Belize
Expand your global workforce in Belize
Your guide to the employment landscape, working customs and local labor laws in Belize
Capital
Belmopan
Currency
Belize Dollar (BZ)
Languages
English, Spanish, Belizean Creole, Yucatec, Mopán, Kekchí
GDP per Capita
$6,096
Employer Tax
5.50% - 8.13%
Payroll Frequency
Weekly, Bi-Weekly, Bi-Monthly, Monthly
Talent overview
Belize has one of the smallest economies in Central America with a Freedom Score of 56.6 making it 19th freest index in 2022. Belize focuses its economy heavily on agriculture (10.2%), tourism and services (71.1%), which make up 81.3% of its entire economy. Significant foreign investments can be seen in the energy, telecommunications, and agricultural sectors, with a 4.8% share (2020) in the GDP of the country.
Major economic hubs:
Belize City
Skills in demand:
Tourism Professionals, Education Professionals, Medical Professionals, Engineering Professionals, ICT Professionals
Top local universities in Belize
University of Belize
Ranking:
Local: 1
World: 7182
Central America Health Sciences University, Belize Medical College
Ranking
Local: 2
World: 9500
Galen University
Ranking:
Local: 3
World: 9956
Top Local Job Boards:
Jobs Island (Belize), Million Makers, LinkedIn
Number of LinkedIn users:
75,100
Top Recruitment Agencies:
Where to find talent
Top Local Job Boards:
Top Local Job Boards
Number of LinkedIn users:
Number of LinkedIn users
Top Recruitment Agencies:
Top Recruitment Agencies:
Salary Data
Some common jobs in Belize with average monthly data is mentioned below;
| Job Title | Average Monthly Salary (BZD) | Average Monthly Salary (USD) |
| General Manager | 7,080 | 3,507 |
| Information Technology Manager | 6,770 | 3,354 |
| Database Administrator | 4,090 | 2,026 |
| Network Engineer | 3,590 | 1,778 |
| Developer / Programmer | 3,810 | 1,887 |
Employ in Belize
Employing in Belize
Hiring in Belize requires you to be aware of the local employment laws, benefits, payroll, and taxes. Below is everything you need to know on how to successfully onboard talents from Belize.
Employee Contract
Contracts in Belize can either be oral or written. In practice, employers hand out written contracts to employees for employment. The language for the contracts must be in English.
Probation Period
The probationary period for employees is up to 2 weeks.
Public and Provincial Holidays
| Date | Name | Type |
| January 1 | New Year’s Day | National Holiday |
| January 15 | George Price Day | National Holiday |
| March 9 | National Heroes and Benefactors Day | National Holiday |
| March 10 | Day off for National Heroes and Benefactors Day | National Holiday |
| April 18 | Good Friday | National Holiday |
| April 19 | Holy Saturday | National Holiday |
| April 21 | Easter Monday | National Holiday |
| May 1 | Labor Day / May Day | National Holiday |
| August 1 | Emancipation Day | National Holiday |
| September 10 | St. George’s Caye Day | National Holiday |
| September 21 | Independence Day | National Holiday |
| September 22 | Day off for Independence Day | National Holiday |
| October 12 | El Día de la Raza | National Holiday |
| October 13 | Day off for El Día de la Raza | National Holiday |
| November 19 | Garifuna Settlement Day | National Holiday |
| December 25 | Christmas Day | National Holiday |
| December 26 | Boxing Day | National Holiday |
Employee Leaves
| Type of leave | Time period | Mandatory |
| Annual leave/Earned Leave | 2 weeks | Yes |
| Maternity Leave | 14 weeks | Yes |
| Sick Leave | 16 days | Yes |
Leave Compliance
Public and Provincial Holidays
Payroll in Belize
Payroll cycle
Workers are paid weekly, bi-weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly depending on the type of work they do. Commissioned work or project-based output requires the employer to pay bi-weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly.
Minimum wage
The minimum wage in Belize is BZ$5 per hour.
Overtime pay
Overtime in Belize is not required by law to be obligated by employees. However, for a workweek above 45 hours the overtime rate is 1.5 of the normal rate. 45-hour weeks must be paid with 1.5 of the normal rate for every hour worked.
How taxes work
Employee and Employer Payroll Tax
| Actual Weekly Earnings
(BZD) |
Weekly Insurable Earnings
(BZD) |
Employer’s Contribution
(%) |
Employee’s Contribution
(%) |
| Less than 70 | 55 | 8.13 | 1.88 |
| 70 to 109.99 | 90 | 8.13 | 1.88 |
| 110 to 139.99 | 130 | 8.13 | 1.88 |
| 140 to 179.99 | 160 | 7.54 | 2.46 |
| 180 to 219.99 | 200 | 7.03 | 2.97 |
| 220 to 259.99 | 240 | 6.69 | 3.31 |
| 260 to 299.99 | 280 | 6.45 | 3.55 |
| 300 to 339.99 | 320 | 6.27 | 3.73 |
| 340 to 379.99 | 360 | 6.12 | 3.88 |
| 380 to 419.99 | 400 | 5.96 | 4.04 |
| 420 to 459.99 | 440 | 5.81 | 4.19 |
| 460 to 499 | 480 | 5.65 | 4.35 |
| Above 500 | 520 | 5.50 | 4.50 |
Employee Income Tax
Income tax in Belize is flat 25% of the chargeable income over BZ$ 26,000.00. with the provided personal tax relief in the table below:
| Income Group (BZ$) | Tax Relief (BZ$) |
| 26,000.00 | 25,600.00 |
| 26,000.01 – 27,000.00 | 24,600.00 |
| 27,000.01 – 29,000.00 | 22,600.00 |
| Over 29,000.01 | 19,600.00 |
VAT
VAT in Belize is 12.5%.
Bonus
13th Month Pay:
The 13th-month pay is not mandatory in Belize.
Employee Benefits:
Full-time employees in Belize are ensured to have insurance benefits such as
- Maternity Allowance
- Maternity Grant
- Sickness Benefit
- Invalidity Pension
- Medical Care
- Disablement Grant
- Disablement Pension
- Constant Attendance Allowance
- Retirement Pension
- Survivor’s Grant
Employee offboarding
The termination process in Belize requires a standard notice for every employee before termination. However, employers are not required to issue a notice provided if they have reasonable cause due to misconduct and lack of skill.
The notice period before termination for probationary and regular employees ranges from 1 – 10 weeks.
An employee employed for a period of 5 – 10 years is paid one week’s wage for each year of service.
Employees with over 10 years of service are paid two weeks’ wage for each year of service.
Casual workers must work for at least 180 working days in a year to be entitled to severance pay.
Visa and
immigration
Belize doesn’t require many countries to have a visa to access their country. However, applying for a business visa for Belize is straightforward. If you’re a Central American National, you can apply in Belize’s immigration office.
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Overtime Pay
Minimum Wage
Overtime Pay
Visa and Immigration
You must have prepared all the documents below to have a smooth visa application process:
- Passport with at least six months of validity with one blank visa page
- Visa application form
- Colored photos according to specifications
- Cover letter
- Flight tickets
- Income Tax Returns
- Travel Health Insurance
- Itinerary
- Passport and residence proof of invitee
- Proof of accommodation (hotel reservation, letter from a resident, etc.)
- Purpose of visit (invitation letter, conference or exhibition pass, etc.)
- Proof of sufficient funds (bank statement)
- Proof of identification and nationality