Your Trusted Partner for Recruitment in Zambia

To better fulfill your recruitment needs, we at Remote People are here to help you find top talent in Zambia more effectively than recruiting on your own. Our team understands the local language, customs, and the intricacies of the Zambian talent market, giving you a significant advantage in securing the right candidates.

We know where to advertise your job openings to ensure maximum exposure and attract the best talent. Additionally, we assist in designing competitive, locally-appropriate compensation packages that not only appeal to top candidates but also help you optimize costs.

Get in touch with us to navigate the Zambia’s recruitment landscape with confidence and ease.

Recruitment Services in Zambia

Zambia, as a country, has experienced some turbulence in the past few years, but it’s universally known as one of the more peaceful, stable African nations. Our local experts are there to guide you as you enter this new market, supporting you in taking advantage of the economic opportunities this English-speaking nation brings.

Our goal is to identify the culturally fluent candidates who can deliver value to your organization. This includes native English speakers but also those who can speak some of the 72 local languages present in the country, including Bemba in the Copperbelt region and Nyanja in the capital and Eastern Province.

Unlike other companies, we have local teams on the ground who understand the legal and business ecosystem of the country, including knowledge of cultural norms and the latest workforce trends. This gives you the strategic edge needed to acquire the talent needed to supercharge your firm’s growth.

Recruiting Expats in Zambia

Diversity in your team delivers countless benefits, including global market knowledge and unique insights into doing business. New perspectives combined with authentic local knowledge is the combination that helps you to achieve your goals. For foreign hires, firms must show that they’ve advertised the role locally first before filing a request for an employment permit with the Department of Immigration, which sits under the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security.

Zambia is highly protective of its internal labor market, which is why some of the requirements to hire international candidates can be daunting. Consult with Remote People, and we’ll help you to negotiate this process.

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Overview of Zambia's Workforce

Like many of Africa’s nations, Zambia maintains a young workforce, with significant gaps in senior talent, especially in the mining, energy, and manufacturing sectors. According to the latest Labour Force Survey, unemployment was just 12.6% in 2022, making it moderately successful on the continent in this respect.

Despite this positive headline figure, there’s still a significant lack of candidates with leadership experience and specialist skills. That’s why the Zambian government requires foreign hires to come with an understudy mandate to transfer key skills to local workers.

Zambia’s economy continues to boast significant potential, with its main industries being in agriculture, manufacturing, energy, and mining. Traditionally, fishing and agriculture were its primary industries, with mining operations in the Copperbelt region, which it shares with the Democratic Republic of Congo.

However, it’s worked to diversify, with the country becoming a leading regional electricity exporter. It has also expanded its tourism industry, taking advantage of chaos in Zimbabwe and rising prices in locations like Botswana and Tanzania.

In short, Zambia enjoys a young, highly-educated workforce with tremendous economic opportunities, setting the stage for foreign firms to help grow the country.

Overview of Zambia's Recruitment Landscape

A clear statutory framework exists to formalize employment in Zambia. At the heart of Zambia’s recruitment is the Employment Code Act, No. 3 of 2019. This law lays out the core aspects of the employment relationship, including working hours, annual leave requirements, severance pay, and written contracts.

Zambia also sets wage floors via the Minimum Wages and Conditions of Employment framework. Although those in mid and senior positions tend to enjoy compensation packages set well above these wage floors, it’s vital to be aware of updates because they will impact salaries higher up the ladder.

In short, business owners with operations in developed parts of the world will already discover that Zambia’s system doesn’t differ massively. With a UK-style system already in place, recruitment is much more straightforward than in many other parts of Africa.

Recruitment Season in Zambia

When’s the best time to hire in Zambia? We find that there are two peak hiring periods in the country:

  • January-June: Q1 and Q2 tend to be when companies go through strategic resets and approve new budgets. It’s also when the new fiscal year kicks in, which is when annual plans tend to be initiated.
  • May/Late August-October: Graduations are clustered in Zambia, meaning not everyone graduates at the same time. End-of-session periods also give graduates the chance to secure roles. These periods are ideal if you’re looking to benefit from the country’s top emerging talent.

Major Job Portals and Recruitment Platforms in Zambia

Within the public sector, the national ZamPortal gateway and individual ministry/agency websites tend to be where vacancies appear. In the private sector, there are no dedicated online recruitment platforms. Instead, most hires are still done through referral networks and targeted headhunting.

Zambia's Graduate Pipeline: A Hub for STEM and Business Talent

Zambia’s universities are well-established for filling pipelines within the energy, mining, construction, business, and technology sectors. Partnering with local career officers and even alumni groups is a common way of tapping the next generation of talent, especially within highly lucrative, capital-intensive environments. Most of the country’s top universities are located in Lusaka, Kitwe, and Kabwe.

Top Engineering Schools in Zambia

Top Business Schools in Zambia

  • University of Zambia (UNZA)
  • Copperbelt University (CBU)
  • Mulungushi University
  • ZCAS University

Labor Laws and Employment Regulations in Zambia

International firms must be aware of the rules and regulations applying to hiring in Zambia. Primarily, you must either have a registered entity in the country, such as via incorporation through PACRA. Instead, you can also apply to work with a local employer and have them hire staff as the legal employer instead. This is something Remote People can support you with through our local connections.

