Find Out How to Get a Job and Work in Maputo

Employment in Maputo

Local Economy

The Mozambican currency is the Mozambican Metical (MZN), which replaced the Portuguese escudo in 1980. Maputo is a port city and the economy is consequently centered on its harbor. The main exports include sugar, cotton, chromite, copra and sisal as well as hardwood.

The city does have a reasonably sized manufacturing base, producing pottery, furniture, rubber, shoes and cement among other things. Maputo’s coal and natural gas boom also means that natural resources companies are setting up shop in the city and becoming increasingly important to the local economy. This is having a domino effect, leading to other offices opening, such as law firms that focus on the natural resources industry.

Job Hunting in Maputo

As the economy in Maputo is growing, the opportunities for expats looking for jobs are increasing. Openings tend to be in the natural resources, legal and trade sectors. Online sites like JobSpace and Trovit can be useful when searching for a job in Maputo.

One thing to bear in mind when looking for a job in Maputo is that the main working language is Portuguese rather than English. Many posts, even in international offices, will require working knowledge of Portuguese as well as English.

A number of newspapers operate out of the city, such as Canal de Mozambique and Domingo; expatriates may find these helpful when searching for employment.

Income Taxation in Maputo

In Mozambique, income is taxed progressively, with rates reaching up to 32%. Individual tax returns, unless one is self-employed, are mostly unnecessary, as the PAYE system deducts taxes at source. If you are filing your own tax return then bear in mind that tax returns are submitted on a household rather than individual basis in Mozambique. A rough guide to incomes and rates can be broken down as follows:

• Up to 42,000 MZN (1,180 USD): 10%
• 42,000–168,000 MZN (4,730 USD): 15% 
• 168,000–504,000 MZN (14,200 USD): 20% 
• 504,000–1,512,000 MZN (42,600 USD): 25% 
• 1,512,000 MZN or more: 32%

As well as income tax, Mozambique levies a number of other rates, including social security tax, capital gains tax and property taxes.