Your quick guide on talent and labor compliance norms in Afghanistan
Capital
Kabul
Currency
Afghan Afghani (AFN)
Languages
Pashto, Persian
Payroll Frequency
Alternate payroll schedules (Weekly, Semi-Monthly and Monthly)
GDP per Capita
$426.23
Employer Tax
0%
Talent Overview
Afghanistan has a nominal GDP of $21.7 billion and has a GDP per capita of $2024 on the basis of purchasing power parity. Agriculture and mining are significant sources of income for most of the people of Afghanistan.
Major economic hubs:
Kabul, Kandahar, Herat, Jalalabad
Skills in demand:
Construction skills, Agriculture skills
Local Universities
The top local universities in Afghanistan are as follows:
Local: 1
World: 5669
Local: 2
World: 8655
Local: 3
World: 9774
Local: 4
World: 10006
Local: 5
World: 10724
Salary Data
Some of the top jobs and their corresponding monthly salaries are as follows:
| Job Title | Average monthly Salary (AFN) | Average Monthly Salary (USD) |
| Financial Analyst | 99,700 | 1,164 |
| Administrative Assistant | 41,100 | 480 |
| Business Project Manager | 89,200 | 1,041 |
| Human Resource Officer | 49,000 | 572 |
| Network Engineer | 73,200 | 855 |
Talent Sourcing Tips
468,100
Afghanistan offers excellent potential for employers as it helps establish low-cost branches to gain access to its market. Learn more about the employment laws and regulations in Afghanistan below.
Pashto and Dari are the common languages in use. Dari was previously used for government communications. Now with the Taliban in power, Pashto is promoted for official usage.
The probationary period for employees in Afghanistan is up to three months.
| Date | Name | Type |
| 15 Feb | Liberation Day | Public Holiday |
| 11 Mar | First Day of Ramadan | Public Holiday |
| 10 Apr | Eid al-Fitr | Public Holiday |
| 11 Apr | Eid al-Fitr Holiday | Public Holiday |
| 12 Apr | Eid al-Fitr Holiday | Public Holiday |
| 28 Apr | Afghan Victory Day | Public Holiday |
| 1 May | Labor Day | Public Holiday |
| 16 Jun | Day of Arafat | Public Holiday |
| 17 Jun | Eid al-Qurban | Public Holiday |
| 18 Jun | Eid al-Qurban Holiday | Public Holiday |
| 19 Jun | Eid al-Qurban Holiday | Public Holiday |
| 17 Jul | Ashura | Public Holiday |
| 19 Aug | Independence Day (National Day) | Public Holiday |
| 31 Aug | Anniversary of the Withdrawal of Foreign Troops | Public Holiday |
| 9 Sep | Martyrs and Ahmad Shah Masoud Day | Public Holiday |
| 16 Sep | The Prophet’s Birthday (Tentative Date) | Public Holiday |
| Type of Leave | Time Period | Mandatory |
| Annual Leave | 20 days | Yes |
| Sick Leave | 3 days | Yes |
| Maternity Leave | 90 days | Yes |
Payroll
Payroll Cycle
Afghan follows alternate payroll schedules – weekly, semi-monthly, and monthly.
Minimum Wage
There is no minimum wage for a permanent worker in the private sector. However, the minimum wage for a permanent worker in the government sector is AFN 6000 per month. For a non permanent private sector employee, the minimum wage is 5500 AFN.
Overtime Pay
Employees who work overtime are entitled to a 25% increase in their wages for the hours worked and 50% for overtime worked on public holidays.
Bonus
There is no provision for 13th-month salary.
Taxes
Employers are not expected to pay any taxes in respect of their employers or their salaries.
For monthly income, the following tax rates are considered:
| Taxable income range (AFN) | Tax rate |
| 0 – 5000 | 0% |
| 5000 – 12500 | 2% |
| 12500 – 100,000 | 10% + AFN 150 |
| Above 100,000 | 20% + AFN 8900 |
Afghanistan follows a standard VAT rate of 10%.
Offboarding & Termination
Termination of employment may occur in the following situations:
As per mutual discussion between the employer and the employee, and the labor code of the country.
Severance pay in Afghanistan is mandatory and payable based on the duration of the service as follows:
Visa and Immigration
If a foreigner is to work in Afghanistan, the following documents are needed:
