How do you hire a Peruvian employee in 2026?
Peru sets dismissal protection by the clock, not by performance. A new hire is protected against arbitrary dismissal once probation ends at 3 months. You can stretch that to 6 months for qualified or trust roles, and a full year for management, but only if the contract says so in writing from day one.
· Peru guide
Illustration · Lima, Peru
The Peru hire process has five steps. Offer letter, work-permit check, written employment contract, EsSalud and PLAME registration, first payday.
Probation runs 3 months as standard. You can extend it to 6 months for qualified or trust staff, and to a year for management. The longer term only holds if you write it into the contract from the start.
Once probation ends, the employee is protected against arbitrary dismissal. There is no paid notice period to dismiss. Protection is paid in money instead, at 1.5 salaries per year of service (DS 003-97-TR).
Pay lands monthly. Two extra full salaries arrive each year as gratifications, in July and December. The employer also pays 9% of salary to the EsSalud health fund.
What does the end-to-end Peru hire process look like?
Five steps take you from accepted offer to first payslip. Offer letter, work-permit check, written contract, EsSalud and PLAME setup, first payday.
The work-permit check for foreign nationals must finish before the start date. Peruvian nationals can start sooner.
| Step | What happens | Owner | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Offer letter | Written offer with role, salary, start date, probation term, and any conditions | Client / Teamed drafts | Same day after verbal accept |
| 2. Work-permit check | Confirm Peruvian nationality or verify a valid foreign-worker contract and immigration status before the start date | Teamed | Before the employee starts |
| 3. Written employment contract | Signed written contract under the LPCL (DS 003-97-TR), with the probation term stated in writing | Teamed (legal employer) | On or before day one |
| 4. Registrations | EsSalud enrolment, pension fund choice (ONP or AFP), PLAME electronic payroll setup with SUNAT, bank details | Teamed | Days 1 to 5 |
| 5. First payday | First payslip issued; income tax, pension, and EsSalud filed monthly through PLAME to SUNAT | Teamed | End of first payroll month |
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Issue the offer letter
Send a written offer the same day as verbal acceptance. Include role, gross monthly salary, start date, and the probation term of 3 months, or up to 6 months for a qualified or trust role written in from the start.
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Complete the work-permit check
Confirm Peruvian nationality by collecting a DNI copy, or verify the approved foreign-worker contract and immigration status before the employee starts. Keep copies of every document.
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Issue the written employment contract
Sign the written contract on or before day one and name the probation tier in it. Teamed's standard Peru contract meets the LPCL requirements. Clients choose commercial terms; Teamed signs as the legal employer.
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Complete the registrations
Enrol the employee in EsSalud, record the ONP or AFP pension choice, set up PLAME electronic payroll with SUNAT, and open the CTS account. This runs across the first working week.
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Issue the first payslip and file deductions
Run the first payroll at the end of the first calendar month. File income tax, pension, and EsSalud through PLAME to SUNAT. The employee receives their payslip and joins the payroll record.
What must a Peru offer letter include?
The offer letter is not the binding contract. It is the document the candidate decides against.
Include role title, reporting line, start date, gross monthly salary, working location, the probation term, and any conditions such as immigration status or reference checks.
Three traps to avoid in Peruvian offer letters:
- Leaving the probation tier vague. Probation is 3 months by default. To run 6 months for a qualified or trust role, or a year for a management role, you must set the longer term in writing. An offer that hints at a longer trial without naming it loses the extension.
- Quoting only the base salary. Peru adds two full gratifications a year, in July and December, plus the CTS savings fund. Quote the gross monthly figure clearly so the candidate reads the package the same way you do.
- Overstating discretionary pay. Calling a bonus normal or expected can turn it into a contractual right. Mark variable pay as at-discretion in plain words.
Teamed's standard Peru offer letter template covers the ground the LPCL needs and names the probation tier up front. Clients choose the commercial terms. Teamed holds the legal-employer position and issues the final contract.
Peru work-authorisation checks for foreign national employees
Peruvian nationals and permanent residents can start work without a permit. Foreign nationals need an approved foreign-worker contract and a valid immigration status before their first day.
Employing a foreign national without the right authorisation exposes the employer to fines from the labour inspectorate, SUNAFIL.
Peruvian nationals
There is no separate work-authorisation check for Peruvian citizens. The employer keeps a copy of the national identity document (DNI) as a standard identity record. The employee chooses a pension route, either the public ONP system or a private AFP fund, at onboarding.
Foreign nationals
Most foreign workers are hired under a foreign-personnel contract approved by the Ministerio de Trabajo (MTPE). Two legal caps usually apply at company level: foreign staff may not exceed 20% of headcount, and foreign payroll may not exceed 30% of the total wage bill, with exemptions for certain roles. The worker also needs a valid immigration status from Migraciones that allows paid work before the start date. Allow several weeks for approval.
Andean Community nationals (from Bolivia, Colombia, and Ecuador) get more favourable treatment under Decision 545 and are often treated like local hires for employment purposes. Check the current rule for the specific nationality before you commit to a start date.
The MTPE governs the employment relationship in Peru, including written contract rules, probation, leave, and foreign-worker authorisation. Every employer must register and report through the SUNAT electronic payroll, PLAME.
Ongoing status checks
Foreign-worker contracts and immigration permits are time-limited. The employer must track expiry dates and start renewals early. Teamed monitors each permit and alerts the employee and client before the deadline so no lapse occurs.
The Peru written employment contract: what must it contain?
