Your quick guide on talent and labor compliance norms in Yemen
Capital
Sana’a
Currency
Yemeni Rial
Languages
Arabic
Payroll Frequency
Monthly
GDP per Capita
$ 967.60
Employer Tax
9%
Talent Overview
Yemen, in spite of its rich oil reserves and fertile agricultural land, has one of the lowest poverty scores in the world. More than 80% of their population lives below the poverty line due in part to a myriad of geopolitical and civil issues. Yemen’s economy detracted by 50% since the beginning of the civil war from March 2015 to October 2018.
Major economic hubs:
Sana’a
Skills in demand:
Logistics Professionals, Customer Service Professionals, Medical Professionals, Legal Professionals, Marketing Professionals, Information Technology, Professionals Engineering Professionals, Teaching Professionals
Local Universities
The top local universities in Yemen are as follows:
Local: 1
World : 6382
Local: 2
World : 6878
Local: 3
World : 7676
Local: 4
World : 9476
Local: 5
World : 9624
Salary Data
Below are the average monthly salary for the following jobs in Yemen:
| Job Title | Salary Average (in YER) | Salary Average (in USD) |
| Executive Director | 71,500 | 286 |
| Chief Financial Officer | 72,200 | 288 |
| Information Technology Manager | 56,500 | 226 |
| Database Administrator | 32,400 | 129 |
| Developer / Programmer | 31,000 | 124 |
| Network Engineer | 30,000 | 120 |
| General Manager | 59,000 | 236 |
Talent Sourcing Tips
431,800
Hiring employees in Yemen is fairly straightforward when you have a strong grasp on its employment laws, benefits, payroll, and tax systems. You can better your knowledge for hiring and onboarding talents in Yemen successfully.
Employment contracts in Yemen can be either oral or written though written contracts must be given to employees at the start of their employment. The written contracts must be in Arabic.
| Date | Name | Type |
| 8 Apr | Eid al-Fitr holiday (Tentative Date) | Public Holiday |
| 9 Apr | Eid al-Fitr Eve (Tentative Date) | Public Holiday |
| 10 Apr | Eid al-Fitr (Tentative Date) | Public Holiday |
| 11 Apr | Eid al-Fitr holiday (Tentative Date) | Public Holiday |
| 1 May | May Day | Public Holiday |
| 22 May | Unity Day | Public Holiday |
| 16 Jun | Eid al-Adha Eve (Tentative Date) | Public Holiday |
| 17 Jun | Eid al-Adha (Tentative Date) | Public Holiday |
| 18 Jun | Eid al-Adha holiday (Tentative Date) | Public Holiday |
| 19 Jun | Eid al-Adha holiday (Tentative Date) | Public Holiday |
| 20 Jun | Eid al-Adha holiday (Tentative Date) | Public Holiday |
| 8 Jul | Muharram (Tentative Date) | Public Holiday |
| 26 Sep | Revolution Day | Public Holiday |
| 14 Oct | Liberation Day | Public Holiday |
| 30 Nov | Independence Day | Public Holiday |
Payroll
Payroll Cycle
The employees are paid on a monthly basis.
Minimum Wage
The minimum wage in Yemen is 21000 Yemeni Rial or 83.92 USD per month
Overtime Pay
Employees are entitled to 150% of the normal rate for overtime and 200% for overnight overtime schedules.
Bonus
There is no provision for a 13th-month pay in Yemen.
Taxes
| Type | Rate |
| Social Security System | 6% for Public-sector program9% for Private-sector program |
| Type | Rate |
| Social Security System | 6% for both Public-sector program and Private-sector program |
Individuals are taxed with a rate of 10% to 15% with the exempt annual income ceiling of YER 120,000. Non-residents on the other hand are taxed at a 20% rate.
The VAT in Yemen is 5%.
Offboarding & Termination
An employment contract can be terminated with or without notice and be based on reasons under the provisions of the Labour Code. The notice period is calculated based on the payment of wages.
For salaried employees based on a monthly salary and hourly, weekly, or production-based employees but paid monthly, the notice period is 30 days. For fortnight-scheduled salaried employees, the notice period is 15 days.
Workers are entitled to a monthly pension or lump sum payment depending on the Social Insurance Act.
If an employee is not covered under the Social Insurance Act, the pay is one month’s worth of salary per year of service. The salary is based on the last received payment by the employee.
If an employee resigns without notice because of the employer’s misconduct, then the employee is entitled to a maximum of six months’ worth of salary payment.
Visa and Immigration
Business Visas in Yemen are largely straightforward. You just need to have a genuine certificate of invitation from a genuine company in Yemen. You also need to have a strong reason to return to your home country and can bear the expenses of traveling to Yemen. The visa is only valid for one entry and you can stay for up to one month in the country.
