Rich in oil, gas, and diamond deposits, Angola’s economy is on the rise. There are nearly 16 million workers in this country’s labor force, and since they’re relatively affordable, more and more local and foreign employers are looking to hire them. This is not always an easy task, however.

Employees can make claims about their skills during the recruitment process that don’t hold up later. They can also be knowledgeable and experienced, but still be a poor match with a company’s culture. Employees, too, have concerns about taking new jobs. Will they enjoy their work, function well on their teams, and receive the employment and working conditions that their employers promise?

Using probation periods is one way to help both sides test out their relationship to decide if it will succeed. In this review, we’ll look at how a probation period in Angola can be used to the benefit of both employees and employers.

Definition of a Probation Period in Angola

A probation period in Angola is usually referred to as a período probatório in the country’s official language of Portuguese. This is a time at the start of a worker’s employment, which is used to assess the fit of the employee with the organization that has hired them. Probation periods generally have fewer protections for employees and employers, making it easier to terminate their employment agreements.

Employers use probation periods to evaluate their new workers and decide if they will be successful in their jobs long-term. This usually involves comparing a new worker’s productivity with the skills and aptitudes they claimed to have during recruitment, and which are necessary for the job. Employers study how their new employees interact with their supervisors and how well they can collaborate with their new teams. Many employers also use these periods to give their employees a lot of attention, training, and skill-building opportunities so they can quickly become fully productive employees.

Employees, too, make evaluations during probation. They want to ensure that the entitlements and benefits they were promised are actually provided by their employers. They also assess how well they can do their jobs and whether they like their workplaces, coworkers, bosses, and required tasks.

If used, a probation period will start on the first day an Angolan employee starts work. During the period, or by its end, either party may choose to terminate their employment agreement. If neither does, the period will continue until its prescribed conclusion. The employee will be considered to have passed probation and successfully become a full employee.

Lengths of Probationary Periods in Angola

It is not mandatory for employers to use probation periods in Angola. They can choose not to, or to limit probation to shorter periods. However, they cannot require employees to be on probation for longer than a maximum of 180 days. The length of a worker’s probation depends on their role and type of contract as follows:

Permanent Contracts

Probation periods for employees on permanent contracts are normally limited to 60 days’ duration. However, employees with managerial responsibilities can have their probation extended up to 180 days to give their employers more time to assess their skills.

Fixed-Term Contracts

Regardless of the duration of a worker’s fixed-term contract, their probation period cannot last longer than 30 days.

Legal Considerations for Probation Periods in Angola

Angola’s New General Labor Law 2023 lays out the limits and conditions that are allowable for probation periods. Even if you work with a PEO or EOR in Angola to manage your employee, it’s crucial that you understand the following rules:

Pay and Working Conditions

Angola’s national minimum wage was raised to 70,000 AOA per month in September 2024 under Presidential Decree No. 152/24, with a lower rate of 50,000 AOA for micro‑enterprises and start‑ups. After 12 months, it increased to 100,000 AOA per month in 2025–2026. All workers, including those on probation, must be paid at least the minimum wage.

Angolan employees work a regular workweek of 44 hours. If they work more than this, they must be paid a premium. Their first 30 hours a month are paid at 150% of their normal wages, and subsequent hours are paid at 175%. They can perform a maximum of 40 overtime hours a month and 200 hours a year. These limits apply equally to full employees and those on probation.

Termination and Notice

During probation periods, it’s easier for both employees and employers to terminate their contracts. Either party may terminate a contract at any time, without providing a reason, during or by the end of a probation period. Neither party is required to give advance notice of termination.

After probation, the law is much stricter. Employees can resign without providing justification, as long as they give their employers 30 days’ notice in writing. Employers can dismiss workers if they have justifiable causes, and must also provide them with 30 days’ notice in writing. In the case of collective dismissals for economic reasons, the notice period is doubled to 60 days. While employees dismissed for gross misconduct aren’t entitled to severance pay, other employees typically are. Normally, the employer must pay severance of one month’s wages for each year of service up to five years, and 1.5 months’ wages for subsequent years of service.

Vacation / Holidays

There are normally 12 public holidays per year in Angola, though local and provincial governments can also add to this entitlement. These days are considered paid days off work and, if they fall within a worker’s probation period, the worker is entitled to that day off with pay. If employees, probationary or otherwise, are made to work on public holidays, they must receive 200% of their normal wages.

Workers in Angola are entitled to at least 22 working days of annual leave. They are paid a bonus for annual leave, meaning that they receive 150% of their normal wages during the period they are on leave. This leave is accrued at the rate of two days of leave for each month of work (up to 22 days), and probationary workers start to accrue leave entitlements from their first day of work. However, employees do not have a right to leave until they have worked for at least six months. This means that workers cannot use annual leave during their probation periods.

Benefits of Probation Periods in Angola

Probation periods are popular and widely used by employers across all industries in Angola. The advantages they can produce for both employees and employers include:

  • For Employees

Get the chance to test out working for new employers to ensure that the working and employment conditions they were promised are delivered.

Can quickly resign from jobs that aren’t working out and look for opportunities elsewhere.

  • For Employers

Can take the time to assess their employees’ skills, aptitudes, and knowledge, as well as their ability to work productively with their teammates.

May easily dismiss workers who aren’t a good fit with their organizations without any consequences or legal requirements.

Get the opportunity to give new employees lots of care and attention so they become fully-functioning team members as quickly as possible.

Conclusion

While not mandatory, probation periods are quite commonly used in Angola because of the advantages they can produce for both employers and their employees.

For some employees, they can last up to 180 days and are used by both sides to assess their employment relationships and decide whether to continue their commitments to each other long-term. This makes it much easier for either side to start again when the employment arrangement doesn’t live up to expectations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Since probation for most workers can last up to 60 days, this is the most common period used by employers. For managers, they frequently extend these periods to 120 or 180 days.

No, probation periods in Angola are not required by law. They are, however, limited by law, and most employers choose to use them to their maximum possible durations. 

Yes, employers can dismiss workers at any time, for any reason, and without providing notice during their probation periods. Similarly, employees can resign without warning or consequence during probation.