DILI, 03 December 2025 (TATOLI) – The Council of Ministers has approved a draft Decree-Law authorizing the payment of an additional one-month salary to civil servants, following a presentation by the Minister of Finance, Santina José Rodrigues F. Viegas Cardoso, during a meeting at the Government Palace in Dili.
The measure aims to grant an exceptional bonus throughout 2025 as recognition for the commitment and dedication of civil servants and equivalent personnel. The initiative follows the principle of universality, extending coverage to public office holders, civil servants, agents, members of the defence and security forces, workers governed by the Labour Law, and public administration contractors, with the exception of foreign contractors.
Under the proposed law, the extraordinary payment will generally match the December 2025 salary. To ensure consistency across categories, payments to contractors will follow the same general framework, capped at the maximum grade and level of the official salary scale, as applied to civil servants and agents.
The draft also establishes that the extraordinary payment cannot exceed the salary of the President of the Republic, regardless of the beneficiary’s category.
According to the proposal, the payment will be issued in December 2025 and financed through available funds within the budgets of each employer. If resources are insufficient, priority will be given to employees receiving the lowest wages, with additional costs to be covered by the General State Budget for 2026.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Filomeno Martins
