From onboarding to payroll management, Tarmack’s EOR services make hiring in Madagascar fast, compliant, and cost-effective.
Employment norms in Madagascar
Madagascar or the Republic of Madagascar is a Southeast African Island country. The island country is popular for tourism, fishing, and mining. The country can be a good destination for business expansion in trade-related sectors. EOR (Employer-of-Record) services in Madagascar assist potential employers with local employment norms, compensation and tax liabilities, legal compliance and more. Employers get help with overall employee management.
General Information:
- The currency of Madagascar is the Malagasy Ariar (MGA).
- Antananarivo is the capital of Madagascar.
- Malagasy and French are the official languages of Madagascar. Documentation can be in Malagasy or French to be considered legally valid.
- As of 2021, the of Madagascar was reported to be USD 14.47 billion.
The National Employment Council of Madagascar is responsible for setting and regulating employment norms in Madagascar.
Table of Contents
- Agreements
- Onboarding Process
- Visa
- Minimum Wage
- Payroll Cycle
- Annual Bonus
- Health Benefits
- Working Hours and Overtime
- Leaves
- Social Security
- Taxes for Employers
- Taxes for Employees
- Probation
- Termination
- Severance Pay
- Employees or Contractors
- Final Words
AgreementsOnboarding ProcessVisaMinimum WagePayroll CycleAnnual BonusHealth BenefitsWorking Hours and OvertimeLeavesSocial SecurityTaxes for EmployersTaxes for EmployeesProbationTerminationSeverance PayEmployees or ContractorsFinal Words
Agreements in Madagascar
- The employment agreement in Madagascar can either be verbal or in writing. Written agreements are always preferred for proper documentation.
- Contracts can be fixed-term or indefinite. Fixed-term contracts can be for a period of a maximum of 2 years.
- For permanent positions, fixed-term contracts cannot be used.
- The employment contract can be written in either Malagasy or French.
- The agreement must include mandatory points such as compensation, nature of work, company policies etc.
Onboarding Process in Madagascar
The onboarding process in Madagascar includes the following terms:
- Employers must provide their employees with a written copy of the agreements.
- The new employees must be enrolled with the relevant social security, health insurance and other tax authorities.
- The employee must be provided with relevant training wherever required.
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Visa in Madagascar
Work Visa:
- Along with a work visa, a work permit is also required to work in Madagascar.
- The work visa or the transformable visa is required which is valid for up to 30 days. For long-term employment, employees must apply for a long-term visa once in Madagascar. The following are the various requirements for a work visa in Madagascar.
- Employment contract with a stamp from relevant authorities
- Work permit
- Employment certificate
- Company's registration certificate
- Certificate of residence
- Proof of a clean criminal record
- Declaration of honor with a notarized signature
- Other requisite application documents
Business visa:
A business visa or a non-immigrant visa in Madagascar is valid for up to a 90-day stay period.
- Passport with at least 6 months validity
- Bank statement
- Airplane tickets (both toward and return)
- Identity proof
- Letter from the company or the applicant's employer
- Invitation letter from the company inviting the applicant to Madagascar
Minimum Wage in Madagascar
The wage in Madagascar is different for different industries as well as the period of employment. Employers will have to check what category their employees fall under to determine the minimum wages.
Payroll Cycle in Madagascar
Depending on the industry and type of work, the cycle in Madagascar may be daily or monthly. For monthly payroll cycles, the payments have to be made before the 8th of each month.
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Annual Bonus in Madagascar
There is no mandatory requirement for an annual bonus. However, it is a common market practice of giving.
Health Benefits in Madagascar
- Madagascar offers public health care which is funded by the government. Both employers and employees contribute to health insurance.
- However, since the public health service may be limited in some cases, employers also offer private health insurance in Madagascar.
Working Hours and Overtime in Madagascar
- Work hours: A typical work day is of 8 hours and typical work hours in Madagascar are of 40 hours a week.
