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Country hiring guide

Hiring in Botswana ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ผ

Small, stable, English-speaking workforce; skilled talent concentrated in Gaborone. Employer on-costs run ~2%* on top of gross salary. Here is what to know before your first Botswana hire.

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Capital cityGaborone
CurrencyBotswana pula (BWP)
LanguagesEnglish (official), Setswana
Population~2.7 million
Payroll frequencyMonthly; no statutory 13th salary
VAT standard rate14% (VAT)
Employer burden*~2%* of gross
TGTC flat EOR fee$499/mo ยท Tier B
Overview

Employing in Botswana

Employment in Botswana runs under its national labour code, which sets the floor for wages, working hours, leave, and notice. Here are the essentials before you make an offer.

Minimum wage

  • ~BWP 9.06/hour
  • Sector-based rates

Payroll cycle & extra pay

  • Monthly pay cycle
  • Tax year July-June

Public holidays

  • ~10 public holidays per year

Onboarding & probation

  • Probation 3 months (unskilled), up to 12 (skilled)
  • New Employment Act effective July 2026
Employer costs

What you pay on top of salary

Employer on-costs in Botswana run ~2%* of gross salary. No mandatory state social security; employers face only a small training levy and voluntary pensions.

Employer contribution*Rate
State social securitynone
Vocational training levy0.05-0.2%*
Occupational pension (voluntary)varies*

Passed through at cost

These statutory costs are paid at cost on top of TGTC's flat $499/mo fee, so you always see the real employer cost, not a marked-up percentage.

Employee-side taxes

Employees pay their own income tax and social-security share, withheld at source. Under an EOR, TGTC runs that payroll withholding for you.

Types of leave

Statutory leave in Botswana

Annual leave

  • 15 days; 8 must be taken in first 6 months

Maternity & parental leave

  • 12 weeks maternity, min 50% pay
  • 14 weeks at 70% from July 2026*

Sick leave

  • Up to 20 days paid with medical certificate*

Other leave

  • 5 days paid paternity
Employment termination

Ending employment in Botswana

Notice

  • 2 weeks (2-5 yrs) to 6 weeks (10+ yrs)

Severance

  • 1 day pay/month first 60 months, 2 days/month after
  • Not payable if pensioned or gross misconduct

Probation

  • 3 months unskilled, up to 12 months skilled

Contractor risk

  • Misclassification exposes PAYE & benefit liability

*All figures are estimates from public sources (2025-26), pending ops verification - same basis as the EOR cost calculator. Not tax or legal advice.

Hire in Botswana without setting up an entity

TGTC employs your hire in Botswana on a compliant local contract, runs payroll and benefits, and passes statutory costs through at cost. One invoice, flat $499 per month.

Get a Botswana quote