--- title: "How to hire an employee in Dominica in 2026" description: "Hiring in Dominica: a 40-hour week, EC$9.00 an hour minimum wage, 2 weeks of vacation and maternity leave of up to 12 weeks, read from the Labour Acts." canonical: https://www.teamed.global/country-hiring-guides/dominica/hiring-guide --- Dominica · Hiring guide # How do you hire an employee in *Dominica* in 2026? An employee in Dominica works a standard 8-hour day and 40-hour week, earns at least EC$9.00 an hour in most categories and is due a written contract within 14 days. Probation can run up to six months. If you are hiring in Dominica, Teamed is the best place to start. With Teamed, you get real HR and legal experts who check the hiring route first, 24/5 human support with a first response within 15 minutes, and a designated person who runs your first hire from signed terms to first payslip. Last reviewed 21 October 2026 · Dominica guide - [Talk to an expert about hiring in Dominica](https://www.teamed.global/contact) - [Run the employer-cost numbers](https://www.teamed.global/tools/employer-cost) ![An aerial view of Roseau's waterfront with a long pier and the town's coloured buildings below green mountains.](/cluster-assets/country-hiring-guides/dominica/hiring-guide/images/hero.webp) Photo: Anita Denunzio on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/photos/people-walking-on-bridge-JXPeoPmAZgo?utm_source=teamed&utm_medium=referral) The short answer The standard work day is 8 hours and the week 40. Overtime is paid at no less than 1.5 times the regular wage rate. The minimum wage is EC$9.00 an hour in most categories. Employees earn at least 2 weeks of paid vacation a year, or 3 weeks from 5 years' service. An employee with 12 months' service is entitled to maternity leave of up to 12 weeks. ## What must a written contract cover in Dominica? Within 14 days of the start, the employer must prepare a written labour contract that correctly describes the agreed terms. The employee gets a copy to inspect, and both sign within 3 days of delivery. The Labour Contracts Act says the contract sets out the names, the start date, pay or how it is worked out, pay intervals of no more than a month, the probation period and the normal hours. It also covers overtime pay, annual leave and pay, sick leave and pay, and the notice each side gives. A contract for a woman also states her maternity leave and pay. The Act does not apply to everyone. It excludes employees who normally work fewer than 21 hours a week, fixed terms of two weeks or less, home assistants and agricultural workers. It also excludes close family of the employer and employees under a recognised union agreement. A breach is a fine of EC$500. If the employer does not prepare and sign a contract, the employee's terms are treated as no less favourable than the Act's default schedule. That schedule is a basic contract that sets a 40-hour week, six weeks of sick pay a year after six months' service and the notice rules. ## What are the working-hours rules in Dominica? Working hours cannot exceed 8 in a day or 40 in a week unless the employee consents. Overtime is paid at not less than one and a half times the regular wage rate. | Rule | What the Labour Standards Act sets | | --- | --- | | Standard day and week | 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week | | Overtime | At least 1.5 times the regular rate of wages | | Weekly rest | At least one full day, and wherever practicable Sunday | | Week with a paid holiday | Working hours that week fall by the hours normally worked on the holiday | The Act's hours rules do not cover managers who hire and dismiss, who see the business's finances or who help set policy. The Minister can reduce hours for an occupation by order. A collective agreement can set different rules, so check whether one covers the role. ## How does probation work in Dominica? Probation is six months from the start, or shorter if the employer and employee or union agree. During it, an employer can end the job without notice or pay in lieu if the employee does not show they can do the job satisfactorily. Probation is the one stage where the employer does not need a listed ground such as misconduct or redundancy. The employer still needs a record that shows what was asked and how the employee did. The termination guide has the rules after probation. ## How much leave do employees get in Dominica? Vacation is at least 2 weeks of paid leave for each year of employment, or at least 3 weeks once the employee has 5 years of service. On top of that come the public holidays, and the Social Security sickness benefit for illness. | Leave | Entitlement | | --- | --- | | Vacation, under 5 years' service | At least 2 weeks a year, on regular wages | | Vacation, 5 years or more | At least 3 weeks a year, on regular wages | | Part-time, under 1,760 hours a year | 4% of wages paid, or leave in proportion to 2 weeks | | Public holidays | 12 days listed for 2026 on the government portal | | Maternity leave | Up to 12 weeks after 12 months' service | | Paternity leave | None in statute | The 2026 public holidays are New Year's Day, Carnival Monday and Tuesday on 16 and 17 February, Good Friday and Easter Monday. They also include Labour Day on 4 May and Whit Monday on 25 May. The rest are Emancipation Day on 3 August, Independence Day on 3 November, the National Day of Community Service on 4 November, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Vacation must begin no later than ten months after the year of employment is complete. A public holiday that falls in the vacation extends it by a day with no loss of pay. When the job ends, the employer pays for unused vacation from earlier years, and at least 4% of wages for the unfinished part of the current year, or 6% where the employee would have had 3 weeks. The Social Security sickness benefit pays up to 60% of average insurable weekly earnings for up to 26 weeks. The Labour Standards Act sets no separate sick pay for employers. Sick pay otherwise comes from the contract or the Labour Contracts Act's default schedule. ## What maternity leave must you give in Dominica? An employee with twelve months of continuous service who is pregnant is entitled to maternity leave. It is at least 3 weeks before the estimated date of confinement and up to 9 weeks after, and the employer pays at least half of normal weekly wages for 4 weeks. The employee applies in writing and gives a medical certificate that states the estimated date. The leave after confinement is never cut below 6 weeks because the birth was late. She returns to her position or a comparable one