Employment contracts in Tanzania: types, written terms and probation

Which law applies to your job

The Employment and Labour Relations Act, 2004 (Cap. 366) sets the basic employment standards on Tanzania Mainland. It covers private-sector employees and most public servants. It does not cover members of the Defence Forces, the Police Force, the Prisons Service or the National Service. Zanzibar has its own employment laws, so if the job is on Unguja or Pemba, ask which rules apply before you sign.

The Act has been amended several times. An amendment in 2015 and the Labour Laws (Amendments) Act, 2025 both changed the contract rules described below. When you read an older blog post or a contract template, check whether it was written before March 2025.

The three types of contract

Section 14 of the Act allows three types of employment contract:

• A contract for an unspecified period. This is what most people call a permanent job. It continues until it is ended lawfully.
• A contract for a specified period. This is a fixed-term contract with an end date. Since 2025 the law lists the situations in which it may be used.
• A contract for a specific task. The Act defines a specific task as work that is occasional or seasonal and not continuous.

The type matters. Notice, severance and the question of whether a contract simply ends or is terminated all depend on it. If your letter does not say which type you have, ask the employer to state it in writing.

When a fixed-term contract is allowed

The Labour Laws (Amendments) Act, 2025 replaced the old wording, which tied fixed-term contracts to professionals and managers. A contract for a specified period can now be used for an employee who:

• is hired because of a temporary increase in work that is not expected to last beyond twelve months;
• is a graduate employed to be trained or to gain work experience, for no more than twenty-four months;
• works only on a project with a limited or defined duration;
• is a non-citizen with a work permit for a defined period;
• does seasonal work;
• is employed under an official public works or job creation scheme;
• holds a post funded by an outside source for a limited period;
• has reached retirement age under the applicable law; or
• works for an employer whose business depends on winning tenders.

The Employment and Labour Relations (General) Regulations, 2017 add that a contract for a specified period must not be for less than twelve months. If you are offered a short fixed-term contract that fits none of these situations, ask the employer to explain the basis in writing.

Put it in writing

Since the 2015 amendment, a contract must be in writing whether the employee works inside or outside Tanzania. Section 15 also requires the employer, when you start, to give you written particulars of your employment. These are:

• your name, age, permanent address and sex;
• the place where you were recruited;
• your job description;
• the date you start;
• the form and length of the contract;
• the place of work;
• the hours of work;
• your pay, how it is calculated, and any benefits or payments in kind.

If you do not understand the written terms, the employer must explain them in a way you understand. If a term changes, the employer must revise the particulars after consulting you and tell you in writing. The employer must keep these particulars for five years after the job ends. If there is a dispute and the employer cannot produce a written contract or particulars, the employer carries the burden of proving the terms. These written particulars rules do not apply to someone who works fewer than six days a month for that employer.

What probation does and does not change

The Act itself does not use the word probation or set its length. The Employment and Labour Relations (Code of Good Practice) Rules, 2007 (GN 42) do. They say probation should be of a reasonable length and not more than twelve months, depending on the nature of the job, the standards required and the practice in the sector. The terms of probation must be made known to you before you start work. The employer may extend probation, after consulting you, if it has not yet been able to assess properly whether you are competent or suitable for the job.

The Rules also say that during probation the employer must monitor and evaluate your work, meet you at regular intervals to discuss it and give guidance where needed. If it is concerned that you are not performing to standard, it must tell you and give you a chance to respond or to improve. Ask for the length of probation, the standards you will be assessed on and the name of the reviewer in writing before you sign.

The Act does draw one clear line at six months. The rules on unfair termination in Sub-Part E do not apply to an employee with less than six months of employment with the same employer, whether under one contract or several. This is why the first six months matter.

Probation does not switch off your other rights. During the first month of employment, a notice period of at least seven days still applies. Your pay, deductions, working hours and overtime rules still apply from the first day. Paid leave under the Act applies once you have completed six months of service. Read how notice and termination work.

Fixed-term contracts: renewal and early ending

A fixed-term contract normally ends on its end date. The Act treats some endings as a termination, though. If the employer fails to renew a fixed-term contract on the same or similar terms when you had a reasonable expectation of renewal, that can count as a termination of employment under section 36.

If the employer commits a material breach of a fixed-term contract, the 2025 amendments allow an arbitrator or the Labour Court to order compensation equal to your pay for the remaining term of the contract. Keep every renewal letter, email and promise about extension. These records matter if a dispute reaches the Commission for Mediation and Arbitration (CMA).

Check these points before you sign

Read the whole document, not only the salary line. Before you sign:

• Confirm the contract type, start date and, for a fixed term, the end date.
• Check that the job title and duties match the role you applied for.
• Ask whether the pay figure is basic pay or includes allowances, and whether it is gross or net. Read how to check a payslip.
• Read the hours, the place of work and any clause about transfers.
• Read the notice period. A longer notice period than the legal minimum is allowed only if it is the same for you and the employer.
• Do not sign a blank page or a document with missing figures.
• Keep a signed copy. A photo on your phone is better than nothing.

If an agency recruits you, ask who your employer is, who pays you and who signs the contract. Never pay a fee to receive a contract.

Your employer must display your rights

Section 16 requires every employer to display a statement of employees' rights in a visible place at work. The 2017 regulations set the form for it. It lists rights such as receiving a written contract, annual and sick leave, overtime pay, rest periods and a certificate of service when you leave. If you cannot find it, ask the human resources office. The labour office in your region or district can also explain your rights.