Highlights

• Minister of Employment Ferdinand Massamba wa Massamba sets 30-day deadline for compliance.
• Agencies without updated authorization risk suspension, withdrawal of licenses, or legal action.
• Move aims to clean up the labor placement sector and protect workers from exploitation.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has given private employment agencies 30 working days to bring their operations in line with labor laws. In a statement dated September 16, 2025, the new Minister of Employment and Labor, Ferdinand Massamba wa Massamba, warned that agencies failing to comply will face strict sanctions.

The directive requires agencies to update their authorizations under Articles 203 to 207 of the Labor Code and relevant ministerial decrees. All files must be submitted to the National Employment Office (ONEM) within the deadline, after which non-compliant operators will be deemed illegal. Sanctions may include license withdrawal, suspension of activities, and legal proceedings for unauthorized labor placement.

A joint commission—comprising the Ministry, ONEM, the General Labor Inspectorate, and the General Secretariat for Employment and Labor—will examine submissions, while a national monitoring mission will oversee implementation.

According to the ministry, the crackdown seeks to clean up the placement sector, ensure fair competition, and protect workers from abuse. Officials stressed this represents a final warning before penalties are fully enforced.

Massamba wa Massamba, a provincial deputy for Nyunzu and former deputy governor of Tanganyika, was appointed in the Suminwa II government on August 7. Upon taking office, he pledged to create sustainable jobs, uphold dignity at work, and strengthen the value of human capital.

Boaz Kabeya