Family allowances in Tunisia
Tunisia pays a degressive CNSS family allowance (18% / 12% / 6% of the reference salary) for the first 3 children, supplemented by a single-wage top-up and the Amen Social programme (TND 180/month) for low-income families.
Contributory scheme via CNSS (private) / CNRPS (civil servants) for the first 3 children up to age 16/18/21 depending on status, capped. Amen Social programme since 2019 (TND 180/month + school grants) for vulnerable families. Maternity leave 30 days (private) or 2 months (civil service).
CNSS family allowances
Contributory scheme run by the Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale (CNSS) for private-sector employees:
- 18% of the quarterly reference salary for the 1st child
- 12% for the 2nd child
- 6% for the 3rd child
- Cap: ~TND 30/quarter per child for most salaries
Eligibility:
- Minimum 27 contribution days in the quarter
- Children < 16 (or < 18 if apprentices, < 21 if students, no age limit if disabled)
- Unmarried daughters without income: no age limit
Single-wage top-up
When the household has only one wage-earner (the other spouse has no paid activity):
- Top-up of TND 3/month for spouses without children
- Variable top-up when the household has children, calculated on the reference salary
CNRPS — Civil servants scheme
For public servants, the Caisse Nationale de Retraite et de Prévoyance Sociale (CNRPS) pays:
- Family allowances calculated on the same principles (18% / 12% / 6%)
- Paid directly through payroll
- Mandatory CNAM health coverage
Amen Social programme
Flagship social protection programme launched in 2019 by the Ministry of Social Affairs for low-income families:
- TND 180/month per beneficiary family (base cash transfer)
- TND 30/month extra per enrolled child (max 3 children)
- TND 20/month extra per disabled or elderly dependant
- Enrolment via the PNAFN database (National Programme of Aid to Needy Families)
About 900,000 beneficiary families in 2025 (~25% of the population). Paid by bank transfer or via La Poste Tunisienne.
CNAM — Health insurance
The Caisse Nationale d’Assurance Maladie (CNAM) covers eligible dependants (spouse and children):
- Spouse with no paid activity
- Children < 20 (or < 25 if students)
- Disabled children with no age limit
- Unmarried daughters without income
3 schemes to choose from: public, private, or reimbursement.
Maternity and paternity leave
Maternity leave:
- Private sector: 30 days paid at 67% by CNSS (can be extended by 15 unpaid days)
- Civil service: 2 months paid at 100% (+ 4 additional months at half pay)
Paternity leave:
- 1 day paid by the employer in the private sector
- 2 days in the civil service
A reform is under discussion to extend these durations, aligned with international standards.
School and university grants
Support from the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Higher Education:
- School grants: TND 80 to 200/year by level, targeted at vulnerable families
- University grants: TND 400 to 1,200/year, means-tested and results-based
- Student housing support: university dorms at symbolic rate (TND 10/month)
How Illizeo helps on the HR side
Illizeo is not a consulting firm or a paying body. However, our HR layer manages all of an employee’s family variables: family composition (dependent children, ages), supporting documents, event declarations (birth, adoption), leave workflows (maternity, paternity, parental) with key date calculations, and automatic feed to your payroll software.
Official sources
Manage the HR side of family allowances
From birth declarations to parental leave calculation, Illizeo centralises variables and feeds your payroll automatically.
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