🇪🇬 Egypt · Employment & Labor
Hiring rules, employment contracts, payroll, social insurance, and EOR options.
Quick answer
Egyptian employment under the Labour Law sets a national minimum wage, standard hours, 21 days' paid annual leave (more with long service or age), and social insurance covering pensions and injury. Contracts are typically written in triplicate in Arabic, and disputes go through the Labour Office and the labour courts.
Employment is governed by the Egyptian Labour Law; social insurance is administered by the National Organization for Social Insurance. GAFI provides official guidance for investor companies.
- Written contracts and social-insurance enrolment are required.
- Egyptian Labour Law sets working hours, leave and end-of-service rules.
- Some sectors apply caps on the ratio of foreign to local staff.
Step-by-step
- 1
Get a written contract
You should have a written contract, usually in triplicate in Arabic, stating pay, job and duration.
- 2
Know your pay and hours rights
You must receive at least the national minimum wage; standard hours are 8/day, 48/week, with overtime premiums.
- 3
Understand leave
You get 21 days' paid annual leave, rising to 30 after ten years' service or at age 50, plus sick and public holidays.
- 4
Register for social insurance
You and your employer contribute to social insurance covering pensions, sickness and work injury.
- 5
Know the termination rules
Fixed and indefinite contracts have notice and grounds requirements; unfair dismissal can be challenged for compensation.
- 6
Resolve disputes
Raise issues via the Labour Office (Manpower directorate) and, if unresolved, the labour courts.
Checklist
- Written contract (Arabic, triplicate)
- National minimum wage + 8h/48h + overtime
- 21 days' leave (30 after 10 years / age 50)
- Social insurance (pension, sickness, injury)
- Notice + grounds on termination
- Unfair-dismissal compensation route
- Anti-discrimination protections
- Dispute route (Labour Office / labour courts)
Official authorities
- General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI)
Official investor gateway and guidance.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a minimum wage in Egypt?
Yes — a national minimum wage is set by the National Council for Wages and periodically raised.
How much annual leave do I get?
21 days a year, rising to 30 after ten years' service or once you reach age 50.
Must my contract be in Arabic?
Yes — the standard written contract is in Arabic, usually in three copies (employee, employer, social-insurance office).
Official-information aggregation, not legal advice. Always verify on the authority's own site.