Employer of Record in Ivory Coast
Skuad’s Ivory Coast EOR (Employer of Record) solution helps you to expand your business into Ivory Coast without the need to establish an entity. Skuad’s hi-tech HR platform enables companies to expedite the onboarding of remote teams, manage their payroll, benefits, etc. compliantly. Contact Skuad experts to know how its customized EOR solutions can streamline your global expansion process with the able assistance of its international network. To know more about Skuad, book a demo today.
Ivory Coast At A Glance
Population- 26,378,274
Capital- Yamoussoukro
Currency - West African Communaute Financiere Africaine (CFA) Franc ‘XOF’
Languages- French and other indigenous languages
GDP- expected to reach 74.57 USD Billion by the end of 2024
Employment in Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast Employment laws fall under Labour Code- Act 2015-532 adopted on 20th July 2015, decrees and Professional collective agreements, 1977. The employment laws apply both to foreigners and citizens. However, there is a difference in entitlements provided to citizens. Ivory Coast employment laws protect the interest of both employers and employees. To encourage recruitment of the local workforce, the government gives incentives to foreign companies that fulfill the prescribed criteria.
Organizations looking forward to expanding into Ivory Coast must understand all aspects of employment here. The special rules for foreign workers, various entitlements, taxes, and work permit structures might make tasks complex for companies. The table below gives an idea about employee entitlements such as employee benefits, working hours, paid time-offs, national holidays, etc.
To minimize or mitigate challenges in employment compliance, partnership with a local employment expert well aware of the law and the local language is a boon. Trust Skuad to be that local expert. Call us now to know more.
Contractors vs Full-Time Employees
An employee in Ivory Coast is either classified as an independent contractor or a full-time employee depending on the employer’s needs. Employers in Ivory Coast establish the employee’s classification according to the country’s employment laws.
The difference between a a full-time employee and a contractor is that full-time employees are entitled to benefits such as statutory sick pay, maternity and paternity leaves, minimum notice periods, legal protection from unfair dismissal, etc.
Contractors in Ivory Coast, on the other hand, work on a project-to-project basis. They manage their entity, pay their taxes, work for multiple clients simultaneously, and are not a part of the payroll.
The people in Ivory Coast mostly prefer full-time employment. The reason for this is, full-time employment provides financial security in comparison to contractor-based employment. Also, other benefits are given to full-time employees only.
To know more about employment in Ivory Coast, contact Skuad experts today.
Hiring in Ivory Coast
In Ivory Coast, the hiring teams make use of several online portals such as NGO Jobs in Africa, Abidjan4You, Reliefweb, Glassdoor, and UNjobs along with websites like LinkedIn to carry out their recruitment process seamlessly.
Undoubtedly, there are advantages to hiring through via job portals. Without physically conducting the hiring process, you get access to several candidates in different parts of the country. However, it is a challenging, tedious, and time-consuming process. Also, the job portals used cannot claim access to the vast majority of employable candidates in the market.
However, Skuad's global HR platform enables organizations to hire and onboard top talent in Ivory Coast while ensuring compliance with employment laws so that you can focus on other aspects of your business.
To hire top talent in Ivory Coast with no hassles, contact Skuad today.
Probation & Termination
The employer and employee can agree upon the probationary period under the employment contract. If not mentioned in the employment contract the probationary period in Ivory Coast for different categories is as follows :
- Monthly paid workers - 1 month
- Hourly or daily paid workers - 8 days
- Technicians, supervisors, and similar services or positions- 2 months
- Higher-level managers, engineers, technicians, and other workers- 3 months
The probation period can be renewed in writing through a contract.
Termination
To terminate the employment of individuals who have joined through unlimited contracts, the employer has to state strong reasons. In fixed-term contracts, there is no obligation on the part of the employer to compensate or serve notice before termination of the employment. The termination can also take place amicably, such as by resignation by the employee or with the mutual consent of both parties.
Need assistance with Employment in Ivory Coast? Skuad provides a one place solution for all HR, training, and hiring employees in Ivory Coast. Learn more about Skuad.
EOR Solution
Establishing a successful enterprise in a different country requires expert intervention as it is nearly impossible to know the varied compliance policies of the country. Employer of Record (EOR) platforms simplifies your task of conducting business globally. Their extensive research on the country’s laws and HR policies ensures business expansion at a faster pace. An effective Employer of Record manages the entire life cycle of the employees. They handle complex HR-related matters and let you focus on your core task. Skuad’s Employer of record solution in Ivory Coast facilitates hassle-free business expansion.
Hire talent from all over the world and improve your business prospects with Skuad’s platform for managing globally distributed teams. Its unified employment platform handles the arduous task of managing global payroll, compliance, and taxation. Talk to us and build a global team of efficient workers.
Types of Visas in Ivory Coast
| Visa Category |
Explanation |
| Work Contract Visa |
The validity of a visa depends upon the duration of the work contract. These are granted to foreign employees that visit for special projects. To obtain the work contract visa, the main qualification that needs to be fulfilled is the person must be a foreign national with a job in an established company in Ivory Coast. The documents required to be submitted are:
- Four copies of the employment contract
- A copy of foreign employee resume
- Passport with at least six months validity period and a blank page
- Medical certificate
- Background check by police on employee residence
- Other professional references such as diplomas or certificates.
|
| Short-term Visa |
The validity of a Short-term Visa extends up to three months. These are issued by the Ivory Coast Embassy for various purposes such as education, business, private visits, and others. The basic documents that are required to be submitted are:
- Online payment receipt
- Statement of appointment acceptance at Embassy
- Visa application with filled details
- A recent (within six months) photo ID
- Passport with at least six months validity period along with a copy of first three pages of Visa (photo and address page included)
- Birth Certificate (Original copy)
- International Vaccination certification for Yellow Vaccine
- Copy of Flight ticket
The additional documents required under other categories
- Student Visa - Photocopy of Student card.
