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Country hiring guide

Hiring in Jamaica 🇯🇲

English-speaking workforce; strong BPO/services sector; US-aligned time zone. Employer on-costs run ~12.5% on top of gross salary. Here is what to know before your first Jamaica hire.

Calculate a Jamaica hire →
OverviewFacts & statsEmployer costsLeaveTermination
Capital cityKingston
CurrencyJamaican dollar (JMD)
LanguagesEnglish (official); Jamaican Patois widely spoken
Population~2.8 million
Payroll frequencyMonthly or fortnightly; no statutory 13th salary
VAT standard rate15% (GCT)
Employer burden*~12.5% of gross
TGTC flat EOR fee$699/mo · Tier C
Overview

Employing in Jamaica

Employment in Jamaica 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

  • J$16,000/40-hour week (Jun 2025)
  • J$400 per hour

Payroll cycle & extra pay

  • Monthly or fortnightly pay
  • No statutory 13th salary

Public holidays

  • 10 paid public holidays
  • Paid days off

Onboarding & probation

  • No mandatory probation period
  • Commonly 3 months by contract
Employer costs

What you pay on top of salary

Employer on-costs in Jamaica run ~12.5% of gross salary. Employer pays NIS 3%, NHT 3%, Education Tax 3.5%, HEART 3%.

Employer contribution*Rate
NIS (national insurance)3%
NHT (housing trust)3%
Education Tax3.5%
HEART/NTA (training)3%

Passed through at cost

These statutory costs are paid at cost on top of TGTC's flat $699/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 Jamaica

Annual leave

  • 2 weeks (10 days) minimum
  • 3 weeks after 10 years

Maternity & parental leave

  • 12 weeks; 8 weeks paid
  • Eligibility after ~1 year

Sick leave

  • 2 weeks paid annually
  • 3 weeks after 10 years

Other leave

  • Paid public holidays
  • No statutory paternity leave*
Employment termination

Ending employment in Jamaica

Notice

  • <5 years: 2 weeks
  • Up to 12 weeks (20+ years)

Severance

  • Redundancy only: 2 weeks/year
  • 3 weeks/year after 10 years

Probation

  • No statutory probation
  • Contractual, typically 3 months

Contractor risk

  • Misclassification risk; reclassification
  • Statutory benefits may apply

*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 Jamaica without setting up an entity

TGTC employs your hire in Jamaica on a compliant local contract, runs payroll and benefits, and passes statutory costs through at cost. One invoice, flat $699 per month.

Get a Jamaica quote