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$249/month
$49/month
2% of gross salary / month
Expanding your team to St Kitts and Nevis is a smart move for businesses that are looking to grow. This beautiful Caribbean country has a very skilled and educated workforce, with a literacy rate of almost 98%. The local economy thrives on tourism, agriculture, and financial services, giving your business access to an excellent pool of talent.
St Kitts and Nevis is known for having a business-friendly environment. The government has implemented certain reforms to attract foreign investment and make business operations much simpler. This means you can expect a smoother setup process and a supportive atmosphere to expand your business.
Understanding the local labor market can be challenging, but partnering with a local Employer of Record (EOR) can help make it easier. An EOR helps you comply with all of the local laws and regulations, taking care of the administrative and legal aspects of employment. This way, you can concentrate on what you do best – running and growing your business – while the EOR manages all of the details of hiring and employment.
Hire in St Kitts and Nevis, and pay employees through our platform or app.
Our St Kitts and Nevis EOR solution is the most affordable on the market.
Fast St Kitts and Nevis onboarding, hire in as little as 24 hours.
We draft compliant St Kitts and Nevis labor contracts.
We manage all St Kitts and Nevis mandatory benefits.
It doesn’t stop with St Kitts and Nevis — we hire employees globally.
A St Kitts and Nevis Employer of Record is a third-party company that takes on the legal responsibilities of employing workers in St Kitts and Nevis on behalf of your business. This means the EOR handles everything related to employment, including payroll, taxes, benefits, and full compliance with local labor laws. The EOR becomes the official employer for your employees, while you maintain control over their daily tasks and work assignments. This arrangement simplifies the process of hiring and managing employees in a new country, ensuring everything is done properly and completely legally.
The terms “Employer of Record” and “Professional Employer Organization” are often used interchangeably. Both refer to services that manage HR tasks for other businesses with a goal to streamline HR processes, ensuring compliance in managing your workforce.
Using a St Kitts and Nevis Employer of Record provides some great benefits for your business:
Horizons stands out as a St Kitts and Nevis EOR through:
A St Kitts and Nevis Employer of Record simplifies the employment process for your business. Here’s how it works:
One of the principal reasons for engaging an EOR in St Kitts and Nevis is to ensure full compliance with St Kitts and Nevis’ employment laws. Here we explain in detail how a St Kitts and Nevis EOR ensures:
In St Kitts and Nevis, there are two main types of employment contracts: permanent and fixed-term. Permanent contracts are for ongoing work without a set end date and provide a great deal of job security and benefits like health insurance and retirement plans. Fixed-term contracts are for specific periods or short-term projects and clearly outline the duration of employment. These contracts might not offer the same benefits as permanent ones. Both types of contracts must comply with local labor laws and ensure that job duties, salary, and working conditions are clearly defined for the employees.
No probationary period.
At completion of the project.
Not applicable
Not applicable
2 weeks
Not applicable
Typically up to 3 months
30 days
2 week's salary per year of service
Standard working hours in St Kitts and Nevis are usually 40 hours per week, usually spread over five days. Most businesses operate from Monday to Friday, with each workday lasting eight hours. Employees are entitled to a one-hour lunch break, and employers must guarantee that no one works more than 48 hours per week, including overtime. Overtime work is compensated at a higher rate which is usually 1.5 times the regular hourly wage. Also, employees must have at least one full day off each week.
150% of the standard hourly rate
200% of the standard hourly rate
200% of the standard hourly rate
St Kitts and Nevis has a range of national public holidays that are celebrated annually. In 2024 these holidays are:
| Date | Holiday name |
|---|---|
| 1 Jan, 2024 | New Year’s Day |
| 2 Jan, 2024 | Carnival |
| 29 Mar, 2024 | Good Friday |
| 1 Apr, 2024 | Easter Monday |
| 6 May, 2024 | Labour Day |
| 20 May, 2024 | Whit Monday |
| 5 Aug, 2024 | Emancipation Day |
| 6 Aug, 2024 | Culturama |
| 16 Sep., 2024 | National Heroes Day |
| 19 Sep., 2024 | Independence Day |
| 25 Dec, 2024 | Christmas Day |
| 26 Dec, 2024 | Boxing Day |
On these holidays, employees are typically given the day off with pay. If employees are required to work on a public holiday, they must be paid at a higher rate, which is often double their regular pay.
Employees in St Kitts and Nevis are entitled to paid time off, which includes vacation leave, public holidays, and other forms of leave, like maternity leave. Full-time employees usually earn a minimum of 14 days of paid vacation per year after completing one year of service. PTO policies should be clearly outlined in the employment contract, and should detail how leave is accrued and the process for requesting time off. Employers may offer additional PTO as part of their benefits package.
no leave entitlement
14 days of paid leave annually
14 days of paid leave annually
14 days of paid leave annually
Sick leave in St Kitts and Nevis allows employees to take time off when they are ill without losing pay. Full-time employees are generally entitled to at least 14 days of paid sick leave per year. To qualify for paid sick leave, employees will often need to provide a medical certificate from their doctor if they are absent for more than two days.
