Capital City
Sucre
Currency
Bolivian Boliviano
(
Bs.
)
Timezone
GMT -4
Payroll Frequency
monthly
Tax Year
1 January - 31 December
Employer Tax
16.71%
Languages
Spanish
Capital City
Sucre
Currency
Bolivian Boliviano
(
Bs.
)
Timezone
GMT -4
Payroll Frequency
monthly
Tax Year
1 January - 31 December
Employer Tax
16.71%
Languages
Spanish
Bolivia boasts abundant natural resources, including mining materials, natural gas, hydrocarbons, and untapped lithium deposits, offering significant export opportunities.
Despite COVID-19 impacts, the agricultural sector has shown notable growth, urging Bolivian businesses to invest in modern agricultural technology resilient to climate change and aging infrastructure.
The country welcomes foreign direct investment (FDI), with gross FDI reaching USD 440 million in 2021, particularly in hydrocarbons, manufacturing, industry, commerce, transport, storage, communications, insurance, and real estate sectors.
Bolstered by macroeconomic stability, strategic location, and government economic measures during the pandemic, Bolivia emerges as a promising investment destination.
Businesses can only operate smoothly in Bolivia if they comply with local labor laws including drafting compliant employment contract agreements and meeting taxation and payroll obligations. Learn more about the employment laws and regulations in Bolivia below, to avoid any compliance issues.
In Bolivia, employment contracts can be verbal or written. The typical expectation is for contracts to be indefinite and signed, although fixed-term contracts are allowed if documented. Verbal contracts are assumed to be indefinite, and written contracts need authorisation from a labour inspector or higher administrative authority.
We can help you get a new employee started in Bolivia quickly, with a minimum onboarding time of just 1-2 working days. The timeline starts once the employee submits all required information onto the Playroll platform and completes any necessary local authority registrations. For non-nationals, the Right to Work assessment (if applicable) may add up to three extra days. Additional time may be needed for follow-ups on this assessment. Please note, payroll cut-off dates can impact the actual start date. Playroll's payroll cut-off date is the 10th of each month unless otherwise specified.
In Bolivia, the standard working hours are 8 hours per day, with a maximum of 6 working days in a week.
Any work performed beyond the standard working hours per week in Bolivia is subject to overtime pay, as stipulated by employment contracts or collective agreements. Typically, the maximum limit for overtime hours is 2 hours per day, and the compensation is set at 200% of the regular salary rate.
The probation periods for permanent employees in Bolivia typically range from 1 to 3 months.
1 January - 31 December is the 12-month accounting period that businesses in Bolivia use for financial and tax reporting purposes.
The payroll cycle in Bolivia is usually monthly, with employees being paid on the last working day of the month.
The minimum wage for employees in Bolivia is typically 11.719 BOB per hour, amounting to ~2,250 BOB per month for a typical 48 hour work week.
Bolivian employees receive a 13th-month salary (Aguinaldo) equivalent to one month's pay, capped at 25.00% of the company's profits. It is disbursed at year-end and is tax and social security exempt. A 14-month bonus is mandatory if the GDP exceeds 4.50% or the company earns annual profits.
Employer payroll contributions are generally estimated at an additional 16.71% on top of the employee salary in Bolivia.
In Bolivia , the typical estimation for employee payroll contributions cost is around 12.71%.
The individual income tax in Bolivia is a flat rate of 13%.
Irrespective of personal savings, all resident citizens of Bolivia aged 60 and older are covered by the Renta Dignidad, or Dignity Pension Programme (RDP), receiving monthly payments of 193.65 BOB.
The annual leave entitlement in Bolivia is 15 days for a full time worker. These can include public holidays on top of that or within those days, which would otherwise be unpaid.
Bolivia observes 13 national public holidays, in addition to state-specific public holidays that may vary:
In Bolivia, annual paid leave is typically stipulated in the employment contract, starting at a minimum of 15 days after one year of service, increasing to 20 days after 5 years, and 30 days after 10 years of employment, in addition to public holidays.
Pregnant employees in Bolivia receive 90 days of paid maternity leave, with 45 days taken before the due date and the remaining 45 days after. Initially, the employer pays 100% of the national minimum wage, later reimbursed at 90% by Social Security.
Fathers in Bolivia have the right to mandatory paid paternity leave, with a duration of 3 days.
There is no separate, additional parental leave policy beyond maternity and paternity provisions in Bolivia.
In Bolivia, employees receive 26 weeks of paid sick leave annually and must submit a medical certificate within 48 hours of the initial illness. The employer covers the leave at 100% of the regular pay rate, with Social Security reimbursing 75% of the rate starting from the 5th day of sickness.
Acceptable terminations in Bolivia include:
Per Bolivian labour law, there isn't a required notice period.
In Bolivia, severance pay is obligatory and varies based on the type of termination. It generally amounts to one month's regular salary for each completed year of service.
Disclaimer
THIS CONTENT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE LEGAL OR TAX ADVICE. You should always consult with and rely on your own legal and/or tax advisor(s). Playroll does not provide legal or tax advice. The information is general and not tailored to a specific company or workforce and does not reflect Playroll’s product delivery in any given jurisdiction. Playroll makes no representations or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of this information and shall have no liability arising out of or in connection with it, including any loss caused by use of, or reliance on, the information.
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