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This guide has important information for businesses looking to hire employees or contractors in The Dominican Republic.
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Dominican Republic Country Guide for Hiring Employees and Contractors
Currency
Dominican Peso
Capital
Santo Domingo
Language
Spanish, English.
Continent
North America (Caribbean)
Population
10.8 Million
GDP
$109 Billion
Per Capita Income
$10,250
GDP Growth Rate
12.3% (2021)
Date Format
dd/mm/yy
Fiscal Year
January 1 to December 31
Payroll Cycle
Monthly/Every two weeks
Major Religions
Christianity
Minimum Wage in Dominican Republic
There are different minimum wage laws for public and private sector in the Dominican Republic. Private sector minimum wage in depends on the number of employees and annual sales of the business.
In addition to the minimum wages, many employers also pay one month’s salary as a Christmas bonus, making the total annual salary to 13-times the monthly salary.
Payroll and Taxes in Dominican Republic
Employers typically follow a monthly payment schedule, with salaries paid on the first of every month. Salary is prorated for employees joining in the middle of a month.
In The Dominican Republic, monthly wages are calculated as 4.33 times the weekly wage or 4.33 times the standard hours per week if an hourly wage is given.
Salary must be paid in cash, by check, or by direct deposit to the employee’s account at a bank or other financial institution.
Individual Income Tax
In The Dominican Republic, domestic income is subject to income tax but income from outside is generally not taxed.
The Dominican Republic income tax system follows a slab structure. It means individuals pay income tax based on their income level. This is also called the progressive tax system in which individuals with higher income also pay higher taxes. Employers need to stay on top of these changes to be compliant with tax laws.
The following table shows income tax rates for Dominican Republic:
Employer Costs in Dominican Republic
Employers bear the following costs in Dominican Republic:
Pension Fund: Employers contribute 7.10% of salary and must withhold 2.87% from employee’s salary for pensions. This contribution is mandatory. Annual limit for pension fund contribution per employee is 325,250 Pesos.
Family Healthcare: Employers must contribute 7.09% of salary and also withhold 3.04% from employee’s salary for family healthcare. Annual limit for family healthcare contribution per employee is 162,625 Pesos.
Labour Risks Insurance – Employers also need to pay 1.2% of salary towards labour risks insurance. Annual limit for this tax per employee is 65,050 Pesos.
Technical Education Tax – Dominican Republic has a unique payroll-based tax to finance a program for technical education and training of workers. All employers must pay 1% of total monthly payroll towards this ax. The employees pay 0.5% of bonuses received towards this tax.
Employee Termination
Terminating an employee in The Dominican Republic is complex, unless it’s by mutual agreement.
Contracts can be terminated with mutual agreement or if the contract period is over.
An employee can terminate the employment at will.
If an employer wants to terminate employment unilaterally, then it has two options:
  • Termination due to performance or disciplinary reasons – employer will need to provide proof of misconduct and give 48 hours' notice to the employee.
  • Termination without cause (“at will”) requires a longer notice period and may also involve severance pay. Employees on probation are not eligible for notice period. For others, the minimum notice period is 7 days and varies according to the following table:
The severance pay to be paid to a terminated employee varies according to the following table:
In addition, the employee may be eligible for time off payments according to the following table: