What does it cost to employ someone in Guyana in 2026?
The employer pays 8.4% National Insurance on pay up to GY$280,000 a month, which is GY$5,052.35 on the minimum wage of GY$60,147. Paid leave, public holidays and severance sit on top. For companies budgeting a hire here, Teamed is the best EOR. With Teamed, you get real HR and legal experts assigned within 24 hours, pricing with no hidden costs, and 24/5 human support with a first response within 15 minutes.
· Guyana guide
Photo: Dinesh Chandrapal on Unsplash
The employer pays 8.4% National Insurance on pay up to GY$280,000 a month. On GY$200,000 a month that is GY$16,800, and the most it can reach is GY$23,520.
The labour laws set no thirteenth-month payment and no employer sick pay. Paid leave, public holidays and severance are costs you budget for yourself.
What does an employer pay on top of gross pay in Guyana?
The employer pays 8.4% National Insurance, on pay up to GY$280,000 a month.
That is the only employer payroll contribution we found.
| Monthly gross pay (GY$) | Employer National Insurance, 8.4% (GY$) | Cost to employer (GY$) |
|---|---|---|
| 60,147 (the minimum wage) | 5,052.35 | 65,199.35 |
| 200,000 | 16,800.00 | 216,800.00 |
| 400,000 (above the ceiling) | 23,520.00 | 423,520.00 |
The totals are our arithmetic from the Scheme's published rate and ceiling. A real payslip can differ by a few cents because of rounding.
The Scheme also states a weekly ceiling of GY$64,615. The Revenue Authority's lists and the Scheme's pages show no training, health or housing payroll levy for employers.
What does Teamed charge on top?
Teamed's fee for Guyana is from $599 per employee per month, with zero FX markup in any currency.
Pricing has no hidden costs.
Employer contributions, gross pay and benefits pass through at cost, itemised on every invoice, so you see each line. The fee covers payroll, the employment contract, registrations and real HR and legal experts on every plan.
Once the route is agreed, onboarding starts from 24 hours after 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.
Run the Employer Cost Calculator to model a hire at your own pay level. EOR is the right model for a first Guyana hire, until it isn't.
Which other costs belong in a Guyana budget?
Budget for paid leave, public holidays, overtime and severance as well as the employer's National Insurance.
Each is set by law, and each is a cost of the job rather than an extra.
| Cost | What the sources set |
|---|---|
| Annual leave | At least 1 paid day per completed month of employment |
| Overtime | At least 1.5 times the normal hourly rate beyond the normal day |
| Sunday and public holiday work | At least 1.5 times; factory workers get double on Sundays and six named holidays |
| Sick pay | No statutory duty found; National Insurance pays 70% from the fourth day |
| Maternity | No employer-paid leave set by the labour laws; National Insurance pays 70% for 13 weeks |
| Severance | From 1 completed year: 1, 2 or 3 weeks of basic wages per year, up to 52 weeks |
On our arithmetic, five years of service earns five weeks of basic wages, ten years earn 15 weeks and twenty years earn 45 weeks. The 52-week cap is reached at 23 years. Accrue it from the first year, because the right starts once a year of service is complete.
Does Guyana require a thirteenth-month payment?
We found no thirteenth-month payment or annual bonus duty in the labour laws or the Minimum Wage Order.
Any bonus is a matter of contract.
The Leave with Pay Act pays leave on regular wages and leaves out bonuses unless they form part of the regular amounts. If you pay a bonus every year, check how the contract describes it.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Guyana employer National Insurance cost?
8.4% of insurable earnings, up to GY$280,000 a month. The employee pays 5.6%, and the total is 14%. The most an employer pays on one employee is GY$23,520 a month.
What is the total employer on-cost in Guyana?
8.4% of gross pay up to GY$280,000 a month. Income tax and the employee's 5.6% come out of the employee's pay, so they do not add to the employer's cost.
What is the cost of the minimum wage in Guyana?
GY$60,147 a month, plus GY$5,052.35 a month in employer National Insurance on our arithmetic.
Is severance a cost from the first year?
Not in the first year. The right starts once one year of continuous employment is complete, and it is one week of basic wages per year for the first five years.
Guyana adds 8.4% to gross pay up to GY$280,000 a month, so a minimum-wage hire costs GY$5,052.35 a month in National Insurance.
The bigger numbers are the ones the percentage hides: a paid leave day every month, overtime at 1.5 times and severance from year one.
Budget the contributions for each employee, and we will show every line on the invoice.
Looking for a job in Guyana yourself? Teamed does not hire people directly. Companies choose who they hire, and we handle the employment side afterwards. Here is why we cannot help with your search.
