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Your guide to the employment landscape, working customs and local labor laws in Samoa.
Capital
Apia
Currency
Samoan Tala (WST)
Languages
Samoan and English
GDP per Capita
$4,601.55
Employer Tax
10%
Payroll Frequency
Monthly
Samoa, an island country located in the Oceania region between Hawaii and New Zealand, is mostly focused on subsistence farming. About 90% of the country’s exports are agricultural products, and two-thirds of the labor force works in the sector.
Major economic hubs:
Apia, Salelologa
Skills in demand:
Local: 1
World: 8085
Maoriandpacificjobs, myjobssamoa
15,000
Top Local Job Boards:
Top Local Job Boards
Number of LinkedIn users:
Number of LinkedIn users
Top Recruitment Agencies:
Some of the popular jobs in Samoa and their respective salaries are listed below:
Job Title | Average Monthly Salary (WST) | Average Monthly Salary (USD) |
Financial Manager | 4,460 | 1,650 |
General Manager | 4,080 | 1,509 |
Business Development Manager | 3,540 | 1,310 |
Financial Analyst | 2,960 | 1,094 |
Business Analyst | 2,840 | 1,050 |
Project Manager | 2,720 | 1,006 |
Get to know the standard employment regulations in the country of Samoa. It is essential to understand the working conditions, annual leaves, and other entitlements for the employees.
Employee Contract: The language of the contract has to be Samoan or English, depending on the employee’s preference.
Samoa follows a probationary period of three months for the employees.
Public and Provincial Holidays
Date | Name | Type |
1 Jan | New Year’s Day | Public Holiday |
2 Jan | Day After New Year’s Day | Public Holiday |
29 Mar | Good Friday | Public Holiday |
30 Mar | Day After Good Friday | Public Holiday |
1 Apr | Easter Monday | Public Holiday |
13 May | Mother’s Day | Public Holiday |
1 Jun | Independence Day | Public Holiday |
12 Aug | Father’s Day | Public Holiday |
14 Oct | Lotu a Tamaiti | Public Holiday |
25 Dec | Christmas Day | Public Holiday |
26 Dec | Boxing Day | Public Holiday |
Type of Leave | Time Period | Mandatory |
Annual Leave | 10 days | yes |
Sick Leave | 10 days | yes |
Maternity Leave | 6 weeks | yes |
Leave Compliance
Payroll cycle
In Samoa, the employees are paid wages on a monthly basis
Minimum wage
The minimum wage in Samoa is WST 3.00 per hour.
Overtime pay
Hours exceeding 40 a week are considered overtime. During the weekdays, Saturdays, and commission holidays, the overtime rate is 150% of the current pay, while work on Sundays and public holidays are paid at 200%.
Type of Contribution | Tax Rate |
National Provident Fund | 10% |
Type of Contribution | Tax Rate |
National Provident Fund | 10% |
Annual Income | Tax Rate |
Income below WST 15,000 | Nil |
WST 15,001 – WST 25,000 | 20% |
Above WST 25,001 | 27% |
Salary and wage tax PAYE rates for individual taxpayers:
Fortnightly | Rate | Annual | Rate |
$0 – $576 | Nil | $0 – $15,000 | Nil |
$577 – $962 | 20% | $15,001 – $25,000 | 20% |
Samoa charges all goods and services at 15%.
No mandatory status for 13th-month pay.
No compulsory benefits are followed in Samoa but are subject to employer discretion. Commonly found benefits include:
The employment contract for an unspecified period can be terminated by either party by giving notice.
For wage workers above a year of service, the notice period is 1 month, and for permanent employees over an employment period of 1 year, it is 3 months.
In Samoa, the severance pay is based on the period of employment. For employment terms less than a year, no severance pay is provided. Beyond that, for continuous service, the severance pay is calculated as: 4 weeks pay + 2 weeks pay for every extra year of service, up to a maximum of 48 weeks.
Every non-citizen trying employment beyond three months in the country has to apply for a Foreign Employee Employment Permit (FEEP). The Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Labor is responsible for accepting these applications and issues employment permits.
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