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Expand Your Employer of Record Services In Colombia
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Expand Your Employer of Record Services In Colombia
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Colombia At a Glance
Colombia At a Glance
Colombia At a Glance
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Country Information
Easily navigate Colombia Employment Landscape
Easily navigate Colombia Employment Landscape
Easily navigate Colombia Employment Landscape
Discover everything you need to know about working in Colombia with clear, practical resources for professionals and employers. We explain Colombia’s core employment rules (contracts, working time, and overtime), how foreigners can work legally through Colombia’s official visa pathways (Visitor V, Migrant M, and Resident R visas), and what to expect around payroll compliance and DIAN tax obligations—so you can confidently plan your career move to Colombia (Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, and beyond).
Weekly Working Hours
National Holidays
Leave
Types of Employment
Employment Costs
IC Class Factors
Labor Leasing
Minimum Wage
Medical Benefits
Probationary Periods
Termination Notice
Severance
Understanding Weekly Working Hours in Colombia
Explore Work hours Employee rights in Colombia
Explore Work hours Employee rights in Colombia
Explore Work hours Employee rights in Colombia
In Colombia, working time is regulated by the Código Sustantivo del Trabajo and the country’s phased workweek reduction law (Law 2101 of 2021). As of January 2026, the ordinary workweek is generally capped at 44 hours (reduced from 46 on July 15, 2025) and is scheduled to drop to 42 hours on July 15, 2026—without reducing salary.
Any hours worked beyond the ordinary schedule are treated as overtime and must be paid with statutory surcharges. In practice, Colombia commonly applies at least +25% for daytime overtime and higher premiums for night work, Sundays, and public holidays (with Sunday/holiday surcharges historically at +75%, and reforms indicating a gradual increase toward +100% by 2027).
Public Holidays and Employee Leave in Colombia
Overview of Public Holidays & Employee leave
Overview of Public Holidays & Employee leave
Overview of Public Holidays & Employee leave
In Colombia, employees are entitled to paid national public holidays, allowing time off to observe official, religious, and cultural celebrations. In addition to public holidays, Colombian labour law guarantees several statutory leave entitlements designed to protect employee health, family life, and work–life balance.
Workers are entitled to paid annual leave, paid sick leave, maternity leave, and paternity leave, with durations and conditions clearly defined by law. Colombia also provides parental protections, including job security related to pregnancy and childbirth. In specific situations, employees may take special paid leave, such as for marriage, bereavement, jury duty, or other legally recognised personal obligations, depending on documentation and employer policy.
Understanding Weekly Working Hours in Colombia
Explore Employment Contracts & Costs in Colombia
Explore Employment Contracts & Costs in Colombia
Explore Employment Contracts & Costs in Colombia
In Colombia, employers are required to establish clear employment contracts that define job responsibilities, salary, working hours, benefits, and workplace conditions, in compliance with national labour regulations. While contracts may be written or verbal, written agreements are strongly recommended and are mandatory in certain cases, such as fixed-term contracts, to ensure legal clarity and enforceability.
Types of employment
Permanent (indefinite-term) employees
Fixed-term employees
Temporary or agency workers, hired through authorised staffing companies
Independent contractors, engaged under civil or commercial service agreements and not covered by standard employee protections
From a cost perspective, employing staff in Colombia involves mandatory employer contributions in addition to gross salary. Employers must contribute to health insurance, pension funds, occupational risk insurance (ARL), and family compensation funds (Caja de Compensación). These statutory contributions typically add around 25%–30% to the total employment cost, depending on salary level, risk classification, and benefits provided.
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ICC classifications, labor leasing, and wage rules in Colombia
Labor Regulations & Independent Contractor Classification in Colombia
Labor Regulations & Independent Contractor Classification in Colombia
Labor Regulations & Independent Contractor Classification in Colombia
In Colombia, the difference between a freelance (independent contractor) agreement and a service contract is determined by the level of independence and subordination.
Labor Leasing
In Colombia, assigning workers to perform duties at a third-party company—known as labour intermediation—is strictly regulated. Only authorised temporary services companies (Empresas de Servicios Temporales) may legally supply workers to other businesses. These entities must be registered and comply with labour, wage, and social security obligations to protect worker rights and ensure regulatory compliance.
Minimum Wage Requirements
Colombia enforces a statutory national minimum wage, which is set annually by the government. All employers must comply with this legal wage floor. While collective bargaining agreements may establish higher salaries or benefits for specific sectors or roles, they cannot set wages below the national minimum.
How pay and health coverage apply during employee illness in Colombia
Medical Benefits in Colombia
Medical Benefits in Colombia
Medical Benefits in Colombia
In Colombia, employee medical protection and sick pay are handled through a social security–based system, rather than extended employer-paid salary continuation.
When an employee is unable to work due to illness or non-work-related injury, the process works as follows:
Days 1–2 of sick leave: Paid directly by the employer at 100% of the employee’s salary.
From day 3 onward: Sick pay is covered by the health insurance provider (EPS) as a temporary disability benefit.
The benefit is typically paid at 66.67% of the employee’s base salary, subject to statutory limits, and requires medical certification.
For work-related accidents or occupational illnesses, wage replacement and medical care are provided through the Occupational Risk Administrator (ARL), with coverage beginning from the first day of incapacity.
Key rules governing probation duration and employer notice requirements.
Probationary Periods & Termination Notice in Colombia
Probationary Periods & Termination Notice in Colombia
Probationary Periods & Termination Notice in Colombia
In Colombia, employment contracts may include a probationary period (período de prueba) of up to two months, provided it is expressly agreed in writing at the start of the employment relationship. During this period, either the employer or the employee may terminate the contract without notice or severance, allowing both parties to assess suitability.
Termination Notice Periods After Probation in Colombia
Once the probation period ends, Colombian labour law applies uniform termination rules, regardless of the employee’s length of service:
No statutory notice period is required for termination in most cases
Employers may terminate the contract immediately, subject to:
Just cause, or
Payment of statutory severance (indemnización) if terminated without cause
Severance amounts depend on the type of contract (fixed-term or indefinite) and the employee’s salary level, rather than years-of-service notice scales. Collective bargaining agreements or employment contracts may provide additional protections or notice requirements, but these cannot reduce the minimum rights guaranteed by law.
How termination compensation and background screening are regulated under Austrian labor law
Severance Pay & Pre-Hire Checks in Colombia
Severance Pay & Pre-Hire Checks in Colombia
Severance Pay & Pre-Hire Checks in Colombia
In Colombia, severance pay is not funded through monthly employer contributions or a central severance fund. Instead, severance—known as indemnización por despido sin justa causa—is calculated and paid at the time of termination when an employee is dismissed without legal cause.
The severance amount depends on:
The type of contract (indefinite-term or fixed-term), and
The employee’s salary level, rather than a notice-period-based system
In addition to severance, employers must also settle outstanding wages, accrued vacation, and statutory benefits. Colombia does operate a separate severance savings mechanism (cesantías), which employers deposit annually into an employee-selected fund, but this is distinct from termination indemnity.
