Unemployment Allowance

The unemployment allowance is a cash amount that is paid each month to those who have involuntarily lost their jobs, and who are registered with the IEFP’s Employment and Vocational Training Centers (CEFP).

The beneficiaries of the unemployment allowance are those insured under the Employees’ Regime (approved by Decree-Law no. 5/2004, of February 16), who have paid contributions to the INPS and who have complied with the guarantee period.

Conditions necessary to have access to unemployment allowance:

• Being a Cape Verdean resident.
• Having had a job.
• Became unemployed for reasons beyond your control (involuntary unemployment).
• Not be working.
• Be registered, looking for a job, at the Employment and Professional Training Center closest to you.
• Have applied for the allowance within 60 (sixty) days from the start date of unemployment.

How to apply for unemployment allowance:

• The request for unemployment allowance can be requested at the CEFP or at the INPS offices, accompanied by the employer’s statement proving the unemployment situation and information on the date of the last remuneration.
• The declaration proving unemployment status can also be presented by the employer.

Warranty Term

The guarantee period is 180 days (one hundred and eighty) with registration of remunerations.

Monthly amount of unemployment allowance paid

The amount of the unemployment allowance is equal to 65% of the reference salary (RR).

The RR is the total remuneration recorded in the last 6 months spread over 180 days.

The amount of unemployment allowance can be paid in a single installment.

Period of attribution of the unemployment allowance

The period for granting the unemployment benefit is established according to the age of the insured person and the number of months with record of earnings in the period immediately preceding the date of submission of the application.

Duties of the insured before the CEFP during the period of granting the unemployment allowance

Have availability for work, which translate into the following actions:

• Accept and comply with the actions provided for in the Personal Employment Plan;
• Accepting convenient employment;
• Accept socially necessary work;
• Accept professional training and other active employment measures in force that prove to be adjusted to the profile of the insured, namely those provided for in the personal employment plan;
• Actively seek employment by their own means, in accordance with their personal employment plan, and demonstrate to the CEFP that they do so;
• Submit to evaluation, monitoring and control measures, namely attending on the dates and places determined by CEFP;
• Comply with the duty of biweekly presentation on the dates and places determined by CEFP;
• Notify CEFP, within 5 working days, from the date of knowledge of the fact, if:
• Change of address;
• Traveling outside the country; you must communicate how long you will be absent;

With the pandemic caused by Covid 19, Decree-Law no. 37/20202 of March 31 was created, establishing the exceptional legal regime for the attribution of Unemployment allowance in the following terms: 

• A guarantee period of 60 (sixty) days is established for access to unemployment allowance;
• The formalities related to registration with the CEFP are abolished, and applications for unemployment allowance must, on a transitional basis and for the duration of the present regime, be filed with the INPS or with the CEFP;
• The applications are filled out and submitted by the employers in accordance with the form approved for this purpose and which is attached to the diploma;
• For the purposes of calculating this allowance, the age restrictions and the number of months with remuneration records, foreseen in article 27 of the Decree Law that approves the Unemployment Allowance Regime do not apply, and the payment is guaranteed for a maximum of 5 months.