- Break: A lunch break of 30 minutes to 1 hour is usually provided in the afternoon.
- Overtime: Employees can work 16 hours of overtime per week. The overtime pay is negotiated in the agreement. It is usually 130% of the normal pay for the first 8 hours and then 150% of the normal pay for the next 8 hours.
Leaves in Madagascar
Sick Leave
- Employees are entitled to 5 days of paid sick leave per year in Madagascar.
Parental leaves
- Maternity leave: Female employees are entitled to up to 14 weeks of paid maternity leave (50% of the wages by the employer and 50% by the National Security Fund). If an employee is not enrolled with social security, the employer must provide 100% of the wage.
- Paternity leave: Male employees can take up to 10 days of leave for paternity or other family events.
Annual leaves
- An annual leave of 30 days is to be granted to employees who have worked for at least a year.
Public Holidays (for the Calendar year 2024)
Some dates may vary based on official notifications and traditional calendars.
- New Year - 1st January
- International Women's Day - 8th March (paid holiday only for women)
- Commemoration of the 1947 Rebellion - 29th March
- Easter Sunday - 31st March
- Easter Monday - 1st April
- Labor Day - 1st May
- Ascension Day - 9th May
- Pentecost/Whit Monday - 20th May
- Independence Day - 26th June
- Assumption Day - 15th August
- All Saints' Day - 1st November
- Christmas Day - 25th December
Public Holidays (for the Calendar year 2025)
Some dates may vary based on official notifications and traditional calendars.
- New Year - 1st January
- International Women's Day - 8th March (paid holiday only for women)
- Commemoration of the 1947 Rebellion - 29th March
- Easter Sunday - 20th April
- Easter Monday - 21st April
- Labor Day - 1st May
- Ascension Day - 29th May
- Pentecost/Whit Monday - 9th June
- Independence Day - 26th June
- Assumption Day - 15th August
- All Saints' Day - 1st November
- Christmas Day - 25th December
Taxes for Employers in Madagascar
The following are the contributions toward taxes in Madagascar -
- Social security (work-related accidents and illnesses, old age benefits, disability benefits, survivor's insurance, family benefits) - 13%
- Health insurance - 5%
Taxes for Employees in Madagascar
Income Tax:
The following are the income tax brackets in Madagascar.
- Up to MGA 350,000 - 0%
- MGA 350,000 to MGA 400,000 - 5%
- MGA 400,000 to MGA 500,000 - 10%
- MGA 500,000 to MGA 600,000 - 15%
- Above MGA 600,000 - 20%
Social Security Tax:
- Social security (Old age benefits, disability benefits, survivor's insurance) - 1%
- Health insurance - 1%
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Probation in Madagascar
The period is up to 6 months in Madagascar.
Termination in Madagascar
The following norms are usually followed for employee termination in Madagascar:
- Employment can be terminated by either party only for a just cause.
- The termination can be done mutually or if the employee voluntarily agrees to terminate the agreement.
- The employer can terminate the employee for reasons such as -
- Gross misconduct
- Bad performance or unsuitable skill-set
- Objective grounds
- A notice period is mandatory in Madagascar. The length of the notice period varies based on the period of employment.
Severance Pay in Madagascar
Severance pay is granted only when the employer dismisses the employee because of redundancy. The pay is calculated as the salary of 10 days per year of employment.
Employees or Contractors in Madagascar
- In Madagascar, people can be hired as full-time employees on payroll or as contractors.
- Employees in Madagascar receive benefits such as social security and health insurance. Contractors do not enjoy such benefits.
- Misclassifying employees as contractors or vice versa would result in penalties and fines for the employer.
Final Words
Madagascar is looking to turn itself into a lucrative tourism and business destination. The friendly employment norms of the country add to its advantages as a potential business destination. EOR services handle employee management letting businesses focus on their business goals.
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Social Security in Madagascar