widower dependent on the deceased employee Dependent children of the deceased If the deceased employee did not fulfill the contributions condition, survivors receive a lump-sum grant based on the number of contributions made by the deceased employee.
The National Social Insurance Fund of Cameroon provides a disability benefit to insured employees below the age of 60 years if they have been registered with the National Social Insurance Fund for at least 5 years and have completed 6 months of insurance in the last 12 calendar months preceding the onset of disability. A person is considered disabled if a non-work illness or accident causes a lasting health problem that makes them unable to earn more than one-third of what someone with similar skills normally earns. This must be confirmed by a doctor approved by the Fund. These contribution conditions are not applicable in case of disability work-related accidents. The monthly disability pension amount is 30% of earnings, increased by 1% for each year of contributions after 180 months.
The tax rates for employment income in Cameroon range from 10% for XAF 0-200,000 (Central African CFA francs) to 35% for earnings above XAF 5,000,0001. An additional charge of 10% is levied as council tax. A 15% flat rate is applicable on income from stocks and shares. Income from business or professional activities is subject to a 30% tax rate.
The law in Cameroon requires foreign nationals who wish to work in the country to procure a long-term entry visa. They must submit an employment contract signed by the Minister of Labor to obtain this visa. They must also have a work permit before starting a paid activity. The application has to be submitted to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security. A work permit is issued for 2 years and is renewable indefinitely. Effective January 2025, foreign employees must pay a work-visa fee equivalent to 2 months of their gross monthly salary for non-Afrfican employees and 1 month gross salary for African employees. . For foreign consultant and independent workers, the fee is set at the equivalent of 5% of the fees of the individual consultant or expert of foreign nationality.
