Your quick guide on talent and labor compliance norms in Dominican Republic
Capital
Santo Domingo
Currency
Dominican Peso (DOP)
Languages
Spanish, Haitian Creole, Samana English
Payroll Frequency
Monthly or Bi-Weekly
GDP per Capita
$12,010
Employer Tax
16.39%
Talent Overview
The Dominican Republic has experienced a remarkable period of robust economic growth over the last 25 years. The country’s GDP is estimated to reach 88.00 USD Billion this 2022 driven by tourism, remittances, foreign direct investment, mining revenues, free-trade zones, and telecommunications. This makes the Dominican Republic the second fastest growing economy in Latin America and the country is on track to achieve high-income status by 2030.
Major economic hubs:
Santo Domingo, Santiago, San Pedro de Macorís
Skills in demand:
Socio-Cultural and Community Services, Health and Wellness, Hotels and Tourism, Construction and Mining.
Local Universities
The top local universities in Dominican Republic are as follows:
Local: 1
World: 1557
Local: 2
World:2632
Local: 3
World: 3249
Local: 4
World: 3550
Local: 5
World: 4189
Salary Data
Some common jobs in the Dominican Republic are:
| Job Title | Average Monthly Salary (DOP) | Average Monthly Salary (USD) |
| Accounting Assistant | 10,400 | 186 |
| Financial Analyst | 25,900 | 463 |
| Graphic Designer | 12,800 | 229 |
| Business Development Manager | 31,900 | 570 |
| Project Manager | 22,700 | 406 |
| Human Resources Manager | 28,100 | 502 |
| Developer/Programmer | 18,200 | 325 |
Talent Sourcing Tips
Indeed, LinkedIn, Jobfinder, OpcionEmpleo, BuscoJobs
1,593,000
Before hiring talents in the Dominican Republic, employers should know the basic labor laws, employment terms, deductions and benefits. This section has all the necessary information that employers can use.
The Dominican Republic Labor Laws accept verbal and written contracts. Employers can choose from either Spanish or English for the contract’s language.
| Date | Name | Type |
| 1 Jan | New Year’s Day | National holiday |
| 9 Jan | Epiphany | National holiday |
| 21 Jan | Our Lady of Altagracia | National holiday |
| 26 Jan | Duarte’s Day | National holiday |
| 29 Jan | Day off for Duarte’s Day | National holiday |
| 27 Feb | Independence Day | National holiday |
| 29 Mar | Good Friday | National holiday, Christian |
| 1 May | Labor Day | National holiday |
| 30 May | Corpus Christi | National holiday |
| 16 Aug | Restoration Day | National holiday |
| 24 Sep | Feast of Our Lady of Mercy | National holiday |
| 4 Nov | Constitution Day | National holiday |
| 25 Dec | Christmas Day | National holiday |
| Type of Leave | Duration | Mandatory |
| Annual Leave | 14 days | Yes |
| Sick Leave | 21 to 23 days | Yes |
| Maternity Leave | 14 weeks | Yes |
Payroll
Payroll Cycle
Dominican Republic workers are paid once a month, usually on the last day of the month. However, some businesses are implementing bi-monthly cycles to pay employees on the 15th and last day of the month.
Minimum Wage
The Dominican Republic’s minimum wage depends on where the business is located and the size of the enterprise.
Overtime Pay
The weekly and daily work limits are 44 hours per week and 8 hours per day, respectively. Employees who work more than the regular hours a week should be paid as follows:
Bonus
Employees receive a 13th salary or Christmas salary by December 20 each year.
The Dominican Republic’s statutory benefits offer a lot of coverage for its members. Below are some benefits they provide:
Taxes
| Type of Contribution | Contribution |
| Pension | 7.10% |
| Family Healthcare | 7.09% |
| Labour Risk Insurance | 1.2% |
| Governmental Training Institution (INFOTEP) | 1% |
| Type of Contribution | Contribution |
| Pension | 2.87% |
| Family Healthcare | 3.04% |
| Governmental Training Institution (INFOTEP) | 0.5% |
| Annual Taxable Income | Tax Rate |
| 0 – 416,220.00 DOP | 0% |
| 416,220.00 DOP – 624,329.00 DOP | 15% |
| 624,329.00 DOP – 867,123.00 DOP | 20% |
| 867,123.00 DOP and higher | 25% |
The standard rate for VAT is 18%.
Offboarding & Termination
A written notice and an explanation for the termination are required to start the process.
The notice period depends on the employee’s tenure in the organization:
| Tenure | Notice Period |
| 3 – 6 months | 7 days |
| 6 months – 1 year | 14 days |
| More than 1 year | 28 days |
In the event of a termination, the employer must give severance pay within 10 days and must follow the severance pay structure below:
| Tenure | Pay Rate |
| 3 – 6 months | 6 days of salary |
| 6 – 1 year | 13 days of salary |
| 1 – 5 years | 21 days of salary |
| 5 years and more | 23 days of salary |
Visa and Immigration
Foreign nationals wishing to work in the Dominican Republic must obtain the following:
| Type of Visa | Purpose |
| Business Visa (For Employment Purposes) | For assignments of one year or less |
| Temporary Residence Permit | For assignments more than one year |
Consular post must grant all visas with Ministry of Foreign Affairs authorization.
| Industry | Minimum wage per month |
| A large enterprise with 151 or more workers / An enterprise with annual sales more than 202 million pesos | DOP21,000.00 |
| A medium enterprise with 51-150 workers /An enterprise with annual sales between 54 million pesos and 202 million pesos | DOP19,250.00 |
| A small enterprise with 11-50 workers / An enterprise with annual sales between 8 million pesos and 54 million pesos | DOP12,900.00 |
| A micro enterprise with 10 or less workers / An enterprise with annual sales up to 8 million pesos | DOP11,900.00 |
| Overtime Period | Compensation |
| Every hour above the 44-hours weekly limit | Premium of 135% |
| Every hour in excess of 68 hours a week | Premium of 200% |
| Rest days | Premium of 200% |
