Hire in Ivory Coast

Hire in Ivory Coast

Ivory Coast is a small African country situated on the south coast of West Africa. The nation is enriched with beach resorts, rainforests, and a French-colonial legacy. The economy of the nation is presently stable and growing —it is mainly market-based and hugely depends on the agricultural sector. The country is the world’s largest producer and exporter of cocoa, one of the three bigger producers and exporters of cashew, and a significant coffee and palm oil exporter. The nation is the largest economy in the West African Economic and Monetary Union.

Overview of Ivory Coast

Population: 29,603,302 people

GDP: $74.57billion

Economic Overview

Despite the hard-hit of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ivory Coast's economy was one of the few Sub-Saharan African economies that maintained growth. As per the IMF report, the GDP growth of the nation slowed down to 2.3% from 6.2%. IMF has forecasted that with the gradual normalization of global conditions, the GDP growth will be projected to pick up to 6% and 6.5%, boosted by reviving domestic demand.

Market Size

‍Being a lower-middle-income country, the government of the Ivory coast supports the private sector-led growth. The government has worked hard to improve its investment climate and build economic infrastructure to allow businesses to thrive.

The nation welcomes foreign investment to improve the secondary and tertiary sectors and improve the scope of employment. The government also aims to boost sustained and inclusive growth through proposed large infrastructure projects driven by the private sector.

A brief glimpse of industries

• The country has managed to reduce the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic by the strong pre-crisis fundamentals, relative economic diversification and timely relaxing of the fiscal stance.

• Ivory Coast’s economy is primarily based on agriculture. The government is working to maximize agricultural output by developing raw material processing units. The primary sector contributes more than one-fifth of the gross GDP.

• The oil sector has been prominent over the past few years, leveraging a stable growth rate and significant investments.

• The government is working toward strengthening the main industrial sectors, such as food processing, textiles, fertilizer, construction materials, tuna canning, and different automotive plus bicycle assembling.

• In Ivory Coast, the tertiary sector has grown faster in the last several years. The telecommunications sector is booming and, together with other sectors like transport, tourism, retail trade and construction, contributing a lot to the economy. The services sector contributes about 45% of the GDP.

Cost of living in Ivory Coast

This cost of living in the Ivory Coast is affordable — the living cost may vary depending on the location and lifestyle. Cities are moderately expensive than town and rural areas. Cost of utilities, transport, and groceries are almost similar throughout the nation—accommodation cost is the key to up turn your living cost in the cities. The following table represents an overview of the average living cost in the Ivory Coast.

A Breakdown of the Average Living Cost in Ivory Coast

Cost of renting

The cost of accommodation rent varies greatly depending on the size, type, and location of it. The price of a 1-bedroom apartment in the city center of Ivory Coast cost about 522.00 USD/ month, while a 3-bedroom apartment in the city center costs approximately 1,520.00USD/month. The accommodation cost is maximum in the capital city Yamoussoukro, and the biggest city, Abidjan.

Your cost of living in Ivory Coast depends on your location

The top sectors that are expected to hire in Ivory Coast in 2025

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the service sector a lot. Industries like telecommunications, transport, tourism, retail trade and construction are the most affected ones. Even the agriculture and agribusiness sector has suffered from a decline in exports. To boost up the economy, the government has made some reforms and also implemented new policies. Here are the top sectors that are expected to hire in 2025:

Top Skills in Ivory Coast

The job market is dynamic in Ivory Coast. Continuous development of the industrial and manufacturing sector needs many skilled professionals—there are plenty of job opportunities for entry-level to experienced professionals. The significant industries hiring in Ivory Coast are:

• Textile
• Food processing
• Finance and Banking
• Automobile
• Agro Commodity
• Sales and Marketing

Top Skills City-wise Occupation-wise

Abidjan is the economic capital of the nation and one of the most populated French-speaking cities in Africa. This is also the most industrialized region of the country. This city offers most of the job opportunities in the field of:

• Electricity
• Telecommunication and ICT
• Banking System
• Transportation
• Tourism

Yamoussoukro, the legal capital of the nation, also offers multiple job options to the people in the manufacturing industries. The city provides the majority of employment opportunities in the food processing, forestry, and perfume industries.

Bouaké is the 2nd largest city in the nation. The government has taken multiple initiatives to stimulate the regrowth of the city. With a better transportation facility, the city has re-established and offering multiple job facilities in food processing industries (like cashew processing plant), other agribusinesses, banks, supermarkets, etc.

Hiring Cost

When you need some workforce in your organization, hiring cost can be a crucial factor. Hiring in a foreign country needs a lot of research regarding talent availability and cost-per-hire. The cost of hiring may vary in different locations depending on the cost of living, overall expenditure, and availability of required skill sets. Several expenses can impact your hiring project, like

• Advertising expenses
• Cost for the interview process, screening process, etc. 
• Onboarding cost
• Training cost
• Administrative costs

Salary structure for various roles in Ivory Coast

The following table represents the average annual salary of different sectors in the Ivory Coast.

Employment Laws in Ivory Coast

How Can Skuad Help You In Hiring in Ivory Coast?

Hiring in Ivory Coast requires a thorough talent hunt along with in-depth knowledge of the employment laws, trends, city-wise cost of living, cost-per-hiring, and so on. To make the hiring easy, cost-effective, and beneficial for your organization, you can consider Skuad to be your Employer of record partner. Skuad’s unified employment solution can help you to get the right workforce and take responsibility for all formal employment tasks on your behalf. So, you can enjoy freedom from hiring stress and concentrate on your core business and revenue generation. Contact Skuad to know more.

FAQs

How to Hire Employees in Ivory Coast?

Companies can hire employees in Ivory Coast by either establishing a local legal entity or partnering with an Employer of Record (EOR). An EOR acts as the legal employer on behalf of the foreign company, managing employment contracts, payroll, tax compliance, and benefits, allowing foreign companies to hire locally without setting up a branch or subsidiary.

What is the Minimum Wage in Ivory Coast?

As of 2025, the national minimum wage in Ivory Coast is 75,000 West African CFA francs (XOF) per month (approximately USD 128).

What Taxes Do Employees Pay in Ivory Coast?

Employees in Ivory Coast are subject to the following taxes:

• Income Tax: Progressive rates ranging from 0% to 32%, depending on income levels. However, this rate is expected to reach 60% for high earners by the end of 2025.
• Social Security Contributions: Employees contribute approximately 6.3% of their gross salary towards social security, which covers pensions, family benefits, and health insurance.

How to Obtain a Work Permit in Ivory Coast?

To employ a foreign national in Ivory Coast, a work permit must be obtained through the Ministry of Labor. Required documents typically include a valid passport, a signed employment contract, a completed application form, a medical certificate, police clearance, and payment of government fees. Work permits are usually valid for one year and are renewable.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire Employees in Ivory Coast?

Hiring in Ivory Coast typically costs employers an additional 20–25% on top of the employee’s gross salary. This includes contributions to social security, health insurance, and other mandatory benefits. However, if an employer opts for an EOR, it would cost somewhere around $500 - $1000 USD monthly per employee.

What Are the Employment Laws in Ivory Coast?

Ivory Coast’s labor laws regulate employment terms under various statutes. The standard workweek is 40 hours, usually spread over five days. Overtime is compensated, and written employment contracts are mandatory. Employees are entitled to 26 days of paid annual leave, 15 days of sick leave, and 14 weeks of maternity leave. Termination must follow proper notice procedures and may require severance based on tenure. Employers must contribute to social security for retirement, healthcare, and other benefits.