Your quick guide on talent and labor compliance norms in Eswatini
Capital
Mbabane, Lobamba
Currency
Swazi lilangeni (SZL); South African Rand (ZAR)
Languages
Swazi, English
Payroll Frequency
Monthly
GDP per Capita
$4,039.50
Employer Tax
No contribution
Talent Overview
The Kingdom of Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, is a lower middle income country. Their economy relies heavily on the import and export activities they have with South Africa. Both Eswatini and South Africa are a part of the Common Monetary Area (CMA), hence the similarity in their official currencies. Eswatini’s other economic sources include agriculture, mining, and manufacturing.
Major economic hubs:
Mbabane, Manzini, Siteki, and Nhlangano
Skills in demand:
Mining, Education, Medical, and Healthcare
Local Universities
The top local universities in Eswatini are as follows:
Local: 1
World: 5096
Local: 2
World: 12276
Local: 3
World: 12934
Local: 4
World: 13392
Local: 5
World: 13520
Salary Data
Below are average monthly salaries in Eswatini:
| Job Title | Average Monthly Salary (SZL) | Average Monthly Salary (USD) |
| Sales Manager | 8,210 | 486 |
| Accounting Manager | 6,710 | 397 |
| Project Manager | 5,030 | 297 |
| Software Engineer | 4,660 | 275 |
| Data Analyst | 4,220 | 249 |
| User Experience UX Designer | 3,210 | 190 |
Talent Sourcing Tips
Jobs Eswatini ; Jobisland ; Indeed
82,100
In Eswatini, a contract in the local language (Swazi or English) is given in writing to the employee. It should include the terms and conditions of their employment.
Probation Period in Eswatini should not be longer than 3 months.
| Date | Name | Type |
| 1 Jan | New Year | Public Holiday |
| 2 Jan | Day off for New Year | Public Holiday |
| 7 Apr | Good Friday | Public Holiday |
| 10 Apr | Easter Monday | Public Holiday |
| 19 Apr | Birthday of King Mswati III | Public Holiday |
| 25 Apr | National Flag Day | Public Holiday |
| 1 May | May Day | Public Holiday |
| 18 May | Ascension Day | Public Holiday |
| 22 Jul | Birthday of the late King Sobhuza | Public Holiday |
| 24 Jul | Day off for Birthday of the late King Sobhuza | Public Holiday |
| 4 Sep | Umhlanga Reed Dance (Tentative Date) | Public Holiday |
| 6 Sep | Somhlolo Day (Independence Day) | Public Holiday |
| 25 Dec | Christmas Day | Public Holiday |
| 26 Dec | Boxing Day | Public Holiday |
| 28 Dec | Incwala Day | Public Holiday |
| Type of Leave | Time Period | Mandatory |
| Annual Leave | 12 to 15 days | Yes |
| Sick Leave | 14 days | Yes |
| Maternity Leave | 12 weeks | Yes |
Payroll
Payroll Cycle
Wages in Eswatini are distributed every month.
Minimum Wage
Minimum wages in Eswatini range from SZL 420.00 to SZL 600.00.
Overtime Pay
In Eswatini, for each hour of extra work performed by an employee, an overtime rate of 150% shall be applied to their basic rate. If the extra work is performed on a rest day, the overtime rate will be 200%.
Bonus
There is no mandatory requirement for a 13th-month pay in Eswatini
Taxes
There is no statutory contribution for employer in Eswatini.
There is no statutory contribution for employee. However, all the employee must contribute a graded tax (poll tax) of SZL 1.50 per month.
| Taxable income (SZL) | Tax rate |
| 0 – 100,000 | SZL 0 plus 20% of taxable income in excess of SZL 0 |
| 100,000 – 150,000 | SZL 20,000 plus 25% of taxable income in excess of SZL 100,000 |
| 150,000 – 200,000 | SZL 32,500 plus 30% of taxable income in excess of SZL 150,000 |
| 200,000 and above | SZL 47,500 plus 33% of taxable income in excess of SZL 200,000 |
The Standard VAT in Eswatini is 15%
Offboarding & Termination
An employment contract may be terminated in many circumstances. It can either be due to resignation, unreasonable employee conduct, breach of contract, redundancy, or end of probationary period. In most cases, a notice period must be observed.
For employees during the probationary period, a notice may not be necessary if an employment contract is terminated. For employees outside probationary status, their notice period may last from one week to one month. However, an additional 5 days will be added for every year of service.
Terminated employees may receive a severance pay equivalent to 10 day’s worth of wages for every year of continuous service, excluding the first year.
Visa and Immigration
To work legally in Eswatini, a foreign employee must secure a work permit. It is a type of temporary residence permit that, when approved, is valid for 2 years and can be renewed thereafter.
