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Capital City
Mbabane & Lobamba
Currency
Swazi Lilangeni
(
E
)
Timezone
GMT +2
Payroll Frequency
monthly
Tax Year
1 July - 30 June
Employer Tax
0%
Languages
English
Capital City
Mbabane & Lobamba
Currency
Swazi Lilangeni
(
E
)
Timezone
GMT +2
Payroll Frequency
monthly
Tax Year
1 July - 30 June
Employer Tax
0%
Languages
English
Hiring in Swaziland presents opportunities in a growing economy with a diverse workforce and strategic location between South Africa and Mozambique.
The country's emphasis on manufacturing and services, coupled with recent GDP growth of 7.9%, highlights its potential for business expansion and development.
Swaziland offers access to fully-serviced industrial sites and competitive rates for purpose-built factory structures, enhancing operational efficiency for businesses.
Additionally, investors can benefit from financial incentives such as tax allowances, low corporate tax rates of 10%, and duty-free importation of machinery and equipment, further promoting a conducive environment for hiring and investment.
Businesses can only operate smoothly in Swaziland 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 Swaziland below, to avoid any compliance issues.
In Swaziland, it is a requirement for employment contracts to be documented in writing, and the use of fixed-term contracts is permissible. These contracts must be written in the official local language and currency. The essential elements that must be included in the employment contract are:
We can help you get a new employee started in Swaziland 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.
The standard work schedule in Swaziland entails 48 hours per week, spread across a period of 6 days.
Employees in Swaziland can engage in overtime work with the approval of the employer. Compensation for overtime hours is set at 150% of the regular pay rate. Additionally, individuals working on rest days will receive remuneration at a rate of 200% for the hours worked.
It is acceptable in Swaziland to have probationary periods lasting 3-6 months depending on the nature of the work.
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1 July - 30 June is the 12-month accounting period that businesses in Swaziland use for financial and tax reporting purposes.
The payroll cycle in Swaziland is usually monthly, with employees being paid as stipulated in the employment agreement.
The minimum wage for employees in Swaziland is typically 7.50 SZL per hour, amounting to ~1,800 SZL per month for a typical 48 hour work week.
The provision of a 13th salary is not mandated by law in Swaziland.
Employer payroll contributions are generally estimated at an additional 6% - 10% on top of the employee salary in Swaziland.
In Swaziland , the typical estimation for employee payroll contributions cost is around 5%.
In Swaziland, income tax is levied on all income earned within the country, regardless of the recipient's residency status. The tax system follows a progressive rate structure for both resident and non-resident individuals.
Swaziland features three pension schemes: the Public Service Pension Fund (PSPF), the Members of Parliament and Designated Office Bearers Pension Fund (MOPADO), and the Eswatini National Provident Fund (ENPF). These schemes are statutory and operate on a Pay-As-You-Earn basis and is self-administered. Employees can also take out private pension funds or Retirement Annuities.
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The annual leave entitlement in Swaziland is 12 days for a full time worker. These can include public holidays on top of that or within those days, which would otherwise be unpaid.
Swaziland observes the following 11 national holidays annually:
Employees in Swaziland are entitled to 11 days of paid annual leave. Moreover, they are allowed to take up to one month of unpaid compassionate leave per year.
Pregnant employees in Swaziland have the right to 12 weeks of maternity leave, with a requirement to take 6 weeks before the due date. During this maternity leave, two weeks are paid, provided that the employee has completed at least one year of service.
Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) does not have a statutory provision for paternity leave. Some employers may offer paternity leave as part of their internal policies or employment contracts.
Following 3 months of employment, workers in Swaziland become eligible for sick leave benefits, which includes 14 days of 100% paid sick leave and an additional 14 days of 50% paid sick leave, calculated based on the employee's base wage rate.
There is no formal policy of shared parental leave in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland).
Both the employer and the employee in Swaziland have the option to terminate an employment relationship by giving notice.
The termination of employment in Swaziland necessitates notice periods, and the duration of these notice periods is contingent on the length of the employee's tenure:
Unless specified otherwise in labour laws, an employee who has been terminated in Swaziland is entitled to receive severance pay. The amount is typically calculated at 10 working days' pay for each completed year of service after the first year of employment.
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.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jesse Weisz
Jesse is an experienced R&D Analyst at Playroll, a leading Employer of Record (EOR) provider. With a strong background in data analysis and market research, Jesse specializes in identifying emerging trends and driving innovation in global HR solutions. She is an all-rounder, critical thinker and success-seeker (often inextricably linked to being a late-night tea drinker).
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