Expand your global workforce in Colombia
Your guide to the employment landscape, working customs and local labor laws in Colombia
Capital
Bogotá
Currency
Colombian Peso (COP)
Languages
Spanish
GDP per Capita
$6,590
Employer Tax
21.022% - 36.46%
Payroll Frequency
Monthly, Bi-Monthly
Talent overview
Colombia is a democracy and the fourth-largest economy in South America. The country’s GDP is expected to hit 350 USD Billion in 2022. This is tied to its continued reform, investments, and main exports of oil, coal, coffee, and emeralds.
Major economic hubs:
Bogotá, Medellin, Cali, Barranquilla, and Cartagena
Skills in demand:
ICT Roles, Warehouse Occupations, Customer Service Roles, Technical Support Occupations, Education/Teaching Occupations, Business Advisors, and Digital Services
Colombia
Top local universities in Colombia
Universidad Nacional de Colombia
Ranking
Local: 1
World: 359
Universidad de los Andes, Colombia
Ranking
Local: 2
World: 480
Pontificia Universidad Javeriana
Ranking
Local: 3
World: 830
Universidad de Antioquía
Ranking
Local: 4
World: 982
Universidad del Valle
Ranking
Local: 5
World: 1104
Top Local Job Boards
Linkedin, Glassdoor, Indeed, Computrabajo, Trabajando, Elempleo
Number of LinkedIn users
12,760,000
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
The table mentions the average monthly salary in Colombia
| Job Title | Average Monthly Salary (COP) | Average Monthly Salary (USD) |
| Financial Operations Manager | 8,790,000 | 2,212 |
| General Manager | 8,470,000 | 2,132 |
| Business Development Manager | 7,000,000 | 1,762 |
| Financial Analyst | 5,720,000 | 1,440 |
| Business Analyst | 5,850,000 | 1,473 |
| Project Manager | 5,100,000 | 1,284 |
Employ in Colombia
Employing in Colombia
Colombia offers many advantages to companies looking to hire new employees. The country has a large pool of highly-skilled workers, and the cost of living is relatively low.
However, there are a few things to keep in mind when hiring in Colombia. In this section we’ll provide you with the basics of what to prepare when onboarding talents in Colombia.
Employee Contract
Both verbal and written contracts are accepted in Colombia. There is no requirement that the contract should be written in a specific language, and employers can choose between Spanish or English.
Probation period
In Colombia, the probation period is up to 2 months.
Public and Provincial Holidays
| Date | Name | Type |
| January 1 | New Year’s Day | National Holiday |
| January 6 | Epiphany | National Holiday |
| March 24 | Saint Joseph’s Day | National Holiday |
| April 17 | Maundy Thursday | National Holiday |
| April 18 | Good Friday | National Holiday |
| May 1 | Labor Day / May Day | National Holiday |
| June 2 | Ascension Day | National Holiday |
| June 23 | Corpus Christi Holiday | National Holiday |
| June 30 | Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul Holiday | National Holiday |
| June 30 | Sacred Heart | National Holiday |
| July 20 | Independence Day | National Holiday |
| August 7 | Battle of Boyacá Day | National Holiday |
| August 18 | Assumption of Mary Holiday | National Holiday |
| October 13 | Columbus Day Holiday | National Holiday |
| November 3 | All Saints’ Day Holiday | National Holiday |
| November 17 | Independence of Cartagena | National Holiday |
| December 8 | Feast of the Immaculate Conception | National Holiday |
| December 25 | Christmas Day | National Holiday |
Employee Leaves
| Type of leave | Time Period | Mandatory |
| Annual leave/Earned Leave | At least 15 days, after a year of service | Yes |
| Sick Leave | Up to 180 days, based on medical certificate | Yes |
| Maternity Leave | 18 weeks | Yes |
Leave Compliance
Payroll in Colombia
Payroll cycle
Workers are paid once a month. Usually, payments are made at the end of the month. However, some industries are slowly implementing bi-monthly cycles, which allows them to pay their employees every 15th and the last day of the month.
Minimum wage
The minimum wage for employees is 1,423,500 COP, including a mandatory transportation allowance of 200,000 COP.
Overtime pay
Employees working for more than the regular 40 hours a week should be paid as follows:
Read more
How taxes work
Employer Payroll Tax
| Type of Contribution | Contribution |
| Health and Medical System | 8.5% |
| Pension System | 12% |
| Professional Risk System | 0.348% – 8.7% depending on the risk class |
| Compensation Funds | 4% |
Employee Payroll Tax
| Type of Contribution | Contribution |
| Pension System | 4.00% – 5.00% |
| Health and Medical Plan | 4.00% |
Employee Income Tax
Colombia follows a progressive tax rate:
| Annual Taxable Income (in multiples of UVT) | Tax Rate (%) |
| 0 to 1,090 | 0 |
| 1,090 to 1,700 | 19 |
| 1,700 to 4,100 | 28 |
| 4,100 to 8,670 | 33 |
| 8,670 to 18,970 | 35 |
| 18,970 to 31,000 | 37 |
| Over 31,000 | 39 |
VAT
Colombia’s VAT is 19%. However, specific services and goods are taxed at 0% and 5%.
Bonus
13th Month Pay
Paying a 13th month pay or popularly known as “Primas” is mandatory in Colombia. It is equivalent to an employee’s average monthly salary and is divided into two parts. The employer must pay the first half within the first two weeks or 15 days of June and the second half within the first two weeks or first 20 days of December.
Employee Benefits
- Life Insurance
- Supplemental Health Insurance
- Higher Pension Plans
- Accident Insurance
- Company Cars
- Fuel Subsidy
- Grocery Subsidy
Employee offboarding
Employment contracts in Colombia may be canceled at any time with immediate effect. The organization must disclose the rationale or grounds for termination, which must be communicated in writing. Once the termination contract has been authenticated and acknowledged by both parties, it must be delivered to the appropriate government authorities.
Full-time employees in Colombia must serve 30 days of notice period. The period can be reduced to 15 days’ in case of termination due to poor performance.
| Situation | Severance pay |
| Employees earning less than 10 minimum wage per month | 30 days of salary for the first year of service + 20 days of salary for each additional year of service |
| Employees earning 10 minimum wage per month or more | 20 days of salary for the first year of service + 15 days of salary for each additional year of service |
| Employees with a fixed-term agreement | Regular monthly salary until the agreement expires |
| Project-based employees | Regular salary until the end of the project, no less than 15 days of salary |
Visa and
immigration
Foreigners hoping to work in Colombia must first obtain a job offer from a local employer before applying for a visa. There are several types of visas that must be obtained at the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores offices in Bogota, here are two of the most common:
Read more
Your employment toolkit for Colombia
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Overtime Pay
Minimum Wage
Overtime Pay
| Overtime Period | Compensation |
| Performed before midnight | 25% above regular hourly rate |
| Night shifts (9:00pm–6:00am) | 35% above regular hourly rate |
| Sundays and Public Holidays | 75% above regular hourly rate |
Visa and Immigration
| Type of Visa | Validity |
| M Visa (Migrant Visa) | 3 Years – Renewable |
| R Visa (Resident Visa) | 5 Years – Renewable |