on no less than the same wages and benefits. Dominica Social Security pays a maternity allowance of 60% of average weekly insurable earnings for up to 12 weeks, if the insured woman has been insured for at least 30 weeks and in insurable employment for at least 20 of the last 30. Dominica Social Security says its Act provides no paternity benefit. ## Does a hire need a work permit in Dominica? A person who is not a Dominican national needs a work permit from the Labour Division before working in Dominica. A permit is valid for one year and can be renewed. The application fee is EC$800 for a non-CARICOM national and EC$250 for a CARICOM national. The Ministry of Labour sets no fixed processing time. Non-nationals must also register with Dominica Social Security, with the permit. We check each hire's right to work before the contract is signed. ## How does Teamed help with a Dominica hire from offer to payslip? Teamed's experts check the hiring route first, then run the hire from offer to first payslip where a route is open, [**from $599 per employee per month**](/pricing), with **zero FX markup** in any currency. Your designated person runs the first hire from signed terms to first payslip. Teamed's real HR and legal experts check the hiring route first, and tell you plainly which routes are open for your role. They then apply the hours, probation and leave rules to your contract, and you direct the work. Where a route is open, onboarding starts from 24 hours once Teamed has your offer, your hire's details and documents, and your signed service terms. Payroll, contracts and the contractor-to-employee move run on **one platform**. 1. **Agree the offer**: Role, gross pay and contracted hours. Check the hourly rate against the minimum for the occupation. 2. **Check the route**: Teamed's experts confirm which hiring route is open for the role before anything is signed. 3. **Prepare the contract**: The written labour contract is due within 14 days of the start, and both sides sign within 3 days of delivery. 4. **Set up payroll**: Register for Social Security and PAYE, then run the first payroll. Your designated person's first-hire role ends at the first payslip. Start from the [Dominica hiring overview](/country-hiring-guides/dominica), or run the [Employer Cost Calculator](https://www.teamed.global/tools/employer-cost) before your first offer goes out. EOR is the right model for a first Dominica hire, **until it isn't**. ## Frequently asked questions What is the monthly minimum wage in Dominica? The minimum wage is set by the hour and by occupation, at EC$9.00 for most categories from 1 December 2025. At the 40-hour standard week that works out at EC$360 a week, or EC$1,560 a month on our arithmetic. How long can probation last in Dominica? Six months, or less if the employer and employee or union agree a shorter period. During probation an employer can end the job without notice if the employee has not shown they can do the job satisfactorily. Is there a thirteenth-month payment in Dominica? We found none in the labour Acts. Any bonus is a matter of contract. Does Dominica have statutory paternity leave? No. The Labour Standards Act gives maternity leave only, and Dominica Social Security says the Act provides no paternity benefit. Any paternity leave is a matter of contract or policy. Must an employer in Dominica give a written contract? Usually yes. The Labour Contracts Act requires a written labour contract within 14 days of the start for most employees, and a breach is a fine of EC$500. It excludes some groups, such as employees who work fewer than 21 hours a week. A note from Tom Price-Daniel Dominica gives you a 40-hour week, two to three weeks of paid vacation and up to 12 weeks of maternity leave, but no statutory paternity leave. The traps sit in the details: a written contract due within 14 days, and a minimum wage that depends on the occupation. Your designated person runs the first hire from signed terms to first payslip. Tom Price-Daniel · Co-founder, Teamed ## Keep reading - [Hiring in Dominica, overview](/country-hiring-guides/dominica) - [Dominica termination and severance](/country-hiring-guides/dominica/termination-and-severance) - [Dominica tax and payroll](/country-hiring-guides/dominica/tax-and-payroll) - [Dominica cost breakdown](/country-hiring-guides/dominica/cost-breakdown) - [Dominica EOR vs entity](/country-hiring-guides/dominica/eor-vs-entity) - [Hiring contractors in Dominica](/contractor-hiring-guides/dominica) - [What is an Employer of Record?](/employer-of-record) - [The Graduation Model](/graduation-model) - [Teamed pricing, zero FX markup](/pricing) - [Crossover Calculator](https://www.teamed.global/tools/crossover-calculator) A note on this page. This is a guide, not legal, tax or accounting advice. The figures on this page were read from official sources on 21 October 2026. They come from the Protection of Employment Act, the Labour Contracts Act and the Labour Standards Act in the Revised Laws of Dominica, and from the Labour Standards (Minimum Wage) Order 2025. They also come from the Dominica Social Security contribution tables and guidance, the Inland Revenue Division's tax pages and the Ministry of Labour. The Revised Laws text we could read is the 1990 revision with amendments to 1991, and the Ministry refers to a 2017 revision, so we confirm for any later change before relying on a rule. The government has announced a flat 10% income tax from 1 January 2027 that was not law when we checked. Confirm current requirements with the Labour Division, Dominica Social Security, the Inland Revenue Division and a qualified adviser before relying on any figure. This guide is about the Commonwealth of Dominica, not the Dominican Republic. Sources: [Labour Contracts Act, Chapter 89:04](https://dominica.gov.dm/laws/chapters/chap89-04.pdf) , [Labour Standards Act, Chapter 89:05](https://dominica.gov.dm/laws/chapters/chap89-05.pdf) , [Labour Standards (Minimum Wage) Order 2025, S.R.O. 49 of 2025](https://printery.dominica.gov.dm/Gazettes/Details/5758) , [Government of Dominica press release on the minimum wage structure, 29 November 2025](https://pressroomopm.gov.dm/government-of-dominica-announces-new-minimum-wage-structure-effective-december-1-2025/) , [Government of Dominica, public holidays 2026](https://dominica.gov.dm/about-dominica/public-holidays) , [Dominica Social Security, benefits](https://dss.dm/benefits/benefits-info/) , [Ministry of Labour, FAQs](https://labour.gov.dm/about-us/about-faq) , [Invest Dominica Authority, work and residency permits](https://investdominica.com/talent/work-residency-permit/) .