Peru lets an open-ended contract be verbal, but a written contract protects both sides and is required for fixed-term and foreign-worker hires.
Sign it before or on the first day. It is the binding document. The offer letter is not. The probation tier only counts if it is written here.
What a Peru written employment contract should cover under the LPCL (DS 003-97-TR):
- Names and identity documents of both the employer and the employee
- Start date of employment, and the end date for any fixed-term contract
- Job title and a description of the work
- Place of work
- Gross monthly salary and how it is paid
- The probation term in writing: 3 months as standard, up to 6 months for qualified or trust staff, or a year for management
- Working hours, up to 48 hours a week and 8 hours a day
- Paid annual leave of 30 days after each complete year of service
- The two annual gratifications, in July and December, each worth one monthly salary
- The CTS severance savings fund, deposited in May and November
- The pension route chosen, ONP or AFP, and EsSalud enrolment
Fixed-term contracts in Peru must state a lawful reason for the term and be registered. Foreign-worker contracts need MTPE approval. Teamed's standard Peru contract meets the LPCL requirements and names the probation tier. Clients choose the commercial terms; Teamed signs as the legal employer.
Key source: TUO DL 728, Ley de Productividad y Competitividad Laboral (DS 003-97-TR).
Onboarding admin in the first week
Days 1 to 5 cover contract signing, EsSalud enrolment, the pension choice, PLAME setup with SUNAT, and bank details.
Teamed handles the registrations. The client handles the operational side.
| Onboarding task | Who does it | Day |
|---|---|---|
| Written employment contract signed | Employee and Teamed | Day 0 or 1 |
| Work-permit check completed | Teamed | Day 0 (before start for foreign nationals) |
| DNI or foreign identity document collected | Employee submits to Teamed | Day 1 |
| EsSalud health enrolment | Teamed | Days 1 to 5 |
| Pension choice recorded (ONP or AFP) | Employee and Teamed | Days 1 to 5 |
| PLAME electronic payroll setup with SUNAT | Teamed | Days 1 to 5 |
| Bank account details collected for payroll | Teamed | Days 1 to 5 |
| CTS account opened at the chosen bank | Teamed | Days 1 to 5 |
| Equipment and system access | Client | Days 0 to 1 |
| Manager introduction and first-week plan | Client | Days 0 to 5 |
| 30-60-90 day plan documented | Client (manager) | Days 1 to 14 |
How does Teamed handle Peru employment for you?
Teamed becomes your legal employer of record in Peru for from $599 per employee per month, with zero FX mark-up in any currency.
The Peru LPCL, EsSalud, the pension funds, and PLAME filing all run on one platform.
Real HR and legal experts handle your Peru hires, from the first offer letter through every monthly income tax, pension, and EsSalud filing. An actual person, not a chatbot or a pooled queue. There is no setup fee and no exit fee. Employer cost passes through at cost, itemised on every invoice.
EOR payroll, contractor onboarding, and entity setup all live on one platform. EOR fits your first hires in Peru, right up until it isn't the cheaper route. A Peru contractor who converts to direct employment keeps their record. Run the Crossover Calculator to see when your Peru headcount is ready to graduate to your own entity. Start from the Peru hiring overview; each guide here takes one layer of Peru employment law.
Key sources: LPCL (DS 003-97-TR), EsSalud, and SUNAT PLAME.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to hire someone in Peru through Teamed?
Teamed can onboard a Peruvian national within a few business days once the offer is accepted. The written contract should be signed on or before day one. EsSalud enrolment, the pension choice, and PLAME setup are completed in the first week. Foreign nationals need an approved foreign-worker contract and a valid immigration status before the start date, which adds lead time depending on the role and the MTPE and Migraciones queues.
What is the probation period in Peru and how long can it run?
Probation runs 3 months as standard under the LPCL. It can run up to 6 months for qualified or trust staff, and up to one year for management roles. The longer term only applies if it is set in writing in the contract. Once probation ends, the employee gains protection against arbitrary dismissal.
Is there a notice period to dismiss an employee in Peru?
There is no statutory paid notice period to dismiss an employee in Peru. Protection is monetary instead. For a misconduct or capacity dismissal, the employer must first give the employee a written defence window of at least six calendar days. An employee who resigns must give 30 days of written notice, which the employer can waive.
What leave and bonuses must a Peru employer provide?
Employees get 30 days of paid annual leave after each complete year of service, and Peru has 16 days national public holidays. Two gratifications are paid each year, in July and December, each worth one monthly salary. Maternity leave is 98 days, split before and after birth. The employer pays full salary for the first 20 days of sick leave, with EsSalud covering the rest.
What does a Peru employer pay on top of salary?
The employer pays 9% of salary to the EsSalud public health fund. Employees contribute to a pension, either the public ONP or a private AFP fund, and the exact pension rate depends on the route chosen. On top of cash pay, the employer funds two annual gratifications and the CTS severance savings fund, which is deposited in May and November. Peru sets a monthly minimum wage (RMV), but the 2026 figure was not confirmed in government sources at the time of writing.
Peru's probation clock catches companies out. The default trial is three months, and protection against arbitrary dismissal switches on the moment it ends. If you want the six-month or one-year window, you have to name the tier in the contract before day one. Miss that and you are back to three months, with full protection running.
In Peru, dismissal protection switches on the day probation ends, at 3 months. The six-month window for trust roles only holds if you wrote it into the contract.
Two extra salaries land each year, in July and December. The CTS fund is deposited in May and November.
The contract belongs on day one. The EsSalud and PLAME registrations follow inside the first week.
