Public and Private Sector Recruitment to Require Drug Tests
Algeria has implemented a new national policy requiring all public and private sector recruitment dossiers to include a negative drug test from January 2026, aiming to foster a safe and healthy work environment across the country.
Algeria has introduced a new national policy mandating negative drug testing for all recruitment processes across both public and private sectors, effective January 2026. This comprehensive measure, stemming from modifications to the law on the prevention of drug use and trafficking in July 2025 and detailed by an executive decree on January 14, 2026, aims to establish and maintain a safe and healthy work environment throughout the country. The obligation extends not only to new job applicants but also to civil servants and existing employees seeking internal promotions or professional examinations.
Under this new regulation, every recruitment dossier must include a negative drug screening test, adding to existing employment conditions. Submissions lacking this crucial component will be rejected, except in specific cases involving declared medical treatments. The required tests, which can utilize blood, saliva, or other biological samples, are offered at public hospitals, often at no cost or for a symbolic fee, as well as by authorized private laboratories. The validity period for a test result is three months from its date of establishment, allowing candidates to use the same certificate for multiple applications within that timeframe.
A key aspect of this policy is its focus on prevention and support rather than punitive exclusion; a positive test result does not permanently disqualify an individual from employment. Instead, it temporarily prevents the current application from progressing, allowing the person to reapply after undertaking prescribed care measures in line with drug legislation. Furthermore, robust confidentiality measures are in place to safeguard candidate privacy. Laboratories are obligated to protect test results, and while employers must declare data processing, the National Authority for Personal Data Protection specifies that records containing health data like test results must be destroyed after three months, preventing their use for any purpose other than verifying recruitment conditions.
