Talent Wiki - Dominica
Your quick guide on talent and labor compliance norms in Dominica
Capital
Roseau
Currency
East Caribbean Dollar (XCD)
Languages
English, Spanish, French Patois, Dominican Creole
Payroll Frequency
Monthly
GDP per Capita
$8,086
Employer Tax
7.5%
Talent Overview
Dominica is an island nation located in the eastern Caribbean Sea. It is a member of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU). Its main economy relies on agriculture, financial services, and passport sales. Dominica’s main export is banana however, the country is now exporting small quantities of coffee, patchouli, aloe vera, and other citrus fruits and vegetables.
Major economic hubs:
Roseau
Skills in demand:
Tourism Professionals, Marketing Professionals, ICT Professionals
Local Universities
Some top universities in Dominica are mentioned below;
Ross University School of Medicine
Ranking:
Local: 1
World: 5850
Salary Data
Some common jobs in Dominica with average monthly salaries are mentioned below;
| Job Title | Average Monthly Salary (XCD) | Average Monthly Salary (USD) |
| Information Technology Manager | 2,490.00 | 921.35 |
| Network Engineer | 1,200.00 | 444.03 |
| Developer / Programmer | 1,470.00 | 543.93 |
| General Manager | 2,590.00 | 958.35 |
| Database Administrator | 1,490.00 | 551.33 |
Talent Sourcing Tips
Top Local Job Boards:
Jobs Island (Dominica), Caribbean Jobs Online
Number of LinkedIn users:
21,430
Top Recruitment Agencies:
Employing in Dominica
Hiring in Dominica 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 Dominica.
Employee Contract
Employing in Dominica requires employers to have a written labor contract for their employees fourteen (14) days before starting employment. The employee must sign the document three days before starting. Contracts in Dominica must be in English.
Probation Period
The probationary period for employees is up to six months.
Public and Provincial Holidays 2023
| Date | Name | Type |
| 1 Jan | New Year’s Day | Public Holiday |
| 2 Jan | New Year’s Day observed | Public Holiday |
| 20 Feb | Carnival Monday | Public Holiday |
| 21 Feb | Carnival Tuesday | Public Holiday |
| 7 Apr | Good Friday | Public Holiday |
| 10 Apr | Easter Monday | Public Holiday |
| 1 May | Labor Day / May Day | Public Holiday |
| 29 May | Whit Monday | Public Holiday |
| 7 Aug | Emancipation Day | Public Holiday |
| 3 Nov | Independence Day | Public Holiday |
| 4 Nov | Community Service Day | Public Holiday |
| 25 Dec | Christmas Day | Public Holiday |
| 26 Dec | Boxing Day | Public Holiday |
Employee Leaves
| Type of leave | Time period | Mandatory |
| Annual leave/Earned Leave | 3 weeks | Yes |
| Maternity Leave | 12 weeks | Yes |
| Sick Leave | 6 weeks | Yes |
Payroll
Payroll Cycle
Workers in Dominica are paid monthly.
Minimum Wage
The minimum wage in Dominica is XCD 7.50 (USD 2.78) an hour.
Overtime Pay
Employees doing overtime work are compensated at least 1.5x their regular salary.
Bonus
13th Month Pay
The 13th-month pay is not mandatory in Dominica.
Employee Benefits
- Short Term Benefits
- Sickness Benefit
- Maternity Benefit
- Maternity Grant
- Employment Injury Benefits
- Disablement Benefit
- Disablement Grant
- Medical Expenses
- Death Benefit
- Long Term Benefit
- Age Benefit
- Age Grant
- Invalidity Benefit
- Invalidity Grant
- Survivors Benefit
Taxes
Employer Payroll Tax
| Classification | Employer Contribution Rate (%) |
| Dominican Social Security (DSS) | 7.5% |
Employee Payroll Tax
| Classification | Employee Contribution Rate (%) |
| Dominican Social Security (DSS) | 6.25% |
Employee Income Tax
| Over | Not over | Tax rate (%) | Tax liability (XCD) |
| 0 | 30,000 | 0 | – |
| 30,000 | 50,000 | 15 | 3,000 |
| 50,000 | 80,000 | 25 | 7,500 |
| 80,000 | And Over | 35 | 184,100 |
VAT
Standard VAT in Dominica is 15% (10% on hotel and diving activities).
Offboarding & Termination
Terminating employees in Dominica are legally bound under the Labour Contracts of Dominica for the valid reasons below:
- Serious misconduct
- Unsatisfactory performance
- Breach of Conditions of Employment
- Redundancy
- Extended lay-off
The notice period before termination for regular employees are from 1 – 4 weeks while probationary employees can be terminated anytime without prior notice.
An employee employed for more than three years but less than five years is entitled to severance pay of one week’s pay for the first three years of service plus two weeks pay for each year after three years.
Employees who served more than five years but less than ten years are entitled to nine (9) weeks of pay plus two weeks of pay for each year after five years.
Employees employed for more than ten (10) years are entitled to 19 weeks of pay plus three weeks’ pay for each year after ten years.
Visa and Immigration
Entering Dominica does not require visas for certain countries. If you need to conduct business within the country, you can apply a business visa. You’ll need to have the following documents:
- Valid passport
- Ticket
- Letter of endorsement
- Address of residence/lodging
- Bank statement
- Police clearance certificate
You can also apply for an Entrepreneur’s Visa needing you to invest at least $50,000.00 to the government’s investment fund or $100,000.00 to a local financial institution. You need to stay in the country for at least 3 months every year to be eligible for naturalization. This will speed up the process of your procurement of your business visa.
