Your quick guide on talent and labor compliance norms in Trinidad and Tobago
Capital
Port of Spain
Currency
Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD)
Languages
English
Payroll Frequency
Monthly
GDP per Capita
$14,480.27
Employer Tax
Maximum 276.20 TTD
Talent Overview
Trinidad and Tobago is a high-income island country in the Caribbean and is currently the 3rd wealthiest country in the region. Their economy is primarily industrial, as the island is known for its natural gas and oil reserves. The petroleum and petrochemical industries alone account for 37% of the country’s GDP.
Major economic hubs:
Port of Spain, Chaguanas, Saint Augustine
Skills in demand:
Sales, Web Developers, Cyber Security Specialists, Project Manager, Health & Safety Officers
Local Universities
The top local universities in Trinidad and Tobago are as follows:
Local: 1
World : 1,700
Local: 2
World :5,699
Local: 3
World : 7,866
Local: 4
World : 8,505
Local: 5
World : 11,661
Salary Data
Some common jobs of Trinidad and Tobago with average monthly salary are mentioned below;
Job Title | Average Monthly Salary (in TTD) | Average Monthly Salary (in USD) |
Accountant | 10,100 | 1487.73 |
Software Engineer | 9,950 | 1465.63 |
Financial Analyst | 12,700 | 1870.71 |
Graphic Designer | 6,150 | 905.89 |
Project Manager | 11,700 | 1723.41 |
Sales Manager | 16,500 | 2430.45 |
Customer Care Representative | 3,790 | 558.27 |
Talent Sourcing Tips
obsTT.com, Trinidad Job, JobIsland
485,500
Regency Trinidad, Caribbean Resourcing Solutions, Eve Anderson Recruitment Limited
Employing in Trinidad and Tobago will require employees to be knowledgeable with the labor laws and regulations. Below are some information to help businesses get started when hiring employees in the country.
Employment Contracts in Trinidad and Tobago may be expressed or implied in writing or orally. It must be in the language that all the concerned parties understand.
Newly hired employees have to undergo a probationary period of three to six months.
Date | Name | Type |
1 Jan | New Year’s Day | Public holiday |
2 Jan | New Year’s Day observed | Public holiday |
30 Mar | Spiritual Baptist Liberation Day | Public holiday |
7 Apr | Good Friday | Public holiday |
10 Apr | Easter Monday | Public holiday |
22 Apr | Eid al-Fitr (Tentative Date) | Public holiday |
30 May | Indian Arrival Day | Public holiday |
8 Jun | Corpus Christi | Public holiday |
19 Jun | Labour Day | Public holiday |
1 Aug | Emancipation Day | Public holiday |
31 Aug | Independence Day | Public holiday |
24 Sep | Republic Day | Public holiday |
25 Sep | Republic Day observed | Public holiday |
12 Nov | Diwali/Deepavali (Tentative Date) | Public holiday |
13 Nov | Diwali/Deepavali observed (Tentative Date) | Public holiday |
25 Dec | Christmas Day | Public holiday |
26 Dec | Boxing Day | Public holiday |
Type of Leave | Time Period | Mandatory |
Annual Leave | Depends on the collective bargaining agreement | No |
Sick Leave | Depends on the collective bargaining agreement | No |
Maternity Leave | 13 weeks | Yes |
Bonus
A 13th month pay is not mandatory in Trinidad and Tobago
Employees in Trinidad and Tobago are entitled to the following benefits:
Taxes
Type of Contribution | Tax (in TTD) |
National Insurance | Maximum 276.20 (rates depending on the employee’s monthly earning) |
Type of Contribution | Tax (in TTD) |
National Insurance | Maximum 138.10 (rates depending on the employee’s monthly earning) |
Health Surcharge | 8.25 per week (for employees earning more than TTD 470 per month) |
Income Bracket (TTD) | Tax Rate |
0 – 1,000,000 | 25% |
1,000,000 and above | 30% |
The VAT rate in Trinidad and Tobago 12.5%
Offboarding & Termination
Termination of employment contract may be done by either the employee or employer. The grounds for termination may be due to just cause, resignation, contract expiration or unsatisfactory performance.
Notice period for employees in Trinidad and Tobago is typically a month.
According to the Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act, below are the severance pay rates based on their years of service:
Visa and Immigration
A work permit must be applied for by foreign employees seeking to work in Trinidad and Tobago. However, for foreign workers staying in the country for less than 30 days in a year for work, a work permit will no longer be required.
Overtime pay rates vary when the extra work is performed. Below are the following