Talent Wiki - Brunei
Your quick guide on talent and labor compliance norms in Brunei
Capital
Bandar Seri Begawan
Currency
Brunei Dollar (BND)
Languages
Brunei Malay
Payroll Frequency
Monthly
GDP per Capita
$42,939
Employer Tax
8.5%
Talent Overview
Brunei is a developed industrialized nation with wealth generated from petroleum and natural gas fields. The country ranks second in the human development index among Southeast Asian countries, after Singapore.
Major economic hubs:
Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait, Seria, Tutong
Skills in demand:
Oil and gas industry skills, digital technology skills
Local Universities
The top local universities with rank in Brunei is mentioned below
Universiti Brunei Darussalam
Ranking
Local: 1
World: 3051
Universiti Teknologi Brunei
Ranking
Local: 2
World: 8162
Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali
Ranking
Local: 3
World: 8754
Politeknik Brunei
Ranking
Local: 4
World: 9708
Salary Data
Below are the average monthly salaries for the following job positions:
| Job Title | Average Monthly Salary (BND) | Average Monthly Salary (USD) |
| Customer Service Representative | 1,160 | 865 |
| Software Engineer | 3,130 | 2,335 |
| Developer/ Programmer | 2,950 | 2,200 |
| Data Scientist | 5,290 | 3,946 |
| UX Designer | 2,780 | 2073 |
| Product Manager | 4,420 | 3,297 |
| Sales Representative | 5,700 | 4,252 |
Talent Sourcing Tips
Top Local Job Boards
JobsBrunei.com, JobsCentre Brunei, JobRank
Number of LinkedIn users
103,400
Top Recruitment Agencies
Nor & Allan Employment Agency, Roze Rohaya Employment Agency
Employing in Brunei
Employments are highly concentrated in the service sector, focusing on wholesale and retail trade. Get to know more about employment in Brunei.
Employee Contract
Employment contracts are mandatory in Brunei and are written in English.
Probation Period
The usual probationary period followed in Brunei is from 1 – 90 days.
Public and Provincial Holidays 2023
| Date | Name | Type |
| 1 Jan | New Year’s Day | Public Holiday |
| 2 Jan | Day off for New Year’s Day | Public Holiday |
| 22 Jan | Lunar New Year | Public Holiday |
| 23 Jan | Day off for Lunar New Year | Public Holiday |
| 18 Feb | Isra and Mi’raj (Tentative Date) | Public Holiday |
| 23 Feb | National Day | Public Holiday |
| 23 Mar | Ramadan Start (Tentative Date) | Public Holiday |
| 8 Apr | Nuzul Al-Qur’an (Tentative Date) | Public Holiday |
| 22 Apr | Eid ul Fitr (Tentative Date) | Public Holiday |
| 23 Apr | Eid Al Fitr Holiday (Tentative Date) | Public Holiday |
| 24 Apr | Eid Al Fitr Holiday (Tentative Date) | Public Holiday |
| 25 Apr | Day off for Eid Al Fitr Holiday (Tentative Date) | Public Holiday |
| 31 May | Royal Brunei Armed Forces Day | Public Holiday |
| 29 Jun | Eid al-Adha (Tentative Date) | Public Holiday |
| 15 Jul | Sultan’s Birthday | Public Holiday |
| 19 Jul | Muharram/Islamic New Year (Tentative Date) | Public Holiday |
| 28 Sep | Milad un Nabi (Mawlid) (Tentative Date) | Public Holiday |
| 25 Dec | Christmas Day | Public Holiday |
Employee Leaves
| Type of leave | Time Period | Mandatory |
| Annual leave/Earned Leave | 7 days | Yes |
| Sick Leave | 60 days | Yes |
| Maternity Leave | 9 weeks | Yes |
Payroll
Payroll Cycle
An employee must be paid at least once a month. All salaries other than overtime payment must be paid within 7 days after the end of the salary period.
Minimum Wage
No minimum wage is followed in Brunei.
Overtime Pay
The various instances of overtime work and their respective pays are as follows:
Bonus
13th Month Pay
It is not mandatory to provide 13th-month pay in Brunei.
Employee Benefits
- Maternity Benefits
- Pension Scheme
- TAP
Taxes
Employer Payroll Tax:
| Type of Tax | Tax contribution |
| Supplemental Contributory Pension Scheme (SCP) | 3.5% |
| Employees Trust Fund (TAP) ( for local employees) | 5% |
| Total cost on Employer | 8.5% |
Employee Payroll Tax
| Type of Tax | Tax contribution% |
| Supplemental Contributory Pension Scheme (SCP) | 3.5% |
| State-managed provident fund (Tabung Amanah Perkerja (TAP)) | 5% |
| Total cost of employee | 8.5% |
Employee Income Tax
Brunei does not impose income tax on individual persons.
VAT
There is no VAT in Brunei Darussalam.
Offboarding & Termination
Termination of contract may occur when:
- Upon completion or expiry of the employment contract
- There is a mutual agreement to terminate
- There has been a breach of contract
The notice period for employees on probation and permanent employees is between one to four weeks.
If the employer terminates the employee, he is entitled to receive his total salary due.
If the employee resigns, there are two instances:
- The person who has served the notice period – must be paid all salary due on the last day of employment.
- The person has not given notice and is serving the notice period – all salary due must be paid within 7 days after the employee’s last day.
Visa and Immigration
A foreign worker license or Lesen Pekeria Asing (LPA) is needed to employ foreign workers.
