====== Seychelles ====== **Region:** Eastern Africa **Regional Economic Communities (REC):** COMESA · SADC → [[https://iiag.online/locations/sc.html|View IIAG Country Statistics]] ---- ^ Indicator ^ Data ^ | **Governance (IIAG)** | Overall Governance score: 75.3 / 100 · Rank: 1st / 54 | ---- ===== PART 1 – HIGH-LEVEL COUNTRY MAPPING ===== ==== Institutions and Stakeholder Database ==== (To be linked) ---- ==== REC Membership ==== * COMESA * SADC ---- ==== Population size and size of the informal economy ==== The population of Seychelles is approximately **108,844** (2025 estimate). The informal economy is relatively small, estimated at: * **9.7% of GDP (2019)** * Projected to decline to **7.7% by 2043** Informal employment represents approximately **8.69% of total non-agricultural employment**. ---- ==== Nature of the legal system and ILO status ==== Seychelles has a **hybrid legal system**, combining: * English common law * French civil law * Elements of customary law Seychelles has been a member of the **International Labour Organization (ILO) since 1977**. The country implements a **Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP)** focused on: * Employment creation * Social dialogue and tripartism * Strengthening labour standards Recent DWCP cycles (e.g. 2019–2023) have contributed to policy development and improved labour protections. ---- ==== Workers’ rights in human rights system, national labour law / social protection and scope of protection ==== Seychelles provides a comprehensive legal framework for workers’ rights, including: * Freedom of association * Protection against discrimination * Occupational safety and health However, challenges remain in: * Enforcement capacity * Labour inspection resources * Protection of vulnerable and migrant workers **Social Protection System (Agency for Social Protection – ASP)** Key features: * Universal non-contributory pension (age 63+) * Social welfare assistance programmes * Disability and orphan support schemes Challenges: * Fragmentation of benefits * Skewed allocation toward elderly populations * Limited targeting of informal workers and youth **Regulatory note:** Strong welfare state characteristics, but gaps remain in targeting informal economy vulnerabilities. ---- ==== Existing laws, policy and regulatory initiatives for the protection of workers in the informal economy ==== Seychelles adopts a **regulated formalisation approach**, combining licensing, labour regulation, and social protection. ---- ===== PART 2 – SECTOR SPECIFIC REGULATION ===== ---- ==== Domestic Work Sector ==== **Employment (Conditions of Employment of Domestic Workers) Regulations 2019** * Provides: * Working hour limits * Mandatory rest periods **Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons Act 2014** * Addresses forced labour indicators: * Wage withholding * Document confiscation Seychelles is aligning its framework with **ILO Convention No. 189**. **Regulatory note:** Strong legal framework, but enforcement constraints persist. ---- ==== Street Vendor ==== **Licences Act (Cap. 113)** * Requires vendors to obtain a licence from: * Seychelles Licensing Authority (SLA) * Small Business Development Agency (SENPA) **Commercial Code (as amended 2021)** * Exempts small traders from formal bookkeeping (Art. 8(2)) Additional requirements: * Health and planning approvals * Compliance with food safety and hygiene regulations **Regulatory note:** Street vending is formally recognised and regulated, with a balance between informality and compliance. ---- ==== Waste Reclaiming ==== **National Waste Policy (2018–2023)** **Environment Protection (Waste Services) Regulations 2021** * Govern: * Waste disposal * Recycling * Contractor responsibilities Institution: * Landscape and Waste Management Agency (LWMA) Initiatives include: * Recycling centres * Redeem Centres for materials (e.g. PET bottles) **Regulatory note:** Structured environmental governance with formalised recycling systems. ---- ==== Home working ==== **Workers’ Rights Act 2019 (as amended by COVID-19 legislation)** * Employers may require remote work with **48 hours’ notice** **Employment (Coronavirus Special Leave) Regulations** * Provide: * Paid isolation leave * Wage protection **Regulatory note:** Remote work introduced as a crisis measure but retained in practice. ---- ==== Gig Work and the Platform Economy ==== Regulated through existing labour law frameworks: * **Employment Act 1995** * **Conditions of Employment Regulations 1991** Key issue: * Worker classification (employee vs self-employed) Implications: * Employees receive: * Leave * Overtime * Social security * Self-employed workers typically excluded Additional framework: * **Data Protection Act 2023** * Cybercrime legislation * VASP regulations (for digital platforms) **Regulatory note:** Evolving framework with strong focus on **digital governance and worker classification**. ---- ==== Farm Work ==== Farm work regulation focuses on: * Work permits for foreign labour * Employer-sponsored employment * Compliance with labour laws Relevant legislation: * Agriculture Act * Pesticide Control Act Requirements: * Health insurance * Repatriation insurance * Compliance with environmental standards **Regulatory note:** Strong regulation of migrant labour in agriculture. ---- ==== Mining Sector and Artisanal Mining ==== **Minerals Act 1962 (as amended)** * Regulates: * Prospecting * Mining * Licensing Key features: * State control over mineral resources * Licensing requirement for all mining **Regulatory note:** Artisanal mining without state authorisation is effectively prohibited. ---- ==== Taxi and Transport Sector (Gig-work/platform economy overlap) ==== **Road Transport Act (Cap. 206)** **Licences Act (Cap. 113)** Key requirements: * Licensing of taxi operators * Minimum operating hours (56 hours/week) * Vehicle standards and branding Regulatory bodies: * Seychelles Licensing Authority (SLA) * Ministry of Transport Additional regulations: * Road Transport (Taxi) Regulations 1982 * Tourism Development Act 2019 **Regulatory note:** Highly formalised sector with strict compliance requirements. ---- ==== Cross-Border Informal Trade ==== Seychelles does not have a single dedicated law on informal cross-border trade. However: * Regional frameworks: * COMESA * SADC * National measures: * Anti-Money Laundering (Cross-Border Declaration) Regulations * AfCFTA implementation strategy Recent initiatives include: * COMESA Small Cross Border Trade (SCBT) project * Efforts to formalise small-scale trade **Regulatory note:** Regional integration plays a key role in shaping regulation. ---- ===== Sources / Links ===== * IIAG – Seychelles: https://iiag.online/locations/sc.html * Employment Regulations 2019 * Environment Protection Regulations 2021 * Minerals Act 1962 * Rwanda IIAG dataset reference (comparative)