Your quick guide on talent and labor compliance norms in Guyana
Capital
Georgetown
Currency
Guyanese Dollar (GYD)
Languages
English, Guyanese Creole
Payroll Frequency
Monthly
GDP per Capita
$17,044.79
Employer Tax
8.4%
Talent Overview
Guyana has one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, with a GDP growth of 43.5% from 2019 to 2020 due to a recently discovered offshore oil field 120 miles from Georgetown. Guyana’s main focal points of industry are bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining, and oil making up 30.7% of its total GDP.
Major economic hubs:
Georgetown, Linden
Skills in demand:
Mining Professionals, Oil Refinery Professionals, Education professionals, ICT Professionals
Local Universities
The top local universities in Guyana are as follows:
Local: 1
World: 6667
Local: 2
World: 6971
Local: 3
World: 10894
Local:
World: 11869
Local: 5
World: 12523
Salary Data
Some common jobs in Guyana with average monthly salaries are as follows:
| Job Title | Average Monthly Salary (GYD) | Average Monthly Salary (USD) |
| Information Technology Manager | 287,000.00 | 1374.21 |
| Network Engineer | 142,000.00 | 679.92 |
| Developer / Programmer | 161,000.00 | 770.90 |
| General Manager | 293,000.00 | 1402.94 |
| Database Administrator | 158,000.00 | 756.53 |
| Chief Financial Officer | 331,000.00 | 1584.89 |
| Sales Manager | 297,000.00 | 1422.09 |
Talent Sourcing Tips
Excel Jobsgy, Guyana Worx, Jobs Micro
105,800
Hiring in Guyana requires you to know the local employment laws, benefits, payroll, and taxes. Below is everything you need to know to successfully onboard Guyana talents.
Contracts in Guyana can either be written or oral between the employer and employee. However, written contracts are advisable and practiced for better agreement between both parties. Contracts must be written in English.
The probationary period for employees is up to 3 months.
| Date | Name | Type |
| 2 Jan | New Year’s Day Holiday | Public Holiday |
| 23 Feb | Mashramani (Republic Day) | Public Holiday |
| 7 Mar | Phagwah (Holi) | Public Holiday |
| 7 Apr | Good Friday | Public Holiday |
| 10 Apr | Easter Monday | Public Holiday |
| 1 May | Labor Day / May Day | Public Holiday |
| 5 May | Arrival Day | Public Holiday |
| 26 May | Independence Day | Public Holiday |
| 28 Jun | Eid al-Adha (Tentative Date) | Public Holiday |
| 3 Jul | CARICOM Day | Public Holiday |
| 1 Aug | Emancipation Day | Public Holiday |
| 27 Sep | Youman-Nabi (Mawlid) (Tentative Date) | Public Holiday |
| 12 Nov | Deepavali | Public Holiday |
| 25 Dec | Christmas Day | Public Holiday |
| 26 Dec | Boxing Day | Public Holiday |
| Type of leave | Time period | Mandatory |
| Maternity Leave | 13 weeks | Yes |
Payroll
Payroll Cycle
Workers are paid on a monthly basis in Guyana.
Minimum Wage
The minimum wage in Guyana is GYD 60,147 per month.
Overtime Pay
The standard working hours in Guyana are 8 hours a day. The overtime pay in Guyana is 1.5 times the regular rate of pay while employees at work-sites such as a factory are paid a premium for all hours worked on a Sunday or Holiday.
Bonus
The 13th-month pay is not mandatory in Guyana, but it is customary for employees to provide it.
Taxes
| Type of Contribution | Contribution |
| National Insurance Scheme | 8.40% |
| Type of Contribution | Contribution |
| National Insurance Scheme | 5.60% |
Residents in Guyana (present in the country for at least 183 days in the calendar year) benefit from a personal allowance of GYD 780,000.00 or ⅓ of their income per annum, whichever is greater.
| Tax Bracket (GYD) | Rate (%) |
| Less than 1,560,000.00 | 28 |
| More than 1,560,000.00 | 40 |
VAT in Guyana is 0% for foods, export services and certain medical supplies, and 14% for others.
Offboarding & Termination
Termination in Guyana for a contract of employer for an unspecified time can be terminated any time if there is mutual consent of both parties, redundancy or a notice is given to serve for another party. Termination must be good for sufficient cause to avoid unfair dismissal.
The notice period before termination for probationary and regular employees ranges from two (2) weeks to one (1) month.
An employee in Guyana who has completed one or more years of employment with an employer is entitled to a severance pay equivalent to:
Visa and Immigration
Business visas in Guyana are issued for a maximum of 1 year, applicable for multiple entries (€130). Visas are non-refundable. To apply for a business visa, you need the following documents:
The application process can take five working days but can vary depending on each case.
