Key Takeaways

  1. Burkina Faso’s labor laws, including strict requirements for employment contracts and mandatory contributions, necessitate careful compliance. Partnering with an EOR helps ensure workers are classified and managed properly.
  2. An EOR provides comprehensive HR support—from onboarding to payroll—freeing you to focus on core operations. They handle all administrative aspects and reduce your risk of non-compliance in Burkina Faso.
  3. Compare whether setting up your own legal entity, hiring through an EOR, or engaging freelancers best suits your budget and timelines. 
  4. Be aware of potentially high long-term EOR fees and weigh them against the cost and complexity of operating your own local entity. Always seek clear, itemized pricing when evaluating EOR options.

If you’re thinking about hiring employees in Burkina Faso, you may need some help. Hiring overseas can be tricky at the best of times, but if you’re trying to hire employees in a country where you don’t yet own an entity, you’ll want to look into collaborating with an Employer of Record (EOR). 

There are other options, such as incorporating a company, opening a branch office, or working with Burkina independent contractors, that you can also consider. 

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the essential steps of how to engage an EOR effectively if you decide this is best for your organization.

What is an Burkina Faso Employer of Record?

A Burkina Faso Employer of Record (EOR) is a third-party service provider that legally employs workers on behalf of a company that does not have a registered entity in the country. The EOR takes on all employment responsibilities, including payroll, tax compliance, benefits administration, and contract management, ensuring adherence to Burkina Faso’s labor laws. This allows businesses to hire talent quickly and operate in the country without the complexities of setting up a legal entity.

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What is the Difference Between a Burkina Faso EOR and a Burkina Faso PEO?

An Employer of Record (EOR) legally hires and manages your workers on your behalf, handling payroll, compliance, taxes, and benefits without requiring you to establish a legal entity.

In contrast, a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) partners with your existing local entity to manage HR functions, such as payroll processing, employee benefits, and regulatory compliance, while you retain full employment responsibility.

Burkina Faso EOR vs Legal Entity in Burkina Faso

When you’ve sourced the workers you want to hire, you’ll need a legal entity in Burkina Faso to be their legal employer. One choice is to work with an EOR, which will hire these workers using its local entity or a third-party partner in the country. It will enter into contracts with the workers directly and become the legal employer of the local staff. The EOR will also maintain the workers’ HR needs throughout the period of their employment.

An alternative to this collaboration is to register your own entity in Burkina Faso. Most foreign investors choose to incorporate either limited liability companies (LLCs) or public limited companies (PLCs). You can set up an LLC with only one shareholder and one director of any nationality and at least 2000 USD for paid-up share capital.

To set up a PLC, you’ll need one shareholder and three directors of any nationality, as well as 20,000 USD in paid-up share capital. You can register a company relatively easily in Burkina Faso. To register an LLC, you only need to follow three procedural steps:

  • Open a bank account and deposit your paid-up share capital.
  • Obtain a notarized declaration of capital subscription.
  • Register your new company, register with the social security and labor offices, and get a tax number (IFU) through the Business Formalities Center (Centre des Formalités des Entreprises or CEFORE)

With your own entity, however, you’ll need to manage HR, taxes, social security, and compliance on your own. The cost of registering an entity and the long-term expenses of working with legal and HR experts can be high. They’re usually only worth it for companies that want to do business directly in the Burkina market.

EOR fees can also be expensive over the long term, so this option is better for companies that want to hire remote workers for shorter periods before they get into the local market.

Compare Using an EOR with Hiring a Burkina Faso Freelancer

If hiring full-time Burkina employees seems daunting or too expensive for your budget, you have another option. Instead of hiring employees, you can engage independent contractors or freelancers (legally the same in Burkina Faso) to work for you instead. This can be a far cheaper option, and many EORs also offer contractor management and payment services at comparatively low fees. 

So why wouldn’t all companies hire contractors?

The answer is that contractors in Burkina Faso, as in most countries, can only be hired for specific tasks and non-durable work. This means that you can’t normally invest in training and development with contractors in the way you can with employees. You’ll also necessarily have less control over when and how contractors work for you.

They’re responsible for delivering finished work to you, but the way they complete it and the hours they perform it are out of your control. The other big issue is that if you misclassify workers as contractors when you really treat them as employees, you can be liable for paying substantial penalties.

In general, if workers choose their own hours, methods of work, and means (tools and equipment) of production, then they can be classified as contractors. If you control when and how they work, however, they need to be legally treated as employees following the Burkina Faso Labor Act 2008.

Choose an EOR Provider with Burkina Faso Expertise

If you’ve decided that employing Burkina workers through an EOR is your best choice, you still have several other important decisions to make. One is choosing the best EOR to partner with. There are dozens of service providers you can choose from, but while most will do a good job managing your employees, a few may be very poor choices. 

Start by setting your budget and eliminating any EOR you simply can’t afford. Ask for clear, complete quotes to make sure that all fees are stated up-front so you’ll avoid future surprises. From this smaller group of contenders, look for providers that have real experience in Burkina Faso.

While many will offer hiring services, only those providers experienced in maintaining workers compliantly in the country will be able to manage this smoothly for you. They’ll also have experience with Burkina Faso’s tax and employment laws and maintaining compliance with them.

Finally, look at reviews and ratings for your short-listed providers on trustworthy sites. Often, these reviews will turn up any serious issues that should prevent you from engaging certain EOR partners.

What Labor Laws Apply to Hiring in Burkina Faso?

