Employment in Belize

The employment services system (Employment Services System) of the Employment Services Unit registers jobseekers according to their qualifications, experience and occupational preferences, matches them with suitable vacancies and refers them to vocational training where needed. Companies can report vacancies. Applying directly to a company is also possible. No local equivalent of the German dual vocational training system has been documented for Belize. An employment relationship may be agreed orally or in writing. A written contract is required if the employment lasts at least three months, the work takes place wholly or partly outside Belize, or essential conditions change. The contract should state the employer, employee, work, duration, wages, place of work, and the rights and obligations of both parties. After more than one month of employment, an employment record stating the duration, work and wage rate may be requested. The national minimum wage has been BZ$5 per working hour since January 1, 2023, and applies to all categories of employees. Wages are due at the agreed time in legal tender. Payment by bank transfer, cheque or Money Order requires the employee's consent or a corresponding request. The employer may not make unlawful deductions from wages. Employers and employees pay contributions to the social security authority (Social Security Board). A Social Security Card bearing the employment-validity endorsement (Valid for Employment) is required. The employer must register within seven days after hiring the first employee. The employment, wages, social security number, and the beginning and end of the employment relationship are documented. Monthly contributions and the FIN15A form must be submitted by day 14 of the following month; the employer's share may not be transferred to the employee. Employees need a taxpayer identification number (Taxpayer Identification Number) from the tax authority (Belize Tax Service). The employer registers new employees before the first pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) filing, remits PAYE monthly and issues a TD4 tax certificate (TD4). For the tax year from January to December, an employee income tax return (Employee Income Tax Return) may be required. The tax is 25 percent of chargeable income. The personal allowance depends on income: BZ$25,600 for income below BZ$26,000, BZ$24,600 for income from BZ$26,000.01 to BZ$27,000, BZ$22,600 for income from BZ$27,000.01 to BZ$29,000, and BZ$19,600 from BZ$29,000.01. Actual working time is generally limited to six days per week, nine hours per day and 45 hours per week. After more than six working hours in a day, the employee is entitled to at least a one-hour break. Annual leave comprises at least two working weeks for each year of employment; this generally requires twelve months and at least 250 working days, or at least 150 working days in a shorter year of employment. After at least 60 days of employment, up to 16 sick days may be available within twelve months. For indefinite employment, the notice period is one to eight weeks depending on the length of service: one week after more than two weeks up to six months, two weeks after more than six months up to two years, four weeks after more than two up to five years, and eight weeks after more than five years. A payment in lieu of notice may be possible. The final settlement includes outstanding wages, accrued holiday pay and, depending on the circumstances, severance pay. For certain employer dismissals, retirement or medical termination, after five to ten years the entitlement is one week, and after more than ten years it is two weeks for each fully completed year of employment; after ten years, an employee's own resignation may give rise to a gratuity calculated on this basis. Fixed-term contracts, termination without notice and collective agreements may contain different rules. Foreign workers generally need a temporary employment permit (Temporary Employment Permit) to work in Belize. Requirements include residence in Belize, a valid passport and a valid Belize visa. The employer submits the application; self-employed persons submit it themselves. After the application, the labour authority (Labour Department) reviews the status within 30 days. After an approval letter, the process continues with the Immigration Office, the permit fee, an income tax letter (Income Tax Letter) from the Belize Tax Service and the Social Security Card. The fee depends on the work and status: for professional or technical work it is BZ$3,000 for one year, for general work usually BZ$750, for farm work in bananas, sugar or citrus BZ$1,500, and for seasonal agriculture BZ$150 per harvest season. For self-employed non-agricultural work it is BZ$3,000, for self-employed agricultural work BZ$2,000, for religious, cultural, educational or voluntary work BZ$200, for domestic workers and waitresses in exceptional cases BZ$1,000, and for entertainers BZ$600 to BZ$1,500. The permit is tied to the specific workplace and approved status. In April 2026, according to the Labour Force Survey of the Statistical Institute of Belize, 166,894 people were employed; the unemployment rate was 1.9 percent and labour-force participation was 53.6 percent. In September 2025, 35.9 percent of employees worked informally, representing 64,129 people. In this context, employment is considered informal particularly when there is no registration with the Belize Companies and Corporate Affairs Registry or the Social Security Board, or when SSB contributions are missing. Average income was BZ$1,551 per month and average working time was 42.7 hours per week; formally employed people earned an average of BZ$1,671, while informally employed people earned BZ$1,313. Problems can be reported confidentially to the Labour Department through the confidential labour complaints system (Labour Complaints Management System). The Labour Complaints Tribunal is an appeal route for certain decisions, such as dismissal considered unfair (unfair dismissal) or wrongful termination.