Practice Overview
Our Employment and Immigration team provides tailored, practical, and reliable legal support to both local and international clients as they navigate Ethiopia’s employment and immigration regulations. We ensure compliance with evolving legal requirements while proactively managing risks and addressing sensitive matters efficiently. By fostering compliant employment practices and immigration processes that align with Ethiopian law, our team enables clients to attract, retain, and manage talent—supporting Ethiopia’s overall economic growth and enhancing labour market efficiency.
Our Services
- Advising on hiring, transfer, and employee termination processes.
- Drafting and reviewing employment agreements, policies, and termination documents.
- Guiding on labour law compliance, HR policies, and training initiatives.
- Advising on health and workplace safety legal requirements.
- Conducting due diligence on employment and immigration matters.
- Advising on workforce restructuring and employee downsizing strategies.
- Representing clients in employment disputes and litigation proceedings.
- Advising on compliant end-to-end immigration processes and timelines.
- Assisting and guiding with visa issuance and extension processes.
- Managing work and residence permit applications, renewals, and cancellations.
Selected Experience
- Conducted employment due diligence on five cooperatives for Morocco’s leading fertilizer exporter.
- Assisted one of the world’s leading international tobacco manufacturers with employment agreements, terminations, and retirement advice.
- Assisted a US electrical equipment manufacturer with employment, termination, and transfers.
- Assisted a Canadian mining company with drafting and reviewing employment agreements and work rules.
- Advised an international organization for cultural relations and educational opportunities on termination, employment contracts, and COVID‑19 regulations.
- Advised a US nonprofit on separation agreements, benefits, and employment of expatriates.
- Assisted a US nongovernmental organization in drafting and negotiating separation agreements.
- Assisted embassies with employment agreements, policies, termination, and separation matters.
- Assisted an NGO with workforce reduction, from planning to actual terminations.
- Assisted numerous clients with immigration processes, visa applications, planning, and residence permits.
Brief Overview of Ethiopian Legal Framework
Ethiopia’s employment law framework is designed to ensure fair employment practices, protect employee rights, and uphold a favorable work environment. Different laws govern public and private sectors. Civil servants are governed by the Federal Civil Servants Proclamation No. 1353/2025, while employees in the private sector are governed by the Labour Proclamation No. 1156/2019, which applies to non‑managerial employees, and the 1960 Civil Code, which applies to managerial employees. This framework establishes minimum employment standards and strictly regulates termination, providing remedies for unlawful dismissal.
A comprehensive immigration regime also governs entry and exit procedures, including penalties for non‑compliance. Foreign nationals must enter Ethiopia with visas appropriate to their purpose—typically private work visas for employment—and must obtain the required work and residence permits. Employers seeking to hire foreign nationals must demonstrate the unavailability of qualified local talent, maintain a 1:10 expat‑to‑local ratio, and implement a skills transfer plan.
Key Contact
Mehrteab Leul
Managing Partner
mehrteab@mehrteableul.com
+251‑911‑209155
Helina Asamnew
Associate
helina@mehrteableul.com