- Business Visits - Formal letter of Invitation, Hotel reservation confirmation, and Proof of financial sufficiency for stay
- For Private Visits also the letter of invitation and hotel reservation needs to be produced.
An application fee must be paid to process the Visa application.
|
| Long-stay Visa |
The validity extends up to one year ( six months to one year) The qualifications that need to be satisfied to obtain a Long Stay visa is, the person should hold a short term visa and approval of DST (Directorate of Territorial Surveillance) by obtaining Pre-visa which can be obtained online. The documents that are required to be submitted are:
- Visa fees payment receipt
- Pre-visa granted by DST
- Hotel reservation
- Parental consent in case of minor traveling alone
- Passport with at least six months validity period along with a copy of the first three pages of Visa.
- Birth Certificate (Original copy)
- Relevant school Certificate
- Vaccination certificate for Yellow fever
- Details of Flight ticket
|
The Prescribed fee must be paid along with the submission of documents.
Work Permits
In Ivory Coast, foreign citizens require proper work permits and visas to start working in the country. All the licenses should be sponsored by the local entity. All forms are written in the French language, for which you will need to hire a professional translator, which is an added cost for new companies. At this point, the company requires a local licensing entity incorporated in the country. Skuad takes responsibility for all these requirements and sponsors foreign workers for work permits without the organization requiring to set up a local entity in Ivory Coast.
Work your way up to get the work permits in Ivory Coast with Skuad’s global HR solutions.
Payroll & taxes in Ivory Coast
| Personal Income Tax |
The worldwide income of residents is taxed.
There are three categories under income tax. They are: Salary Tax, National Contribution (CN), and General Income Tax
Under CN, 80% of the gross income is taxed as per the below rates:
CN = (80% x GIX Tax rate ) - Variable
| Taxable Base (XOF) |
Tax rate |
| 0 - 600,000 |
0 |
| 600,000 - 1,560,000 |
1.5% |
| 1,560,000- 2,400,000 |
5% |
| 2,400,000- |
10% |
The General Income Tax (IGR) is calculated as:
IGR = (T/N x (Tax rate) - V) x N,
Deduction is made at a rate of 15%.
|
| Minimum Tax (for Corporates) |
Minimum tax - 3 million XOF
Maximum tax - 35 million XOF
It is calculated at a rate of 0.5% on total turnover.
|
| Tax on Corporate Income |
Industrial and commercial establishments- 25%, subject to minimum Tax
Information technology, communication, and telecommunications- 30 %Tax on Corporate Income
|
| Withholding Tax (WHT) for non-resident entities |
The WHT rate is subject to a double taxation treaty rate and is currently 20%. If a non-resident has a permanent establishment, then WHT is not applicable, and he/she is treated as a resident. |
Incorporation
Incorporation in a foreign country raises many questions regarding the process. First, a suitable city has to be chosen to set up the subsidiary company. Based on the form of organization such as branch, representative office, limited liability company (LLC), the regulations governing incorporation vary. LLCs are the most preferred form of business organization here.
The process of establishing an LLC includes several steps. Firstly, a draft of statutory documents needs to be approved by a notary, and it should include a paid-up capital clause. Second, a bank account has to be opened with a domestic bank, and the paid-up capital should be deposited here. After successful registration, a legal notice has to be issued along with a common seal. The minimum paid-up capital required is USD 2,000 with at least one shareholder and director.
Foreign companies are also permitted to establish representative offices in Ivory Coast as a permanent establishment. However, these companies cannot conduct business and market research or promotional activities. The setting up of a company in a foreign country involves various costs in addition to navigating the challenges of complying with local laws and regulations.
Skuad’s EOR solution manages all the challenges smoothly and helps your business with the process of incorporation with its global network of experts. Especially in these unprecedented times where the next coming years become crucial to revamp economic stability, any business growth with expert assistance makes a difference.
Want to know more? Talk to Skuad experts now.
Professional Employer Organization (PEO)
A Professional Employer Organization is an organization that collaborates with other organizations of medium and small size to provide HR services. These businesses outsource various HR services such as recruitment, payroll, training, and other compliances to a PEO. An EOR also provides similar HR services; however, the difference lies in the arrangement or association between the EOR company and the business.
A PEO acts as a co-employer that shares equal control of employees with the company; however, this has its risks and expected challenges. The business needs to first establish or incorporate a branch or any kind of legal presence in the Ivory Coast for employment purposes. With an EOR, no such arrangement is required as they take full responsibility for employee recruitments, taxes, training, and all other HR services. Foreign workers are recruited at ease in compliance with all regulatory requirements. It takes the place of ‘employer’ and takes over all associated HR responsibilities of a company.
Skuad’s EOR service helps businesses to expand by managing all the HR challenges on behalf of the business. Services are provided to any business with a minimum of 10 employees. The remote process with integrated technology creates a hassle-free experience of HR management that aids businesses in global expansion.
To enjoy the best seamless expansion and employment provisions for your organizations, Connect with us.
Conclusion
Compliance with the laws is mandatory in Ivory Coast and governments are strict on regulation. Expert assistance is required both for management and language (all official documents, laws, and forms are in French). Skuad with its automated HR platform and local partners expedites the expansion process for you. For more details contact us now.
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