Be mindful that the country already has an established employment framework via the Employment Code Act 2019, with substantial penalties for non-compliance. That’s why teaming up with a local Zambia recruitment agency can pay dividends in your drive to hire and grow your company.

Who Can Legally Hire in Zambia?

Only registered Zambian employers are entitled to hire in the country. You must either have a company or a branch that has been registered with PACRA. Setting up a formal entity isn’t for everybody, so you may also choose to outsource this to an Employer of Record (EOR) instead.

Work Requirements for Employees

All employees are required to have a written employment contract. These contracts must comply with the Employment Code Act, with requirements such as contracts stating the role, work location, salary, leave entitlements, and dismissal terms.

If you’re hiring an expatriate, the Department of Immigration must have also issued a valid Employment Permit to make the hire legally compliant.

Employment Contracts

Employment contracts must comply with the requirements set down by the Employment Code Act. With so many requirements for what they must cover, we support our clients by providing customizable templates to streamline this process. Additionally, contracts must account for sector-specific norms, such as rotation patterns, if you’re based within the mining industry.

Minimum Employee Entitlements

Zambia provides several base entitlements for employees that every company must meet. These include:

  • A standard work week of 48 hours.
  • Annual leave of 24 days after a year of service.
  • Severance and termination entitlements.

Note that total reward calibration must also be based on tax and social security contributions, the latter of which total up to 10% of the current ceiling.

Benefits of Partnering with a Recruitment Agency in Zambia

Deciding whether to go with a recruitment agency in Zambia or manage recruitment in-house is a debate every company has. If you’re not sure where to turn, here’s what we can bring to the hiring pipeline:

  • Language and Cultural Skills: Our Zambia hiring consultants speak not only English but several local languages, helping you to communicate and adapt to the cultural norms of different communities.
  • Unbeatable Market Knowledge: We possess specific Zambian market knowledge, including the latest wage and workforce trends.
  • Local and Global Networks: We’ll proactively engage with active and passive talent in Zambia and beyond using the connections we’ve built up over many years.
  • Compliance Helper: Dealing with immigration and employment frameworks becomes a breeze when working alongside us, as we can coordinate everything from communications with ministries to application timelines.
  • Employment Contract Support: Our customized contract templates comply with all relevant Zambian laws, preventing issues of non-compliance while keeping contracts tailored to your needs.
  • Frictionless Hiring: Let’s reduce your time-to-hire by aligning your recruitment with key hiring periods, while enabling you to identify the top-performing candidates in your sector.

How to Choose a Zambia Recruitment Agency

How do you determine which recruitment agency in Zambia you should work with? Begin by asking the following questions when you’ve built your shortlist of candidates:

Reputation

Look up the reviews from the agency to determine what its strengths and weaknesses are. Reviews in places like Google are the best locations to get an objective viewpoint of how they perform.

Experience

How long have they been in the business of recruitment in Zambia? The longer they’ve been there, the higher the chances that they provide a top-quality service.

Services

Discuss what services you’ll need with your leadership team and then see whether that agency can provide them. This could be executive search in Zambia, payroll support, or even onboarding advisory services. If you’re in need of more in-depth services, you may want to consider a Zambia Employer of Record.

Fees

Request bespoke quotes from each agency and analyze whether they can provide the services you need at a price that’s within your budget. Note that standardized pricing is unconventional, as services are usually tailored to the company and its requested services.

Recruit Top Talent Across Africa with Our Recruitment Expertise

Navigating the complexities of hiring and workforce management across different countries can be challenging. Partnering with a reliable recruitment agency ensures you stay compliant with local labor laws, streamline the hiring process, and secure top talent. Learn how Remote People can help you recruit in the following countries:

Recruitment Coverage in Africa
AlgeriaAngolaBenin
BotswanaBurkina FasoBurundi
Cabo VerdeCameroonCentral African Republic
ChadComorosDemocratic Republic of Congo
DjiboutiEquatorial GuineaEritrea
EswatiniEthiopiaGabon
GambiaGhanaGuinea
Guinea-BissauIvory CoastKenya
LesothoLiberiaLibya
MadagascarMalawiMali
MauritiusMoroccoMozambique
NamibiaNigerNigeria
Republic of the CongoSao Tome and PrincipeSeychelles
South AfricaTanzaniaTogo
TunisiaZambiaZimbabwe

Ready to find your next star performer or build a leadership team in Zambia? Contact Remote People today.

Zambia is a nation brimming with expertise and an increasingly skilled workforce. It’s why foreign firms are setting up branches within the country as part of their multinational strategies. Managing an array of rules, regulations, and operations is complex, which is why a recruitment firm like Remote People can help with labor law compliance, frictionless hiring and sourcing senior roles through global networks.

We’re different because we actually have local teams on the ground capable of giving you the end-to-end hiring experience you expect. Schedule your consultation with one of our Zambia hiring consultants to learn more today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Remote People is capable of offering a range of services, including executive search, Employer of Record, foreign/local hiring support, and so much more.

We have teams on the ground with extensive experience working within the Zambian system. This expertise allows us to align your hiring processes with legal and cultural norms for better outcomes.

We’re a local recruitment platform with global experience. Our total understanding and connections within the Zambian system mean we’re able to support you in managing everything from immigration and work permits to cultural onboarding. At the same time, you focus on growing your firm.