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Talent Wiki – Trinidad and Tobago

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

Map

Local Universities

The top local universities in Trinidad and Tobago are as follows:

Uni1 1

The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine

RANKING

Local: 1

World : 1,700

Uni2

The University of Trinidad and Tobago

RANKING

Local: 2

World :5,699

Uni3

University of the Southern Caribbean

RANKING

Local: 3

World : 7,866

Uni4

College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago

RANKING

Local: 4

World : 8,505

Uni5 1

Tobago Hospitality and Tourism Institute

RANKING

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
Talentsource 11

Talent Sourcing Tips

Top Local Job Boards:

obsTT.com, Trinidad Job, JobIsland

Number of LinkedIn users:

485,500

Top Recruitment Agencies:

Regency Trinidad, Caribbean Resourcing Solutions, Eve Anderson Recruitment Limited

Employing in Trinidad and Tobago

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.

Employee Contract

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.

Probation Period

Newly hired employees have to undergo a probationary period of three to six months.

Public and Provincial Holidays

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

Employee Leaves

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

Payroll

Payroll 1

Payroll Cycle

Salaries in Trinidad and Tobago are paid every month

Payroll 2

Minimum Wage

The National minimum wage for employees is TTD 17.50 per hour

Payroll 3

Overtime Pay

Overtime pay rates vary when the extra work is performed. Below are the following

Bonus

13th Month Pay

A 13th month pay is not mandatory in Trinidad and Tobago

Employee Benefits

Employees in Trinidad and Tobago are entitled to the following benefits:

  • Social Security
  • Work Injury and Disability benefit
  • Maternity Protection
  • Retirement/Pension

Taxes

Employer Payroll Tax

Type of Contribution Tax (in TTD)
National Insurance Maximum 276.20 (rates depending on the employee’s monthly earning)

Employee Payroll Tax

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)

Employee Income Tax

Income Bracket (TTD) Tax Rate
0 – 1,000,000 25%
1,000,000 and above 30%

VAT

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:

  • Weekly paid employees with 1 to 4 years of service – 2 weeks’ pay for each year served
  • Weekly paid employees with 5+ years of service – 3 weeks’ pay for each year served
  • Monthly paid employees with 1 to 4 years of service – 1/2 month’s pay for each year served
  • Monthly paid employees with 5+ years of service – 3/4 month’s pay for each year served

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.

Visa 11
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Payroll

Minimum Wage

 

 

Overtime Pay

Overtime pay rates vary when the extra work is performed. Below are the following

  • First 4 hours of extra work on a regular work day – 150%
  • The next 4 – 8 hours of extra work on a regular work day – 200%
  • Hours after the 8th hour of extra work on a regular work day – 300%
  • First 8 hours of extra work on a holiday/ scheduled day off – 200%
  • Hours after the 8th hour of extra work on a holiday/ scheduled day off – 300%

Visa & Immigration