The mid-sized West African country of Cameroon is home to the world’s 51st-largest population of around 30.76 million people. Over the past few decades, the country’s economy has grown into a powerhouse, with its GDP nearly doubling since 2015 to reach $60.58 billion at the end of 2025. A further 4.1% in growth is predicted for 2026. This growth is largely driven by Cameroon’s export economy, with crude oil, gas, and cocoa being its main export products. In fact, a full 42% of Cameroon’s labor force of over 11.175 million workers is employed in agriculture, and another 15% in the industrial sector. At the same time, this leaves 43% of the workforce employed in services like trade, transportation, telecommunications, financial services, and hospitality, with this sector contributing 50% of the country’s GDP. With low wages and increasing levels of education and skills, Cameroonian workers are becoming more and more sought-after.

While overall employment in the country has been steadily increasing for decades, employers still face challenges when hiring new staff. One of the biggest challenges is finding people who not only possess the right skills and knowledge to perform their jobs, but also fit in perfectly with their colleagues and their organizations at large. Employees don’t have it easy either. They have to try to find jobs they’ll enjoy and prosper in with employers who will treat them well. While interviews help narrow down the field, probation periods add an extra layer of confidence to the hiring process by providing both sides the chance to test out their relationship in a real work environment.

This guide will explain how probation periods in Cameroon are regulated and the benefits they can produce for employers and employees alike.

Definition of a Probation Period in Cameroon

In Cameroon, a probation period is also known as a période d’essai in French, and is an initial trial period that starts on a new employee’s first day on the job. Unlike in most other countries, probation periods in Cameroon are considered different from regular, full employment. Probationary hiring situations must be concluded in writing, and these periods take place before final contracts are signed.

Probationary hiring in Cameroon is legally recognized as allowing employers to assess how well new workers can perform their jobs and how productive they are. Employers can see their new employees on the job and can observe how well they can get along with their colleagues. Many employers take the time to provide formal assessments and even coaching to help employees improve their productivity and guarantee that they pass probation. If workers don’t seem to fit in well or produce work to a satisfactory level, however, the employer may choose to terminate them.

For employees, the law also makes it clear that probation periods should be used to assess the working conditions that the employer provides. New workers get to experience the safety, hygiene, hours, and other conditions of their workplaces and decide if they’re appropriate and acceptable. They also judge whether or not they can thrive in their new roles, especially when working with their new teammates and managers. If they feel that they won’t enjoy their jobs or if the employer is not providing the benefits and conditions that they promised, the employee may choose to resign during this period.

If both sides are satisfied with their working arrangement, however, one of two things can happen. The employer may offer a full employment contract for the worker to sign, but if they don’t, yet continue to employ the worker, they’re automatically considered to be a full employee.

Lengths of Probationary Periods in Cameroon

While Cameroonian law allows probationary hiring, it doesn’t require all new workers to undergo probation. Instead, employers can choose whether or not to use trial periods for their workers, and can also determine their durations within the limits set by law. The conditions of probation periods, including their duration and the possibility of renewals and extensions, must be agreed upon in writing.

Probation periods in Cameroon can last up to eight months, including renewals and extensions. However, this is only for top-level managers and executives.

For workers in lower-level positions, the maximum duration of a probation period is only six months. Most employers place their workers on probation for anywhere between fifteen days and six months, depending on how long they think they need to fairly assess them.

Legal Considerations for Probation Periods in Cameroon

Cameroon has a unique legal system that institutes common law in the English-speaking west and civil law in the French-speaking east of the country. However, the Labor Code of 1992, which regulates probation periods, applies across the entire country. Major points of law to be aware of include:

Pay and Working Conditions

Minimum wage levels in Cameroon were last updated in 2023 and 2024. Workers in the public sector must receive at least 43,969 XAF (Central African CFA francs) per month (around 80 USD). In the private sector, agricultural workers can be paid a minimum of 45,000 XAF/month (around 82 USD), while non-agricultural workers must receive at least 60,000 XAF/month (around 110 USD). While these minimums apply equally to probationary and full employees, employers can pay workers less during their probation periods than they plan to pay them as full employees.

Cameroonians generally work regular workweeks of 40 hours. However, for some positions, they can work longer, like retail and medical staff who can work 45 hours, and security guards who can work 56 regular hours a week. Overtime is only allowed in unusual or emergency situations, and employees can perform up to 20 hours of overtime per week. They must be paid 120% of their normal wages for their first eight hours of overtime per week, 130% for the next eight hours, and 140% for up to four additional hours. These rules also apply to probationary workers.

Termination and Notice

During probationary periods, both the employee and the employer have the right to terminate their contract at any time. They don’t need to provide any notice or compensation to each other for terminations.

After probation, however, greater protections are applied. While employees can be terminated immediately for gross misconduct, they must otherwise be given notice when they’re dismissed and give notice when they resign. This notice varies according to both the worker’s professional category and the length of their service to the employer, and can range from fifteen days to four months in duration. After working for an employer for two years, an employee is also entitled to severance pay upon termination, ranging from 20-40% of a month’s pay for each year of service, depending on their seniority.

Vacation / Holidays

Cameroonian workers become entitled to 18 working days of paid leave each year once they’ve worked for a full year for their employers. This means that probationary employees cannot take annual leave, though their work during probation counts towards the accrual of their entitlement (1.5 days per month of work). They also gain two extra days of leave per year for each period of five years of service that they provide to their employers.

In addition to paid annual leave, workers are also entitled to ten public holidays each year. On these important national and religious holidays, workers must receive the day off with full pay or, if they must work, be paid 200% of their normal wages. These rules apply equally to probationary and full employees.

Benefits of Probation Periods in Cameroon

Cameroon allows probation periods because of the clear benefits that they can convey to both employers and employees.
  • For Employees
Time to assess the working conditions provided by the employer.
The opportunity to try out a new job and see if they can perform it well.
The chance to see how well they can work with their teammates and within the company culture.
The ability to resign without giving notice.
  • For Employers
The chance to assess a new employee’s quality of work and level of productivity.
Time to see if the employee fits well into their team and the organization’s structure.
The ability to terminate ill-fitting employees without notice or compensation.

Conclusion

Probation periods are widely used in Cameroon because they provide an extra opportunity for both employees and employers to double-check their employment decisions. If both parties are satisfied, probation is considered a success, and their relationship should continue productively long-term.

Frequently Asked Questions

For most workers, probation can last up to six months, including renewals. However, this duration can be extended to eight months for executives and managers.

No. During probation, the employee and the employer have the right to terminate their contract without notice at any time.

Yes. While they can’t pay workers less than the minimum wage, probationary periods are considered different and separate from full employment. Employers can offer lower wages during these periods than they’d pay after probation is completed.