Employment
Salaries and Labour Costs
The average paid employee in Rwanda earned FRW 83,110 a month in 2025, and half earned less than FRW 39,000. There is no statutory minimum wage. Employers add about 8.3% of salary in social security contributions, and the working week is at most 45 hours.
- Average monthly income of paid employees, 2025
- FRW 83,1101
- Average monthly income of paid employees, 2025
- Median monthly income of paid employees, 2025
- FRW 39,0001
- Median monthly income of paid employees, 2025
Pay by sector, 2025
| Sector | Average monthly pay (FRW) |
|---|---|
| Services | 141,653 |
| Industry | 104,169 |
| Agriculture | 33,326 |
| All paid employees | 82,996 |
Source: National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda: Labour Force Survey, annual report 20251
20.8% of paid employees earned FRW 100,000 a month or more. Official statistics give pay by sector, not by job title; managers and professionals agree pay case by case.1
Pay and unemployment by district
Show the figures as a table
| Rank | District | Province | Median monthly pay, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kicukiro | City of Kigali | RWF 100,000 |
| 2 | Gasabo | City of Kigali | RWF 80,000 |
| 3 | Nyarugenge | City of Kigali | RWF 80,000 |
| 4 | Musanze | Northern Province | RWF 52,000 |
| 5 | Rubavu | Western Province | RWF 52,000 |
| 6 | Kamonyi | Southern Province | RWF 46,800 |
| 7 | Bugesera | Eastern Province | RWF 43,333 |
| 8 | Burera | Northern Province | RWF 39,000 |
| 9 | Muhanga | Southern Province | RWF 39,000 |
| 10 | Rwamagana | Eastern Province | RWF 39,000 |
| 11 | Rusizi | Western Province | RWF 39,000 |
| 12 | Nyamasheke | Western Province | RWF 39,000 |
| 13 | Nyabihu | Western Province | RWF 39,000 |
| 14 | Gicumbi | Northern Province | RWF 31,200 |
| 15 | Rulindo | Northern Province | RWF 31,200 |
| 16 | Huye | Southern Province | RWF 31,200 |
| 17 | Nyamagabe | Southern Province | RWF 31,200 |
| 18 | Ruhango | Southern Province | RWF 31,200 |
| 19 | Nyaruguru | Southern Province | RWF 31,200 |
| 20 | Karongi | Western Province | RWF 31,200 |
| 21 | Rutsiro | Western Province | RWF 31,200 |
| 22 | Ngororero | Western Province | RWF 31,200 |
| 23 | Kayonza | Eastern Province | RWF 30,000 |
| 24 | Gakenke | Northern Province | RWF 26,000 |
| 25 | Gisagara | Southern Province | RWF 26,000 |
| 26 | Nyanza | Southern Province | RWF 26,000 |
| 27 | Nyagatare | Eastern Province | RWF 26,000 |
| 28 | Gatsibo | Eastern Province | RWF 26,000 |
| 29 | Kirehe | Eastern Province | RWF 26,000 |
| 30 | Ngoma | Eastern Province | RWF 26,000 |
| Rank | District | Province | Unemployment, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nyamasheke | Western Province | 18.4% |
| 2 | Gicumbi | Northern Province | 18.1% |
| 3 | Kamonyi | Southern Province | 17.4% |
| 4 | Nyaruguru | Southern Province | 17.4% |
| 5 | Burera | Northern Province | 16.4% |
| 6 | Rutsiro | Western Province | 15.6% |
| 7 | Rusizi | Western Province | 15.0% |
| 8 | Nyamagabe | Southern Province | 13.5% |
| 9 | Nyanza | Southern Province | 13.5% |
| 10 | Bugesera | Eastern Province | 13.3% |
| 11 | Kicukiro | City of Kigali | 13.2% |
| 12 | Rubavu | Western Province | 12.7% |
| 13 | Muhanga | Southern Province | 12.6% |
| 14 | Nyarugenge | City of Kigali | 12.4% |
| 15 | Rulindo | Northern Province | 12.4% |
| 16 | Huye | Southern Province | 12.4% |
| 17 | Gisagara | Southern Province | 12.3% |
| 18 | Karongi | Western Province | 12.1% |
| 19 | Musanze | Northern Province | 11.8% |
| 20 | Rwamagana | Eastern Province | 11.7% |
| 21 | Gatsibo | Eastern Province | 11.5% |
| 22 | Gasabo | City of Kigali | 11.2% |
| 23 | Ngoma | Eastern Province | 10.1% |
| 24 | Nyagatare | Eastern Province | 10.0% |
| 25 | Ruhango | Southern Province | 9.4% |
| 26 | Kirehe | Eastern Province | 9.3% |
| 27 | Kayonza | Eastern Province | 9.2% |
| 28 | Ngororero | Western Province | 8.6% |
| 29 | Gakenke | Northern Province | 7.0% |
| 30 | Nyabihu | Western Province | 7.0% |
What an employer pays on top
| Contribution | Employer | Employee |
|---|---|---|
| Pension | 6% | 6% |
| Occupational hazards | 2% | — |
| Maternity leave | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Total | 8.3% | 6.3% |
Source: Rwanda Revenue Authority: Pension scheme contribution; Rwanda Revenue Authority: Maternity leave contribution2,3
On a gross salary of FRW 300,000 a month the employer pays about FRW 324,900 in total, and the employee’s PAYE is FRW 54,000.2,5
The labour law
- Working hours: at most 45 hours a week; more by agreement.
- Probation: at most three months, which can be repeated once after a written evaluation.
- Annual leave: 1.5 working days per month of work, plus one day for every three years in the same company, up to 21 days.
- Notice: at least 15 days in the first year of service, 30 days after that, in writing with reasons.
- Minimum wage: set by order of the Minister of Labour; none has been set.
Source: Ministry of Justice: Law N° 66/2018 regulating labour in Rwanda; U.S. Department of State: 2026 Investment Climate Statement, Rwanda4,6
Foreign staff
A foreign employee needs a residence permit in an employment class, applied for on IremboGov. Most cost RWF 150,000: H2 for a worker sponsored by an employer, H1 for a job on the occupations in demand list and Q1 for staff transferred by a multinational. A registered investor investing USD 250,000 can recruit three foreign employees without a labour-market test.7,8
Sources
- National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda: Labour Force Survey, annual report 2025
- Rwanda Revenue Authority: Pension scheme contribution
- Rwanda Revenue Authority: Maternity leave contribution
- Ministry of Justice: Law N° 66/2018 regulating labour in Rwanda (PDF)
- Rwanda Revenue Authority: Basic information on Rwanda taxation, 2025
- U.S. Department of State: 2026 Investment Climate Statement, Rwanda
- Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration: Employment permits
- Rwanda Development Board: One Stop Centre, investment registration
Figures checked 9 November 2026. Prepared by InvestRwanda.com for general information. It is not investment, tax or legal advice; please confirm details with a qualified adviser before acting.
