Per diem has long been identified as problematic. It is an increasingly obsolete rewards practice reserved for a single staff group that is left over from a time when mobile staff received basic allowances rather than salaries. Now that staff receive salaries its purpose is unclear. It is perceived by many as inequitable and a badge of privilege. In addition, it was disproportionately high when compared to the full salaries of country-based staff. These reasons led MSF’s General Directors to unanimously decide that per diem for mobile staff and accompanying dependents will be removed as of November 2026.
To mitigate any impact on this change, mobile staff should prepare to access funds with debit or credit cards and consider other digital payment methods or accounts. Information is provided below to guide mobile staff on options to ensure access to sufficient methods of payment while on assignment.
In recognition that MSF works in many locations where it is difficult to access other payment methods, mobile staff have access to salary advances when needed and possible. Salary advances are intended to be used only in situations where there are no other means of accessing cash or other payment methods. Information is available below.
How MSF mobile staff can access funds during their assignment:
Salary advances
In recognition that MSF works in many locations where it is difficult to access other payment methods, mobile staff have access to salary advances when needed and possible. Salary advances are intended to be used only in situations where there are no other means of accessing cash or other payment methods.
Steps of the salary advance process
Important details on salary advances
1. Timelines
If a mobile staff member is unable to access funds through other means and therefore submits a salary advance request, everyone must respect the relevant deadlines. These deadlines are important not only to ensure mobile staff receive the requested advance, but to limit the additional workload of MSF colleagues in programmes and in entities and reduce financial risk for MSF and for mobile staff.
Salary advance requests must be submitted by the 20th of the previous month unless your programme specifies another deadline. The requested advance must be collected on the 1st working day of the month and no later than the 3rd day of the month. If mobile staff are unable to collect their requested salary advances by the 3rd day of the month, it will not be paid.
See below for more detail on timelines.
2. Standard amounts
Salary advances are limited to a standard fixed amount for each project location. This is an important condition for efficiency and to reduce risks or errors. This amount should be sufficient to provide for necessities, including any potential food box contribution. It is expected that mobile staff will not require a salary advance each month, especially in many circumstances where the standard fixed amount is higher than personal needs in a given month.
Mobile staff can request a salary advance to be received on their last month of assignment provided that their assignment continues until at least until the second half of that month.
How do salary advances work in practice?
OCG, OCA, OCBA, OCP, WACA, UBUNTU, and EpiCentre
Mobile staff on assignment with OCG, OCA, OCBA, OCP, WACA, UBUNTU, and EpiCentre should use the below tool to request salary advances.
ADVANCE REQUEST TOOL (SART)
Follow the below step-by-step guide to learn how to submit and track salary advance requests using the Salary Advance Request Tool.
Video
Step-by-step for OCG, OCA, OCBA, OCP, WACA, UBUNTU, and EpiCentre
OCB
Mobile staff on assignment with OCB should use the below tool to request salary advances.
Follow these step-by-step guide to learn how to submit and track salary advance requests using the Salary Advance Request Tool.
- Video coming soon