A short guide for young Mongolians entering work in Mongolia or abroad
📖 REAL STORY In her first job in Mongolia, a young woman worked six days a week, had social insurance deducted from her salary that was never actually paid to the state, and was promised a labour contract that never existed. She did not know her rights. Years later, working at a university archive in Leeds, UK, she was treated with respect, given proper contracts, and left with colleagues who cried when she said goodbye. The difference was not luck. It was knowledge — and knowing what to look for. |
Starting your first job is exciting. But it can also be the moment when people take advantage of you — simply because you do not yet know the rules. This guide gives you those rules in plain English.
Read it before you sign anything.
1. The Contract — Your Most Important Document
A labour contract is not just paperwork. It is the document that protects you if something goes wrong. Never start working without one.
🚨 No contract = no protection. If an employer says 'we will sort the contract later' or 'we do not do contracts here' — this is a serious warning sign. In Mongolia and in most countries abroad, a labour contract is your legal right, not a favour. |
Your contract must include all of these:
✅ Your full name and the employer's full registered name
✅ Your job title and a description of your actual duties
✅ Your working hours and days (e.g. Monday–Friday, 9 am–6 pm)
✅ Your salary — the exact amount, in writing
✅ How and when you will be paid (monthly, bi-weekly, etc.)
✅ Any deductions explained clearly
✅ Your start date
💡 SMART MOVE Before you sign: read every line. If you do not understand something, ask. If they pressure you to sign quickly without reading, that is a bad sign. A good employer is never afraid of questions about a contract. |
2. Social Insurance - The Hidden Part of Your Salary
This is the one that most young workers miss completely — and it costs them years of benefits later in life.
Here is how it works:
Your employer deducts a percentage from your salary for social insurance (нийгмийн даатгал)
They are legally required to also contribute their own portion and pay the combined amount to the state.
This builds up your entitlement to healthcare, sick leave, maternity leave, and eventually a pension.
🚨 The scam to watch for: Some employers deduct the money from your salary but never actually pay it to the state. They keep it. You lose your entitlements — and you may not discover this for years. |
💡 SMART MOVE After your first month of work, ask your employer for confirmation that you are registered for social insurance. You can also check your contribution record yourself through Mongolia's e-Government portal (e-Mongolia). If contributions are being taken from your pay but not registered, report it. |
3. Working Hours — Know Your Legal Limits
Mongolia's Labour Law sets a maximum standard working week. Knowing this protects you from being quietly overworked.
Standard working week: 40 hours (8 hours x 5 days)
Any work beyond this is overtime and must be compensated — either with extra pay or extra time off
A sixth working day is not automatically part of your job
Night shifts and holiday work have separate rules and higher compensation rates
⚠️ Watch for 'soft' overtime. Many workplaces create a culture where staying late or coming in on weekends feels expected but is never officially requested. You are then working extra hours for free, with nothing in writing. This is common, and it is not acceptable. |
The rule is simple:
If extra time is expected → it should be in the contract or agreed in writing → you should be compensated for it.
4. Deductions - What They Can and Cannot Take
Beyond social insurance and income tax, any other deduction from your salary must be:
✅ Agreed in writing before it is applied
✅ Reasonable in proportion to your salary
✅ Explained clearly on your payslip
❌ Taking money for 'staff meals' without your written agreement
❌ Deducting for uniforms or equipment beyond what the law allows
❌ Taking money as a 'penalty' for mistakes without a formal process
❌ Deductions that leave you below minimum wage
📖 REAL STORY One young worker found that nearly half of her already small monthly salary was taken as a 'canteen fee' — food she had not chosen and was not optional. She had nothing in writing to challenge it. By the time she realised, months had passed. Always ask: what exactly will be deducted, and can I see that in the contract? |
5. Verbal Promises - Get Them in Writing
This is the most common way young workers are misled.
An employer says:
"We will promote you after six months."
"We will support your studies abroad."
"Your salary will increase once you prove yourself."
"We will be flexible with your schedule."
These are not lies, necessarily. But they are meaningless without written confirmation. Memory is selective. People leave. Management changes. And suddenly nobody remembers what was promised.
💡 SMART MOVE If a promise matters to you, ask politely: 'Could we include that in the contract, or confirm it by email?' A trustworthy employer will not object to writing down something they genuinely intend to keep. |
6. Working Abroad — Extra Things To Know
If your first job or your future career takes you abroad — to Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, or anywhere else — there are additional layers to understand.
Research employment law in the country before you arrive, not after a problem occurs.
Keep a personal record of your working hours, pay, and any workplace incidents.
Discrimination based on nationality, ethnicity, or gender is illegal in most countries, and you do not have to tolerate it simply because you are a guest.
Find the equivalent of a workers' union or a legal advice service in the country you are in — know it exists before you need it.
Being far from home makes workplace problems feel heavier. Do not stay silent about serious issues to spare people at home the worry.
Important: Being treated poorly abroad is not something you should accept because you feel like a guest or because you fear drawing attention to yourself. Your dignity is not subject to visa conditions. |
💡 SMART MOVE Good workplaces exist in every country. A director in Leeds cried when a young Mongolian employee left after two years. Kindness and respect have no nationality. Do not let early bad experiences close you off to the genuine ones that follow. |
7. Trust Your Instinct
Contracts and laws matter. But your instincts matter too.
Notice if:
Managers regularly remind you of your low position rather than focusing on the work
You feel unable to ask basic questions without fear
You are regularly told you should be grateful just to have the job
Colleagues seem afraid rather than engaged
You leave work feeling smaller than when you arrived
These are not just uncomfortable feelings. They are information. A workplace that consistently diminishes you is not a workplace that will help you grow — no matter how prestigious the name on the door.
You are allowed to leave.
A young person who protects their larger goal by leaving a bad situation early is not a quitter. They are someone who already knows what they are for.
Your First Job Checklist
✅ | I have a signed labour contract before starting work |
✅ | My contract includes: title, duties, hours, salary, and start date |
✅ | I understand what will be deducted from my salary and why |
✅ | I have confirmed my social insurance registration after Month 1 |
✅ | Any verbal promises have been confirmed in writing |
✅ | I know my legal working hours and what overtime compensation I am owed |
✅ | I know where to seek advice if something feels wrong |
✅ | I remember: I can leave if the cost to my dignity exceeds the benefit |
Your first job does not define your career. But knowing your rights from day onewill protect everything you are building toward. |