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Expand your global workforce in Samoa

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

Talent overview

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:

Medical professionals, finance and mechanical jobs

Top local universities in Samoa

Uni1 16

Le lunivestie Aoao o Samoa

RANKING

Local: 1

World: 8085

Top Local Job Boards:

Maoriandpacificjobs, myjobssamoa

Number of LinkedIn users:

15,000

Top Recruitment Agencies:

 Infinity Samoa, Digicel Samoa Network Center

Where to find talent

Top Local Job Boards:

Number of LinkedIn users:

Top Recruitment Agencies:

Salary Data

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

Employ in Samoa

Employing in Samoa

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.

Probation Period

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

Employee Leaves

Type of Leave Time Period Mandatory
Annual Leave 10 days yes
Sick Leave 10 days yes
Maternity Leave 6 weeks yes

Leave Compliance

Payroll in Samoa

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Payroll cycle

In Samoa, the employees are paid wages on a monthly basis

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Minimum wage

The minimum wage in Samoa is WST 3.00 per hour.

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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%.

How taxes work

Employer Payroll Tax

Type of Contribution Tax Rate
National Provident Fund 10%

Employee Payroll Tax

Type of Contribution Tax Rate
National Provident Fund 10%

Employee Income Tax

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%

VAT

Samoa charges all goods and services at 15%.

Bonus

13th Month Pay

No mandatory status for 13th-month pay.

Employee Benefits

No compulsory benefits are followed in Samoa but are subject to employer discretion. Commonly found benefits include:

  • Maternity leave
  • Paternity leave

Employee offboarding

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.

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Visa and
immigration

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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