Remote’s guide to employing in

Jamaica
jamaica flag

Make employment in Jamaica easy. Let us handle payroll, benefits, taxes, compliance, and even stock options for your team in Jamaica, all in one easy-to-use platform.

Services available in this country:
Employer of Record ProductContractor Management
  • Capital City

    Kingston

  • Currency

    Jamaican dollar ($, JMD)

  • Languages

    English

  • Population size

    2,726,667

Services available in this country:
Employer of Record ProductContractor Management
A view from the top of a mountain in jamaica.

Facts & Stats

Jamaica
  • Capital City

    Kingston

  • Currency

    Jamaican dollar ($, JMD)

  • Languages

    English

  • Population size

    2,726,667

  • Ease of doing business

    Easy

  • Cost of living index

    N/A

  • Payroll frequency

    N/A

  • VAT - standard rate

    15%

  • GDP - real growth rate

    2.9% (2020)

Jamaica needs no introduction. From rum to reggae, beautiful beaches to Usain Bolt, this small Caribbean nation punches above its weight in terms of worldwide cultural influence. Along with the world’s fastest sprinters, Jamaica is also famous for the sport of cricket, a legacy of the island’s UK colonial past. The natural beauty of Jamaica remains a compelling drawcard, particularly for nearby US tourists. Pristine Caribbean coastline, a thriving nightlife scene, and untouched tropical forests draw in over one million international tourists every year — roughly a third of Jamaica’s native population.

The country is an ideal anchor point for digital nomads looking to explore the Caribbean (as long as appropriate work permits are secured). Sadly, many Jamaicans still emigrate in search of employment opportunities. Despite economic challenges, employers on the lookout for talent will find many skilled workers looking for the opportunity to earn a competitive global wage and remain based in their homeland.

Grow your team in Jamaica with Remote

Looking to employ workers in Jamaica? Companies hiring in Jamaica must either own a local legal entity or work with a global employment platform like Remote that can legally provide employment services in the country.

Remote can employ team members in Jamaica and keep you compliant at all times. Remote can hire, onboard, and pay your team in Jamaica so you don't have to set up local HR services in the region. Remote also makes it easy to pay contractors in Jamaica. to get started or talk to an expert for more details.

Risks of misclassification

Jamaica, like many other countries, treats self-employed individuals or contractors and full-time employees differently. Misclassification of contractors in Jamaica may lead to fines and penalties for the offending company.

Employing in Jamaica

Provisions for employee protections and workers’ rights are outlined in various pieces of Jamaican legislation, including the Labour Relations and Industrial Disputes Act and the Employment (Termination and Redundancy Payments) Act. These laws guarantee equal pay for equal work and protections against discrimination.

Hiring managers can expect to receive questions from Jamaican candidates around topics like minimum wage, overtime rates, and guaranteed paid time off. Remote can help you offer a complete, competitive, and compliant benefits package to your employees in Jamaica.

Minimum wage

As of June 1, 2024, the minimum wage in Jamaica will be increased to JMD 15,000 per week for a 40-hour work week.

10 Public holidays

Jan
Monday, 01 January 20241New Year's Day
Feb
Wednesday, 14 February 20242Ash Wednesday
Mar
Friday, 29 March 20243Good Friday
Apr
Monday, 01 April 20244Easter Monday
May
Thursday, 23 May 20245Labour Day
Aug
Thursday, 01 August 20246Empancipation Day
Tuesday, 06 August 20247Independence Day
Oct
Wednesday, 16 October 20248National Heroes' Day
Dec
Wednesday, 25 December 20249Christmas Day
Thursday, 26 December 202410Boxing Day

Want to see and manage all holidays? Sign up for our free HRIS!

Effortless HR in Jamaica: Take the Tour

Seamlessly Manage Your Workforce, from First Hire to Final Paycheck

Competitive benefits package in Jamaica

At Remote, we’re passionate about helping you craft the best possible employee experience for your team. We are leading the way in developing globally competitive benefits programs. This means making sure employees everywhere have access to both the required and supplemental benefits they need to thrive, and your company has the localised expertise needed to attract and keep the best global talent.

Our benefits packages in Jamaica are tailored to fulfil the local needs of employees. Typically, our packages contain some or all of the following benefits:

  • Health Insurance

  • Dental Insurance

  • Vision Insurance

  • Mental Health Support

  • Pension or 401(K)

  • Life and Disability Insurance

Fair Pricing in Jamaica

Employer of Record

Hire and pay your global team

Starting at US$599/month

for annual plans

Top features

  • Satisfaction guaranteed

  • No deposits or hidden fees

  • Zero onboarding or offboarding fees

  • Compliant equity incentives support including withholding and reporting

  • Built-in security and compliance

  • Fast onboarding (average 2-3 days)

  • Flexible, localised benefits

Contractor Management

Compliantly onboard and pay contractors

US$29

per contractor/month

Top features

  • Only pay for contractors you actively work with

  • Work with contractors in 200+ countries

  • Create, edit, and sign tailored, localised contracts

  • Approve contractor invoices with one click or auto-pay

  • Transparent payments with complete visibility

Global Payroll

Consolidate your multi-country payroll

US$29

per employee/month

Top features

  • Reduce costs by centralising payroll management

  • Direct support from in-house local payroll experts

  • Accurate, on-time, compliant payroll to level-up your employee experience

  • Ensure local compliance for every country

  • Tax and labour authority reporting handled for you

HRIS

Manage all of your employees in one place

Free

Top features

  • Guided onboarding and offboarding

  • Employee profile and document management

  • Time and attendance (time off and tracking)

  • Expense management and reimbursement

  • Employee self-serve on the platform and mobile app