(percentage of regular wages owed to the employee)
no leave entitlement
14 days of paid leave annually
14 days of paid leave annually
14 days of paid leave annually
Unpaid (unless specified in the employment contract or under special circumstances)
Unpaid (unless specified in the employment contract or under special circumstances)
Unpaid (unless specified in the employment contract or under special circumstances)
In order for employees to receive the full wages due to them, workers must present a valid medical certificate from a certified doctor to their employer.
In St. Kitts and Nevis, maternity and paternity benefits are provided to employees through a combination of employer policies and the Social Security system.
Female employees are entitled to 13 weeks (3 months) of maternity leave. Can typically be split between the pre- and post-birth period. Most policies suggest starting the leave around 6 weeks before the expected delivery date and using the remaining weeks after the birth.
Paternity leave in St. Kitts and Nevis is not guaranteed by law. However, employers may offer paternity leave as part of their individual company policies or collective agreements. When offered, paternity leave is often short, ranging from 1 to 5 days, depending on the employer’s policy.
Annual leave gives employees in St Kitts and Nevis time off to relax, unwind, and spend time with family and friends. Full-time employees are entitled to a minimum of 14 days of paid annual leave each year after completing one year of service. Employers can choose to offer more, but 14 days is the legal minimum.
Annual leave should be scheduled in advance and must be agreed upon by both the employer and employee. Some companies may allow unused leave to be carried over to the following year, depending on their policies.
Termination of employment in St Kitts and Nevis must follow local labor laws to ensure fairness. Employers must provide notice or payment in lieu of notice, with the notice period depending on the employee’s length of service. For employees with less than one year of service, the notice period is usually one week. For anyone with a longer length of service, the notice period increases. Severance pay is required for all employees that are terminated without cause, generally amounting to one week’s pay for each year of service.
In St. Kitts and Nevis, contributions are required by both employers and employees. These contributions fund various benefits like sickness, maternity, pensions, and other social insurance programs.
The combined Social Security contribution is 11% of the employee’s gross monthly earnings (5% from the employee + 6% from the employer).
Contributions are subject to an earnings ceiling, meaning contributions are only required up to a certain wage limit. For example, as of recent policies, the ceiling is typically around XCD 6,500 per month. Wages above this cap do not require additional contributions.
Foreign employees are entitled to the same social security benefits as local employees, such as sickness, maternity, pension, and other benefits, as long as they meet the contribution and qualification requirements.
In some cases, foreign workers may be able to transfer Social Security benefits back to their home country, depending on bilateral agreements between St. Kitts and Nevis and their home country.
St. Kitts and Nevis does not impose individual income tax on its residents or foreign workers. This makes it one of the attractive tax havens in the Caribbean.
In St. Kitts and Nevis, there is no national health insurance system that covers all residents. However, healthcare services are provided through a combination of public healthcare facilities and private health insurance options.
Basic healthcare is provided at government-funded hospitals and clinics at little to no cost for citizens and residents. Foreigners, including expats, may have to pay for services at public facilities, although the costs are generally affordable compared to private healthcare.
While there is no national health insurance system, the social security system provides a sickness benefit for employees who are unable to work due to illness. This compensates employees with a portion of their salary during their recovery period.
In St Kitts and Nevis, compensation laws are designed to ensure that employees receive fair pay. The minimum wage is currently set at EC$10.75 per hour. Employers are required to pay wages on a regular basis, typically bi-weekly or sometimes monthly. Overtime work is compensated at a higher rate, usually 1.5 times the regular hourly wage. Also, the laws in St Kitts and Nevis mandates equal pay for equal work, ensuring that there is no discrimination based on gender or any other factors. These laws help keep a fair and equitable working environment for all employees.
The 13th month salary is not a common practice in St Kitts and Nevis. There is no statutory requirement for this payment and it isn’t usually customary for businesses to offer it. However, some companies do offer different bonuses in an attempt to attract the best possible candidates.
In St Kitts and Nevis, both employers and employees are required to make social security contributions. These contributions fund various benefits, including pensions, unemployment insurance, and health care. Both employers and employees contribute 5% each to this program which ensures that employees have financial support in case of retirement, illness, or job loss.
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An EOR in St Kitts and Nevis ensures compliance with local labor laws by staying updated on all regulations and legal requirements. They handle everything related to employment, from drafting contracts to processing payroll and managing taxes. The EOR makes sure all employment practices meet local standards, reducing the risk of fines and legal issues. By managing these details, the EOR ensures that your business operates smoothly and legally.
Using an EOR for hiring in St Kitts and Nevis has a lot of benefits. It simplifies the hiring process and allows you to quickly bring on local talent without setting up a local entity. The EOR handles all legal and administrative tasks, like payroll, taxes, and benefits, so you can focus on your main business activities. This not only saves you time and resources but also ensures that you remain completely compliant with all of the local laws, making your business expansion a whole lot easier.
Holiday Schedule in St Kitts and Nevis [2024]
