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Employment guide

Hire and pay employees
in Tunisia

Employment law, payroll compliance, taxes, benefits, and hiring requirements for Tunisia — curated and reviewed by Remote&.

Capital
Tunis
Currency
Tunisian Dinar (TND)
Working Hours
40 hours per week (48 for certain industrial sectors)
Min. salary
01 — Country basics

Tunisia at a glance

Capital
Tunis
Language
Arabic (official); French widely used in business
Currency
Tunisian Dinar (TND)
Working Hours
40 hours per week (48 for certain industrial sectors)
Public Holidays
9 days
Tax Year
Jan 1 – Dec 31
Worker misclassification risk
Tunisia's Labour Code (promulgated by Law No. 66-27) applies to all workers in a dependent employment relationship, regardless of the contract's label. Misclassifying employees as independent contractors exposes employers to retroactive CNSS contribution demands, back-payment of annual leave and severance, and penalties from the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Labour Inspectorate.
02 — Tax obligations

Taxes in Tunisia

Employer Contributions

ContributionRate
CNSS (Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale)16.57% of gross salary
CNSS — occupational hazards fund0.4% – 4% (depends on sector)
Vocational Training Tax (TFP)1% or 2% of gross payroll (sector-dependent)
Housing Fund (FOPROLOS)1% of gross payroll
Employer contributions
ContributionRate
CNSS (Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale)16.57% of gross salary
CNSS — occupational hazards fund0.4% – 4% (depends on sector)
Vocational Training Tax (TFP)1% or 2% of gross payroll (sector-dependent)
Housing Fund (FOPROLOS)1% of gross payroll
Employee contributions
ContributionRate
CNSS pension and health9.18% of gross salary
Income Tax (IRPP)0% – 35% (progressive)
Income tax brackets
Annual Income (TND)Tax Rate
0 – 5,0000%
5,001 – 20,00026%
20,001 – 30,00028%
30,001 – 50,00032%
Over 50,00035%

A basic personal deduction and family charges deduction reduce taxable income before bracket rates apply.

03 — Remote& EOR

Employer of Record in Tunisia

What Is an Employer of Record?

An Employer of Record is the legal employer of your worker in Tunisia. Remote& handles employment contracts under the Tunisian Labour Code, CNSS registration, payroll, IRPP withholding, vocational training and housing fund levies, and statutory benefits — so you can hire Tunisian talent without establishing a local entity.

How Remote& EOR Works

PartyRole
Your CompanyRecruits the worker, assigns tasks, manages performance
Remote&Signs the employment contract, registers with CNSS and tax authorities, processes payroll, withholds IRPP, remits all social contributions
EmployeeFulfills their role for your company under a Tunisia-compliant employment contract

Ask Remi:

"Hire a Full-Stack Developer in Tunis — 4,500 TND/month, starting in 6 weeks" Remi handles contract drafting, CNSS registration, payroll and tax configuration, and leave management — all in one conversation.
04 — What employees receive

Benefits in Tunisia

Statutory

CNSS — Social Security The Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale provides pensions, healthcare, work injury compensation, family allowances, and maternity coverage. Both employer and employee contribute.

Annual Leave Employees earn 1 day of annual leave per month of service (12 days per year for less than 5 years). After 5 years of continuous service, additional seniority days accrue.

Severance Pay (Indemnité de licenciement) Employees dismissed for economic reasons or without valid cause are entitled to severance calculated on the basis of salary and seniority.

Common additional
  • Supplementary private health insurance
  • Transportation allowance
  • Meal vouchers or canteen subsidy
  • Performance bonuses
  • 13th-month salary (common in multinational companies)
  • Mobile phone and internet allowance
  • Professional development and training support
05 — Time away from work

Leave entitlements

Leave typeEntitlement
Annual Leave1 day/month (12 days/year); additional seniority days after 5 years
Sick LeavePaid by CNSS after 4-day waiting period; employer pays first 4 days in some collective agreements
Maternity Leave30 days (public sector); extended by CNSS sickness fund post-30 days
Paternity Leave2 days
Special/Family Leave3 days for marriage; 3 days for death of spouse, child, or parent; 1 day for other family events
06 — Contracts & rights

Employment conditions

Working Hours

Standard working hours are 40 hours per week in most sectors. In some industrial and agricultural sectors, the maximum is 48 hours per week. Overtime must be compensated at a 25% premium for the first 8 hours beyond the weekly limit, and 50% thereafter.

Probation

Probation periods are determined by the employment contract or applicable collective agreement. Typical periods are: 3 months for executives, 1 month for other employees. Either party may terminate during probation with notice.

07 — Payroll cadence

Payments

Payment frequency
Monthly
Payday
Salary must be paid at least monthly; typically on the last working day of the month.
08 — Off-boarding

End of employment in Tunisia

Termination in Tunisia must follow Labour Code procedures. Resignation requires notice; the employer must also provide notice for dismissal or pay compensation in lieu. Dismissal for cause (disciplinary) requires a formal procedure including a prior hearing.

Economic dismissals (redundancy) require advance notification to the Regional Labour Inspectorate and prior consultation with employee representatives. Employees dismissed economically are entitled to severance pay calculated by salary and seniority. Final settlement must include all outstanding wages, accrued leave, and applicable indemnities.

09 — Common questions

Frequently asked questions

International companies can hire in Tunisia via: home-country payroll (non-compliant — Tunisian Labour Code and CNSS registration apply), contractor arrangements (appropriate for genuine project-based work), establishing a local entity (significant administrative requirements), or using Remote& as Employer of Record. The EOR route is the most efficient compliant path.

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