Burkina Faso has an extensive body of laws to protect workers and employers alike. The main points to be aware of include:

Employment Contracts

You can provide workers with oral or written contracts, but if they are oral, you also need to give them a written statement of the particulars. These contracts can be permanent or for fixed terms. Fixed-term contracts can last a maximum of two years, but there is no limit to the number of times they can be renewed.

Working Hours and Paid Holidays

Most workers work only 40 hours per week though for some professions, these hours can be extended to as many as 72 hours per week. Additional hours are overtime, though there are no statutory limits for overtime work. The first eight hours per week a worker provides overtime must be paid at 115% of normal wages, while additional hours are paid at 135%.

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Social Security Contributions

The Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale (CNSS) is the social security authority in Burkina Faso. It manages a system that includes occupational accident insurance, family allowances, and old age pensions. Employers must contribute 16% of all workers’ salaries to these programs, while employees are deducted an additional 5.5% of their salaries.

Workers’ Compensation

Occupational accident insurance is included within the CNSS framework. Workers are covered for commuting accidents, duty travel accidents, workplace accidents, and occupational diseases through this system. They’re entitled to receive medical care, medicines, rehabilitation, and retraining.

Employers, therefore, do not need to take out private workers’ compensation insurance.

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Taxes

Personal income tax in Burkina Faso ranges from 2-30% depending on income. Employers are required to withhold taxes according to the employee’s obligations and submit them to the Direction Générale des Impôts.

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Parental Leave

Expecting mothers are entitled to maternity leaves of 14 weeks. They receive full pay for this leave from the employer (6%) and social security (94%). On the birth of their children, fathers are entitled to three days of paternity leave paid in full by their employers.

Probation Periods

If probationary periods are to be used, they must be explicitly stated in contracts and can’t be longer than what is necessary to test the workers’ abilities. For hourly workers, probation can last only eight days, whereas it can be one month for regular salaried workers.

Employees in executive, supervisory, and technician roles can be on probation for up to three months. During probationary periods, either party may terminate the contract at any time and for any reason.

Union Membership

The constitution guarantees the right of all workers to participate in unions. These unions can be formed to protect workers’ material and professional interests and to perform collective bargaining on behalf of members. Workers also have the right to strike in Burkina Faso.

Employment Termination

Employers can terminate workers for gross misconduct. For other terminations, workers are generally entitled to notice periods of eight days for hourly workers, one month for salaried workers, and three months for executives, supervisors, and technicians. Workers receive 25% of a month’s wages for each year of service for their first five years, 35% for the next five, and 40% for additional years.

How Does an Burkina Faso Employer of Record Help with Payroll and Taxes?

Every new employee is added to the EOR’s platform and given a detailed calculation for payroll based on their salary, tax obligations, and mandatory contributions. Using the time and attendance data you provide for each pay period, the EOR calculates and pays their salaries and withholds their taxes to pay to the DGI. It also maintains all payroll records and periodically reports to the DGI.

How Does an Burkina Faso Employer of Record Help with Benefits Administration?

Likewise, your EOR partner will manage the mandatory benefits that you must provide for your Burkina workers, including paid time off (PTO) and social security contributions. It deducts contributions from your employees’ salaries, calculates your employer contributions, and sends these to the CNSS compliantly.

How Much Does an Burkina Faso Employer of Record Service Cost?

The cost of an Employer of Record (EOR) service in Burkina Faso varies depending on the provider and the scope of services included. Basic EOR packages typically start at around $299 per employee per month, covering essential employment compliance, payroll processing, and tax management.

However, prices can rise significantly depending on additional services such as employee benefits administration, legal support, HR consulting, and recruitment assistance. Some EOR providers charge a flat monthly fee per employee, while others use a percentage-based pricing model based on the employee’s salary.

It’s essential to compare EOR services carefully to find the right balance between affordability and comprehensive support for your business expansion in Burkina Faso.

Is Employer of Record Legal in Burkina Faso?

Yes, Employer of Record (EOR) services are legally recognized in Burkina Faso. An EOR operates as the official employer for your workforce, ensuring compliance with the country’s labor laws, tax regulations, and social security requirements. By leveraging an EOR, foreign businesses can legally hire employees in Burkina Faso without establishing a local entity, streamlining the hiring process and reducing administrative burdens.

EORs handle employment contracts, payroll, tax withholdings, and statutory benefits while ensuring adherence to Burkina Faso’s labor regulations. This legal arrangement allows companies to expand their operations efficiently while mitigating risks associated with misclassification and non-compliance. Working with a reputable EOR ensures a smooth, legally compliant entry into the Burkinabe market.

Engage an Employer of Record in Burkina Faso Today with Remote People

Burkina Faso’s economy is growing, driven by agriculture, mining, and a developing services sector. As a landlocked West African nation, it offers unique opportunities for businesses looking to enter emerging markets while benefiting from a growing workforce and evolving economic policies.

Expanding into Burkina Faso requires compliance with local labor laws and tax regulations. Partnering with a professional Employer of Record (EOR) simplifies this process by managing payroll, taxes, social security, and employee benefits on your behalf. A Burkina Faso EOR allows you to hire local talent quickly without the cost and complexity of establishing a legal entity.

Remote People simplifies your expansion into Burkina Faso by serving as your Employer of Record. We manage local compliance, payroll, and hiring—helping you build a strong team and achieve long-term success in the region. Contact us today to get started.