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Talent Wiki - Samoa

Your quick guide on talent and labor compliance norms in Samoa

Capital

Apia

Currency

Samoan Tala (WST)

Languages

Samoan and English

Payroll Frequency

Monthly

GDP per Capita

$4,128.37

Employer Tax

10%

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

Local Universities

The most popular university in the island nation of Samoa is as below:

Le lunivestie Aoao o Samoa

RANKING

Local: 1

World: 8261

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 1,656.64
General Manager 4,080 1,515.49
Business Development Manager 3,540 1,314.47
Financial Analyst 2,960 1,099.11
Business Analyst 2,840 1,054.55
Project Manager 2,720 1,009.99

Talent Sourcing Tips

Top Local Job Boards:

Maoriandpacificjobs, myjobssamoa

Number of LinkedIn users:

15,000

Top Recruitment Agencies:

 Infinity Samoa, Digicel Samoa Network Center

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 2023

Date Name Type
1 Jan New Year’s Day Public Holiday
2 Jan New Year’s Day observed Public Holiday
3 Jan Day After New Year’s Day Public Holiday
7 Apr Good Friday Public Holiday
8 Apr Day After Good Friday Public Holiday
10 Apr Easter Monday Public Holiday
15 May Mother’s Day Public Holiday
1 Jun Independence Day Public Holiday
14 Aug Father’s Day Public Holiday
9 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

Payroll

Payroll Cycle

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

Minimum Wage

The minimum wage in Samoa ranges from USD 4.98 to USD 6.39, depending on the industry.

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%.

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

Taxes

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%.

Offboarding & Termination

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.

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.

Streamline payroll and compliance for your international workforce

Payroll

Minimum Wage

Overtime Pay

Visa & Immigration