Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country of northwestern South America. It is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuela to the east, Brazil to the southeast, Ecuador and Peru to the south, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and Panama to the northwest. The economy of Colombia is the fourth largest in Latin America as measured by gross domestic product. The economy is mainly driven by exports of petroleum, emeralds, minerals, bananas, coffee, and cut flowers.
*Please note that the official currency is the currency of remuneration when employed through WorkMotion in Colombia.
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Capital :
Bogotá
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Currency :
Colombian Peso ($; COP)
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Languages spoken :
Spanish
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Population :
51.87million (2022 est.)
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Minimum wage 2023 :
1,300,000 pesos per month
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Cost of Living index :
$ (136 of 139 countries)
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Payroll Frequency :
Bi-weekly/Monthly
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VAT - standard rate :
19%
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GDP - real growth rate :
7.5% (2022 est.)
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The national holidays mentioned below are valid for the year 2024.
The approximate time for sharing the contract with an employee in Colombia is 10 business days assuming no special requests or changes to our standard employment contract. Any such requests or changes would need to undergo internal and external review, directly leading to a time delay.
NOTE: This number is subject to change and is only an estimation of the Contract Sharing Time. The estimated Contract Sharing Time begins from the moment that WorkMotion has received all required information from both the client and the employee.
As from July 15 2023, the maximum number of working hours is 47 hours per week.
If authorization is granted, the maximum number of overtime hours must not exceed 12 hours per week. Overtime is paid at a surcharge of 25% over average wages if the work is performed during the day hours (i.e. between 6 am and10 pm) or at a surcharge of 75% if the work is performed at night (between 9 pm and 6 am).
The trial period cannot exceed two months.
For fixed-term employment contracts whose duration is less than one year, the trial period may not exceed one-fifth of the term initially agreed for the respective contract, without exceeding two months.
A 30 day notice period is only applicable to fixed-term contracts. It must be given before the contract’s date of expiration.
However, in cases related to employee misconduct or low performance, a maximum of 15 days’ notice must be given. The employee is entitled to at least 24 hours to review the dismissal notification and respond.
Workers who have provided their services for a year are entitled to 15 consecutive working days of paid vacation. The employer has to announce the dates for the annual paid vacation 15 days in advance.
Sick leave is granted based on the certification from the EPS (Entidad Promotora de Salud) which is government-sponsored health insurance. The employer pays 100% of the insured’s earnings for the first two days of incapacity.
Parents may freely distribute among themselves the last six weeks of the mother’s leave, provided that they meet the conditions and requirements set forth in this article. This leave, in the case of the mother, is independent of the breastfeeding leave.
Female employees are entitled to at least 18 weeks of maternity leave, fully paid, including an adopted child (the paid leave can be higher in case of multiple or preterm birth). At least two weeks of the maternity leave must be taken before the child’s birth. This payment is entirely under the charge of the Healthcare subsystem, as a benefit in money for the mother.
Fathers are entitled to two weeks of paternity leave fully paid by the the social security system. Beneficiaries must have paid contributions for the entire duration of the pregnancy.
Five days of leave for the death of parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, spouse or permanent partner and in-laws, and foster grandparents and grandchildren are provided. The employer pays for this leave.
Employees are entitled to half a day of personal leave to vote in local and national elections. Upon returning to their place of work, the employee must show their voting card to the employer to demonstrate they voted, and failure to do results in the time missed being docked from their salary.
Military duty is considered a suspension of employment. The employer is obligated to accept the employee back in their job within 30 days of the completion of the military service. Generally, military service takes place for one to two years in Colombia.
Other unpaid leave may be granted on a case-to-case basis at the discretion of the employer or as per the employment agreement.
The Colombian system is compounded by the subsystems of
Each employer has the obligation to enroll their employees in the social security entities that the employee voluntarily chooses.
Ordinary Salary Employment Costs
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Health Insurance |
8.5% |
4% |
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Pension |
12% |
4% |
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Family Compensation Fund* |
4% |
– |
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Colombian Institute for Family Welfare (ICBF) |
3% |
– |
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National Learning Service (SENA) |
2%* |
– |
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Labor risks |
0.522% to 6.96% |
– |
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Solidarity Fund** |
– |
1% |
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Layoff benefit |
8.33% |
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Interest on severance payments |
1% |
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Vacation |
4.17% |
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13th salary |
8.33% |
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NOTE: The employer does not need to pay any health insurance contribution for employees with salaries below 10 minimum monthly wages.
*Only applicable to employees who earn 10 minimum wages or more (≥ 10,000,000 COP).
** Only applicable to employees who earn at least four minimum wages.
Colombia provides a universal health insurance scheme in which all citizens, irrespective of their ability to pay, are entitled to a comprehensive health benefits package. Benefits include medical, surgical, hospital, pharmaceutical, maternity, and dental care, and related services.
Employers contribute 8.5% of the worker’s salary towards health insurance.
This insurance covers risks of labor-related illnesses or accidents, permanent disability, death, and incapacity also derived from the employee’s activity.
For professional risks (Aportes de Riesgos Profesionales), the employer must pay a contribution ranging from 0.522% to 6.96% of the monthly salary.
Unlike UI programs in other countries, Colombia’s Unemployment Subsidy (US) provides a one-time series of payments to workers displaced from either the formal or the informal sector. The standard benefit is 1.5 times the monthly minimum wage, paid out in six equal monthly installments. Payments are made in the form of vouchers to purchase health insurance, food, or education. Workers choose which type of voucher they wish to receive at the start of their (covered) unemployment. They are entitled to receive this benefit only once during their working lives.
The employer contributes 4% of the monthly wage towards the Family Compensation Fund.
Pensions are recognized under three different circumstances:
The labor risks subsystem only recognizes pensions in a circumstance wherein the origin of the said benefit is related to a work-related accident or disease.
The employer contributes 12% of the worker’s salary towards the old-age pension.
SENA is responsible for fulfilling the function that corresponds to the State, of investing in the social and technical development of the Colombian workers by offering and implementing comprehensive professional training for the incorporation and development of people in productive activities that contribute to the country’s social, economic, and technological development.
The employer contributes 4% of the monthly wage towards the Family Compensation Fund.
Solidarity Fund
Every worker who earns a salary that is equal to or greater than four minimum wages must contribute 1% to the Pension Solidarity Fund.
The information contained in this Country Guide is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter. The contents of this Country Guide contain general information and may not reflect current legal developments or address your situation. You should not act or refrain from acting on the basis of any content included in this Country Guide without seeking the advice or representation of a licensed attorney. WorkMotion Software GmbH disclaims all liability for actions you take or fail to take based on any content included in this Country Guide.
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