Egypt Issues Package of Ministerial Decrees Overhauling Labour Law Administration and Enforcement

The Egyptian Labor Minister recently issued a bundle of decrees covering several topics covering employee monetary claims, competency of authorities, training and skills governance, foreign worker permits, working time frameworks, holidays, dispute resolution, and inspection powers, reflecting a comprehensive modernization of labour administration and enforcement.

Ministerial Decree No. 259 of 2025 Identifying the Parameters, Procedures and Deadlines in Relation to the Fulfilment of the Employees’ Monetary Rights

Employee monetary entitlements arising from the employment relationship are treated as preferential debts, ranking ahead of judicial fees, public treasury dues, preservation/restoration costs, and other preferential claims under any legislation. In cases of bankruptcy, dissolution, or closure by judgment or decree, payment windows are set at up to one year, with an initial 30‑day accounting obligation on the employer/liquidator, staged payouts if funds are insufficient, monthly reporting to the administrative authority, and nullity of actions that frustrate payment—subject to rectification within 15 days and referral to labour court if unremedied; employees may sue to nullify obstructive acts or seek the liquidator’s dismissal.

Ministerial Decree No. 260 of 2025 Determining the Competent Administrative Authority in Applying Labour Law No. 14 of 2025

This decree publishes a detailed matrix of competent administrative authorities, aligned to specific provisions of the new law, providing a practical map for filings, oversight, and enforcement.

Ministerial Decree No. 266 of 2025 Regulation of Skill Level Measurement and Licensing of Crafts and Professions

A national skill measurement system is established in line with labour‑market needs and international assessment standards, with labour inspection mandated to oversee licensing and measurement compliance at worksites.

Ministerial Decree No. 267 of 2025 Regulations on Professional Progression and Training

The decree defines a paid “trainee” under fixed‑term agreements, covers all establishments under a minister‑chaired governance committee integrating national strategies, skills forecasting, information systems, partnerships, and future‑skills promotion. It sets a minimum age of 14, prohibits hazardous work and holiday/rest‑day training, stages programs over one to three years with progressive pay reaching at least the occupational minimum wage at the final stage, and provides termination, redirection, recordkeeping, and reporting rules for employers and Labour Offices. It further mandates recognition of prior learning, completion certificates approved by Labour Directorates, employer integrity and OSH obligations (including work‑injury cover), trainee duties, application of working‑time rules, majority‑age gratuity under Article 172, and court‑fee relief with provisional enforceability for trainee disputes.

Ministerial Decree No. 270 of 2025 Reporting Organization of Work in New Establishments

Within 30 days of starting operations, establishments must file comprehensive workforce data with the Labour Directorate; in January each year, they must update changes, vacancies and eliminations, and forecasted needs, with the Directorate sharing annual data with the National Social Insurance Authority, and legacy establishments given 30 days from effectiveness to submit initial datasets.

Ministerial Decree No. 271 of 2025 Register of Workers with Disabilities and Persons of Short Stature

Employers must maintain a register (paper or electronic) for employees with disabilities or persons of short stature holding rehabilitation or disability/integrated services cards, presentable to authorities on request, and submit periodic data on total workforce counts, jobs held, job nature, and wages using a mandatory reporting format.

Ministerial Decree No. 272 of 2025 Regulating Recruitment Operations Locally and Abroad

Replacing Decree No. 135 of 2003 where inconsistent, this decree creates a comprehensive licensing and oversight regime for private and electronic recruitment agencies and all intermediaries, covering onshore/offshore placement, reporting, fees, inspections, and enforcement, while reaffirming the ban on labour‑contractor/manpower supply hiring and obliging legacy licensees to regularize within one year.

Ministerial Decree No. 279 of 2025 Licensing and Employment of Foreign Workers in Egypt

Covering all sectors with limited exemptions, the decree requires work permits for foreigners, imposes employer notification duties for exempt categories, and sets evidence and conditions for grants, including verified experience, required professional licenses, non‑competition with Egyptian labour, enterprise need, and training of named Egyptian assistants, while prohibiting certain roles such as tour guiding and some customs/export clearance (with a Palestinian exception). It caps foreign workers at 10% of an establishment’s Egyptian workforce with tailored exceptions, defines permit duration (up to one year) and escalating fees with possible adjustments, creates short‑assignment approvals up to 14 days with fee parameters.

Ministerial Decree No. 289 of 2025 Regulating Working Hours in Industrial Establishments

Working hours in industrial establishments are capped at 8 hours per day (excluding breaks) and 48 hours per week, subject to exigencies under Article 121 of the Labour Law.

Ministerial Decree No. 290 of 2025 Intermittent Work Arrangements

Daily span between start and end must not exceed ten hours, including rest where the worker remains onsite, with a tailored regime permitting up to twelve hours of presence for activities “intermittent by nature” (e.g., intermittent digital support or data‑center monitoring), while overtime for excess actual hours follows statutory percentages and employers must maintain granular timekeeping records.

Ministerial Decree No. 292 of 2025 Determining Basic and Overtime Working Hours

The decree defines and regulates preparatory, complementary, guarding, and cleaning works, setting a 48‑hour weekly cap on actual working hours for these categories and an overtime cap of 12 hours per week (not more than 2 per day), without prejudice to Article 121.

Ministerial Decree No. 294 of 2025 Official Paid Holidays for Employees

This decision enumerates paid national and religious holidays, including Islamic feasts and civic/religious days (such as Coptic Christmas, Jan 25, Sham El‑Nessim, Sinai Liberation, Labor Day, June 30, July 23, and Armed Forces Day), authorizes ministerial substitution to unify holidays, confirms full‑pay entitlement without deducting from annual leave, and allows required work with double pay or an employer‑recorded compensatory day upon written request.

Ministerial Decree No. 299 of 2025 Establishing a Committee for Amicable Settlements and Individual Labour Disputes

Either party may file for amicable settlement within 10 days before a tripartite committee led by the Labour Directorate, which must attempt resolution within 21 days; settlements are court‑ratified for enforceability, and non‑settled disputes are referred to labour court with a committee report, and a first hearing within 20 days is mandated. Dismissal disputes receive expedited handling, with courts deciding within three months of the first hearing and ordering wage payments capped at six months when the employee prevails on documents, with amounts offset against later compensation.

Ministerial Decree No. 319 of 2025 Inspection of Establishments

The decree systematizes labour inspections consistent with judicial rules and directorate controls, granting inspectors the right to enter establishments at any time, day or night, without prior permission or notice.

Ministerial Decree No. 320 of 2025 Regulating Workplace Inspections at Night and Outside Official Working Hours

This clarifies inspection powers outside official hours, authorizing competent authorities to inspect workplaces at night between sunrise and sunset in accordance with set guidelines.

Ministerial Decree No. 346 of 2025 Specifying Christian Workers’ Religious Holidays

Christian workers are granted, in addition to Decision 294/2025 holidays, leave on religious feasts per the Prime Minister’s decision, including Coptic Orthodox (Christmas, Epiphany, Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Easter) and Coptic Catholic/Protestant (New Year’s Day, Christmas, Easter), with optional late‑arrival allowances until 10:00 a.m. on specified days.