Guinea PEO & Employer of Record

WeHG provides an International PEO and global Employer of Record service in Guinea to companies planning to enter the Guinea market or hire local/expat employees in this area.

Traditional approach requires establishing a subsidiary in Guinea.  However, our decision allows you to set up the operations in Guinea within days hence save time and expenses.  WeHG would hire candidates on your behalf while you maintain total functioning control of their work. So legally they would be our employees, on our local payroll, 100% amenable but will work on your behalf.

Guinea fast facts

Population, million: 12
Land area: 245,857 km²
Capital: Conakry
Local currency: Guinean franc (GNF)

GDP per capita:$ 818
GDP in currency:$ 9.183 billion

Guinea, country of western Africa, located on the Atlantic coast. Three of western Africa’s major rivers—the Gambia, the Niger, and the Sénégal—rise in Guinea. Natural resources are plentiful: in addition to its hydroelectric potential, Guinea possesses a large portion of the world’s bauxite reserves and significant amounts of iron, gold, and diamonds. Nonetheless, the economy is largely based on subsistence agriculture.

Guinea, under the name French Guinea, was a part of French West Africa until it achieved independence in 1958. It then was ruled successively by Sékou Touré (1958–84) and Lansana Conté (1984–2008), the latter of whom claimed power through a military coup. During the 1990s Guinea accommodated several hundred thousand war refugees from neighbouring Liberia and Sierra Leone, and conflicts between those countries and Guinea have continued to flare up over the refugee population. Following Conté’s death, a military junta took control of the country and suspended the constitution that had been adopted in 1991. Power was handed over to a freely elected civilian administration in 2010. The national capital, Conakry, lies on Tombo (Tumbo) Island and spreads up the Camayenne (Kaloum) Peninsula; it is the country’s main port.

Hiring, Negotiating and Doing Business in Guinea

Necessity of written employment contract

It is legally required to put a written employment contract in place in Guinea, in the local language, which spells out the terms of the employee’s compensation, benefits, and termination requirements. An offer letter and employment contract in Guinea should always state the salary and any compensation amounts in Guinean francs rather than a foreign currency.

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

Most foreign nationals will need a visa of some type to enter Guinea. The government in Guinea issues the following categories of visas to foreign nationals:

• Single Entry Guinea Visa (VCS)
• Long Term Guinea Visa (VLS)
• Multiple Entry Guinea Visa (VESRM)
• Guinea Visa Prorogation (VP)
• Visa de Transbordement (VTB), or Transit Visa
• Guinea Service Visa (VS)
• Diplomatic Visa (VD)
• Courtesy Visa (VC)

Employees who plan to work in Guinea will need to obtain a Long Term Visa. However, this visa is only issued to a foreign national after they have obtained an entry visa and lived in Guinea for 90 days.

Guinea Employment Contract

Types of employment agreements

Fixed-term contracts may not exceed two years. If the employee continues after 2 years, the contract will switch to an indefinite term contract.

Guinea working hours

The official maximum working week for industrial workers is 48 hours, but there is little enforcement.

Overtime

The local employees who work overtime receive 25% more on their normal rate in relation to hours worked, which will add to its normal rate for that day.

Vacation leave in Guinea

Employees are generally eligible to accrue paid leave at a rate of 2 1/2 days per month worked.

Guinea Maternity Leave

Female employees are entitled to 14 weeks of paid maternity leave.

There is no statutory paternity leave in Guinea.

Guinea Severance Laws

Employers may terminate employees for “personal reasons” including ineptitude, ill health, or misconduct. The employer must summon the employee to an interview with at least 5 days notice by registered letter and must include the reasons for wanting to dismiss the employee.  The employer must wait 2 days after the interview before dismissing the employee. Such dismissal must be made by hand-delivered letter within three days of the interview. Unless the employee is dismissed for serious misconduct, she or he is entitled to the following notice on dismissal:

• operational staff: 2 weeks
• supervisors and foremen: 1 month
• middle managers and similar: 3 months

Reductions in staff due to economic reasons must go through the trade union.

At the expiration of a fixed-term contract, the employee is eligible for severance pay of 5% of the total wages for the contracted period.

Employees under an indefinite term contract who have completed at least 12 months of service are generally entitled to receive severance pay of at least 50 hours worth of wages for hourly workers and 25% of one month’s wage for monthly paid workers.

Guinea Tax

Employers must contribute 6% of payroll to social security. Companies with more than 10 employees must also contribute 1.5% for training.

Health Insurance Benefits in Guinea

Employees are generally entitled to up to 26 weeks of paid sick leave.

Guinea has a fee for use community-based healthcare system.

Additional Benefits in Guinea

Guinea-Bissau’s national minimum wage is 19,030 CFA francs per month and applies to all categories of work. Employees also receive a bag of rice per month in addition to their paycheck. The minimum wage last changed in 2015, however, so you should watch for any future changes that could impact your company and what you pay employees.

The standard workday in Guinea-Bissau is eight hours. Any evening overtime work should be paid at 25%, while weekend overtime work is paid at 50%.

General market practice benefits/additional allowances

Once you put together your benefits plan, you must disperse statutory and additional benefits to all employees. Market norm benefits will show your employees that you care, and it may encourage them to work longer for your company. In addition to a private insurance plan, try giving out paid paternity leave, performance-based bonuses, and other benefits that employees may expect. If you’re not sure what employees would appreciate the most, ask them, and ensure that they get the best benefits you can provide.

The biggest restriction for compensation and benefits in Guinea-Bissau is a subsidiary. You need to incorporate in the country before you can officially work or pay your employees. Doing so can take weeks or months, and then it will take even longer to learn Guinea-Bissau’s compensation laws and benefits requirements.

Guinea Holidays

Guinea celebrates 11 national holidays:

• New Year’s Day
• Easter Monday
• Labour Day
• Africa Day
• Lailat al-Qadr
• Eid al-Fitr
• Assumption of Mary
• Eid al-Adha
• Independence Day
• 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.