Syria
Whether you want to hire one person or a whole team, Remote's guide to hiring employees and contractors in Syria can help you get started. Note that Remote's employer of record services are not yet live in Syria.
- Capital City
Damascus
- Currency
Syrian pound (£, SYP)
- Languages
Arabic
- Population size
17,500,657
Facts & Stats
- Capital City
Damascus
- Currency
Syrian pound (£, SYP)
- Languages
Arabic
- Population size
17,500,657
- Ease of doing business
Below average
- Cost of living index
N/A
- Payroll frequency
N/A
- VAT - standard rate
N/A
- GDP - real growth rate
1.5% (2018)
Syria is an exciting, if not cryptic, and unassuming country.
First, it’s home to the world’s oldest city (Damascus) and it’s a mosaic of ancient cultures rich with conquerors, kings, sheiks, and empires, and a modern history dotted with historical monuments, art, Levantine cuisine, and rustic, welcoming locals.
The Syrian Arab Republic has a modest economy with much of the population employed in mining, agriculture, the oil industry, tourism, and finance.
Starting in 2004, Syria has been under sanctions imposed by the U.S., Canada, Switzerland, the EU, and the Arab League, which have isolated the nation from global financial and trade networks like SWIFT. Consequently, businesses in much of the west can’t transact with or hire employees based in Syria.
This guide to employing in Syria will serve as purely informational, pending when sanctions are lifted and economic relations with Syria return to normal.
Grow your team in Syria with Remote
Note that we are busy building our own entity in Syria to provide you with the best possible employment solutions for your employees, but our employer of record service is not yet live in this country.
To employ in Syria, companies must own a local legal entity in the country or work with a global employment solution. Developing the processes required to manage payroll, benefits, taxes, and onboarding in countries like Syria can get complicated fast, especially without localized expertise.
If you’re looking to start hiring in a country like this, partnering with a global employment solution like Remote makes it easy for your company to employ workers quickly, cost-effectively, and in full compliance with all local legislation.
In the countries where we do offer our EOR services, Remote takes on the responsibility and legal risks of international employment so you can focus on hiring great talent and growing your business.
Risks of misclassification
Syria, like many other countries, treats self-employed individuals or contractors and full-time employees differently. Misclassification of contractors in Syria may lead to fines and penalties for the offending company.
Employing in Syria
Workers’ rights in Syria are spelled out in several laws, such as:
The Constitution of the Syrian Arab Republic of 2012
Labor Law No. 17/2010 of the Syrian Arab Republic
The Syrian Civil Code of May 18, 1949
— all of which guarantee equal pay for equal work, safe working environements, regular vacations and protections against discrimination based on age, gender, disability, and race although the government is still a long way from enforcing many of these provisions.
Common questions that could come up during the hiring process include the minimum wage, overtime rates, and guaranteed paid time off.
Minimum Wage
Syria’s minimum wage is fixed at SYP 71,515 ($28.46) per month. Of course, Syrian remote workers will negotiate significantly higher than that on a case-by-case basis and you should always aim to pay competitive rates to attract the best talent across the world.
Effortless HR in Syria: Take the Tour
Competitive benefits package in Syria
At Remote, we’re obsessed with helping you craft the best possible employee experience for your team. We are leading the way in practicing “fair equity”, which means making sure employees everywhere have access to both the required and supplemental benefits they need to thrive (and that will allow you to attract the best local talent).
We are still busy building our own entity in Syria, but our benefits packages for all countries are tailored to fulfill the local needs of your employees. Typically, our packages contain some or all of the following benefits:
Pension or 401(K)
Vision Insurance
Mental Health Support
Life and Disability Insurance
Dental Insurance
Health Insurance
Taxes in Syria
Learn how employment taxes and statutory fees affect your payroll and your employees’ paychecks in Syria.
14.1%
Old Age, Disability & Survivors contributions
3%
Work Injury
Types of leave
Syrian employees are entitled to 21 - 30 days of paid annual vacation, depending on their tenure. Workers who have been employed for less than a year are entitled to paid vacation on a pro rata basis.
Employment termination
Termination process
An employer can dismiss a worker at will, or for serious misconduct, in which case the employee won’t be entitled to any severance pay.
Notice period
An employer is required to notify indefinitely employed workers at least two months before dismissing them, or they’ll be required to pay a severance benefit in lieu of notice.
Severance pay
Syrian employees are entitled to a month’s wages if they’re dismissed for medical incapacity, disability, retirement, or in the event of their death.
Likewise, if an employer fails to prove that an employee has been dismissed for serious misconduct, they’ll be required to pay them a severance package equal to two month’s wages per year of employment.
Probation periods
A probation period of not more than three months should be stated in an employment contract.