Gambia PEO & Employer of Record

WeHG provides an International PEO and worldwideEmployer of Record service in Gambia to companies willing to enter the Gambian market or hire local/expat employees in this country.

Common approach requires establishing a subsidiary in Gambia.  However, our solution allows you to start the operations in Gambia within days hence save resources.  WeHG would hire employees on your behalf while you preserve all-embracing operational control of their work. So legally they would be our employees, on our local payroll, 100% compliant but will work on your behalf.

Gambia fast facts

Population, million: 2
Land area: 10,689 km²
Capital: Banjul
Local currency: Dalasi (GMD)

GDP per capita:$ 2,240
GDP in currency:$ 5.420 billion

The Gambia, country in western Africa situated on the Atlantic coast and surrounded by the neighbouring country of Senegal. It occupies a long narrow strip of land that surrounds the Gambia River. The land is flat and is dominated by the river, which is navigable throughout the length of the country.

The peculiar shape and size of the country are the result of territorial compromises made during the 19th century by Great Britain, which controlled the lower Gambia River, and France, which ruled the neighbouring colony of Senegal. Periodic talks in the 20th century to unite The Gambia and Senegal led to the short-lived Senegambia confederation (1982–89).

Hiring, Negotiating and Doing Business in Gambia

Necessity of written employment contract

In Gambia, employment contracts can be oral or written, but it is best practice to put a strong, written contract in place, in English, which spells out the terms of the employee’s compensation, benefits, and termination requirements. An offer letter and employment contract in Gambia should always state the salary and any compensation amounts in Gambian Dalasi rather than a foreign currency.

Different forms of engagement: employment, contracting, work with private entrepreneur

There are several types of visas available to foreign nationals who intend to visit the Republic of Gambia. Foreign employees and any other foreign nationals who plan to live in Gambia will need to apply for a residence permit. The Gambian government issues three categories of residence permits:

• Type A: International students and retired foreign citizens are eligible to apply for Type A permits.
• Type B: This category of residence permit is available to citizens of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and other foreign nationals who are working in skilled employment.
• Type C: Skilled workers and small traders fall under the Type C residence permit category.

Your employees will most likely need either a Type B or a Type C residence permit. Since these permits are issued on the basis of employment, they also function as work permits for foreign nationals.

Foreign employees should initiate the visa application process by reaching out to the Gambian embassy or consulate in their country of residence. The diplomatic officials will be able to provide an updated list of visa requirements.

Applicants should obtain the necessary immunizations and gather all necessary documents to support the residence and work permit application. After completing the application, they should submit it to the embassy and wait in their country of residence for approval.

Once the appropriate Gambian officials issue the permit, prospective employees may travel to Gambia. Upon arrival in the Republic of Gambia, foreign nationals should visit their local police department to obtain an Alien’s ID card. To do so, they’ll need to submit their passport as well as a valid ID from their country of residence. After obtaining this card, foreign nationals can legally live and work in Gambia.

Gambia Employment Contract

Types of employment agreements

A contract of employment shall be in such forms:

• a contract for an unspecified period of time
• a contract for a specified period of time
• a contract for a specific task

Gambia working hours

The standard work period is 40 hours a week, eight hours a day.

Overtime

Overtime work must be paid at no less than 1.5 times the normal hourly rate, or time off (equivalent to 1.5 times), or partially paid and partially paid time off.

Vacation leave in Gambia

An employee is entitled to accumulate days of annual leave provided for by Jount Industrial Council agreement, collective agreement, or otherwise by his or her contract of employment.

Wherever a period of annual leave entitlement is specified by reference to a period of more than one month, appropriate proportion of the entitlement is deemed to accrue for each month of employment.

Gambia Maternity Leave

Over the last 6 years, Gambia length of paid maternity leave (days) remained stable at around 180 days.

Gambia Severance Laws

The Labor Act of 2008 requires employers to provide severance pay to an employee with a contract of unlimited duration dismissed for economic, organizational, climatic, or technical reasons, including mechanization or automation, or if the place of employment moves more than 40 kilometers and the employee declines an offer of employment. The benefit is six months of the employee’s earnings.

Gambia Tax

• Rental income

Rental income earned from leasing residential property is taxed at a flat rate of 8%. In computing for taxable income, repair and maintenance costs, interest on associated borrowings, and depreciation are deductible from the gross rent.

• Capital gains tax

Capital gains are assessed and taxed under special rules. Capital gains may be taxed in two ways, with the option that results in higher tax liability as the applicable method: net gains are taxed at 15%, or the 5% tax is levied on the selling price.

Capital gains realized from the following transfers of property are exempt from taxation:

Transfers of properties as a gift or inheritance.

Transfers of real property for a consideration of GMD7,500 (US$188) or less (excluding properties valued at over GMD20,000 or US$500). There’re no social contributions in Gambia.

Health Insurance Benefits in Gambia

The healthcare system is made up of a three-tier structure:

• Primary

Primary healthcare focuses on villages with relatively low populations. A local health worker and midwife provide out-patient care and health education. They are also responsible for ensuring medical supplies are maintained at adequate levels and assisting mothers to be in giving birth at home.

• Secondary

Secondary healthcare is provided by nineteen health care centers, that are both publicly and privately run. They provide in-patient and out-patient care, pharmaceutical services, and each center has its own resident medical staff.

• Tertiary

Tertiary healthcare services are delivered by the four main hospitals: the Medical Research Council (MRC), private clinics and NGO-operated clinics. The main referral hospital is in the capital, Banjul, with the remaining three hospitals located in Bansang, Farafenni, and Bwiam.

Additional Benefits in Gambia

Sickness benefit: 100% of the employee’s earnings is paid for a maximum period defined by collective agreements or Joint Industrial Council Agreements.

Maternity benefit: 100% of the employee’s earnings is paid for six weeks before and six weeks after the expected date of childbirth.

Old-age pension (social insurance): 75% of total employer contributions is paid as an annuity; the remaining 25% is paid as a lump sum.

Early pension: Calculated in the same way as the old-age pension but with a reduction based on age at retirement.

General market practice benefits/additional allowances

According to the Vision 2020 of Gambia’s government , that prescribes employment development with involvement of a well-educated, trained, skilled, healthy, self-reliant and enterprising population to facilitate the transformation of Gambia into a financial center, a tourist paradise, a trading, export-oriented, agricultural and manufacturing nation, thriving on free market policies and a vibrant private sector.

Such changes may lead to international cooperation with Acumen International in the personnel administration and it helps companies solve the problems of functioning and development in a market economy by reducing costs, accelerating adaptation to external conditions, improving the quality of products and services, reducing risks.

Businesses of all sizes face a devastating lack of information and support on global employment, taxation, and immigration in the Gambia. There’s a common and significant gap between what’s required to be 100% compliant and what most organizations actually have at their disposal.

Gambia Holidays

There’re 13 public holidays in Gambia:

• New Year
• Independence Day
• Good Friday
• Easter Monday
• Labour Day
• Africa Day
• Lailat al-Qadr
• Eid al-Fitr
• Assumption of Mary
• Eid al-Adha
• Ashura
• The Prophet’s Birthday
• Christmas Day.

Why Choose WeHireGlobally

WeHG takes care of all the onboarding hurdles, payroll, compensation and benefits, tax filing, and termination of employment. Our Employer of Record solution allows you to manage your overseas teams efficiently while minimizing cost and risk.