Hiring in Cameroon means navigating a layered set of leave entitlements and statutory benefit obligations that sit alongside a growing set of market-standard perks. Understanding what the Labour Code requires, and what local talent expects, keeps you compliant and competitive. This guide covers everything employers need to know, from annual leave accruals to CNPS contributions.
Annual leave entitlements
Cameroonian employees accrue annual leave at a rate of 1.5 working days per month of actual service, giving a baseline of 18 working days per year. The leave cycle runs for 12 months from the employee’s start date, or from the end of the previous cycle. Employees can only take leave they’ve already accrued; there’s no upfront grant at the start of the year.
Seniority and family supplements
The Labour Code adds supplementary leave on top of the baseline. Employees earn 2 additional working days for every 5 full years of service (whether continuous or not). Mothers get a further supplement of 2 days per child under 6 years old, reduced to 1 day if total accrued leave doesn’t exceed 6 days. Employees who have been awarded the work medal of honour receive 1 additional working day on top of their other entitlements.
How leave is taken and split
Leave may only be taken after sufficient days have been accrued. When an employee’s entitlement exceeds 12 days, it can be split by mutual agreement, but at least one block of 12 consecutive calendar days must always be taken together. The right to claim leave expires 3 years after accrual, and payment in lieu isn’t permitted during active employment; it only becomes available on contract termination.
Public holidays
Cameroon has 10 mandatory national public holidays. Employees are entitled to these days off in addition to their annual leave entitlement.
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year’s Day |
| 11 February | Youth Day |
| 1 May | Labour Day |
| 20 May | National Day |
| 15 August | Assumption Day |
| 25 December | Christmas Day |
| Date varies each year | Good Friday |
| Date varies each year | Ascension Day (39 days after Easter) |
| Date varies each year (1 Shawwal) | Korité (Eid al-Fitr) |
| Date varies each year (10 Dhu al-Hijjah) | Tabaski (Eid al-Adha) |
Good Friday, Ascension Day, Korité, and Tabaski don’t fall on fixed calendar dates. Their dates shift each year, so you’ll need to confirm them annually when planning your payroll and leave calendar.
Sick leave
The Labour Code doesn’t prescribe a fixed sick leave entitlement or a set number of paid sick days. Instead, it treats prolonged illness as a contract suspension event. If an employee is absent due to illness and provides a medical certificate from an approved practitioner, the employment contract is suspended rather than terminated, for up to 6 months. You can’t terminate an employee for illness during this suspension period.
If the absence extends beyond 6 months, the contract remains suspended until a replacement is found. The Labour Code doesn’t expressly require continued salary payment during the suspension period; your own employment policies or applicable collective agreements will determine what, if anything, the employee receives. Employers should define their sick pay position clearly in individual contracts to avoid ambiguity.
Maternity leave
Employees are entitled to 14 consecutive weeks of maternity leave: 4 weeks before the expected delivery date and 10 weeks after birth. If delivery occurs earlier than expected, the pre-delivery period is shortened and the remaining days are added to the postnatal period, ensuring the full 14 weeks are always available. If delivery is later than expected, the pre-birth leave is extended without cutting into the postnatal entitlement.
Extensions and job protection
A medically certified illness arising from pregnancy or delivery entitles the employee to an additional 6 weeks of leave on top of the standard 14. Employers can’t terminate a pregnant employee’s contract on grounds of pregnancy, and a pregnant employee holding a medical certificate may end her own contract without providing notice or paying compensation. The Labour Code doesn’t specify a statutory salary continuation requirement during maternity leave; payment during this period is governed by CNPS maternity benefit entitlements and any applicable employer policies or collective agreements.
Paternity leave
There’s no specific statutory paternity leave entitlement under the Labour Code. Fathers can use the special family event leave entitlement (described below) to take paid time off around the birth of a child.
Special leave of absence
Employees are entitled to up to 10 days of paid special leave per year for family events directly related to their own household (congé spécial). This leave isn’t deducted from the employee’s annual leave balance and sits entirely separate from it. The qualifying events are set out in the Labour Code and applicable collective agreements.
Education leave
Employers may grant unpaid leave to employees who want to attend courses relevant to their professional development or trade union training. The courses must be organised by a nationally recognised trade union or an organisation approved by the Minister responsible for Labour. The duration is agreed between employer and employee, but the total may not exceed 18 working days. Education leave counts as actual service for the purposes of annual leave accrual, family allowances, and length-of-service calculations.
Cnps contributions
Cameroon’s social security system is administered by the Caisse Nationale de Prévoyance Sociale (CNPS). Both employers and employees contribute, and contributions are calculated on gross monthly salary up to a ceiling of FCFA 750,000.
| Branch | Employer rate | Employee rate |
|---|---|---|
| Pension (old-age, disability, death) | 4.2% | 4.2% |
| Family benefits | 7.0% | — |
| Work accidents and occupational diseases | 1.75% to 5% | — |
The work accident rate varies depending on the risk classification of the employer’s industry. CNPS coverage includes retirement pensions, disability pensions, survivor benefits, family allowances, and compensation for work-related accidents and diseases.
Housing fund contributions
Separate from CNPS, employers and employees in Cameroon contribute to the Crédit Foncier du Cameroun (CFC), the national housing fund. Employers contribute 1.5% of salary and employees contribute 1%. These contributions are in addition to the CNPS rates above.
Health insurance
There’s no universal mandatory private health insurance scheme in Cameroon. CNPS provides limited coverage for occupational risks through its work accident and disease branch, but this doesn’t extend to general healthcare. Many employers offering professional roles provide supplementary private health insurance as a standard part of the package, since it’s a common expectation among skilled hires and worth factoring into your total employment cost.
Market-standard supplementary benefits
Beyond statutory obligations, employers competing for professional talent in Cameroon typically offer a combination of the following:
- Private medical insurance covering the employee and often their dependants
- Life insurance as a baseline financial protection benefit
- Transport allowances to offset commuting costs, particularly in urban centres
- Housing allowances for senior or expatriate staff
- Performance bonuses where they’re contractually agreed (enforceable only when agreed in writing)
There’s no statutory requirement for a 13th-month salary in Cameroon, so any such payment is a contractual or collective agreement matter, not a legal obligation.
Managing benefits and leave with an Employer of Record
If you’re hiring in Cameroon without a registered local entity, an Employer of Record (EOR) can employ staff on your behalf, handling leave accruals, statutory contributions, and local payroll compliance. This removes the need to set up a local company before you can make your first hire. A second EOR engagement also gives you a ready-made framework for benefits administration, including CNPS registration and housing fund contributions.
For businesses working with independent workers rather than employees, contractors in Cameroon operate under different rules. A Contractor of Record can help you engage contractors compliantly without the risks that come with misclassification.
RemotePass helps employers manage Cameroon’s leave entitlements and benefit requirements accurately, from annual leave accruals to CNPS contributions. Visit https://remotepass.com/demo to see how the platform keeps your Cameroonian workforce compliant.
