Our Locations
Colombia
Looking to employ or expand your business within Colombia?
To help get you started we are pleased to provide an overview of key information about Colombia’s employment market, including Hiring Regulations, Tax Rates, Termination Regulations, National Public Holidays and Employee Benefits.
Want to expand into Colombia?
Contact us today to see how Leap29 can be the trusted partner that supports your global expansion.
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Expanding into Colombia
Key facts
Contract Types
Contracts can be indefinite or fixed term and must be in Spanish.
Probation
The probation period can be a maximum of 2 months for an indefinite contract and 20% of the length of a fixed term contract.
Working Hours
Working hours are 46 hours per week being around 9 hours per day, 5 days per week. The working hours will be reduced by 2 hours per week in 2025 and 2026.
Overtime
Overtime is paid at 125% or 175% for nightshifts, weekends and holidays. Employees cannot work overtime unless authorised by the Ministry of Labour.
Other Financial
A 13th month salary is due paid in 2 equal parts in June and December.
Other
Salary should be stated in local currency. For remote workers the terms of teleworking should be included in the contract, including items to be provided, remote working allowance for electricity and internet, etc.
Tax rates valid for 2025
Corporation Tax
35%
Consumption Tax (VAT)
19%
Employers’ Costs
c.21%
Employees’ Contributions
c 8%
Amounts in TU. For 2024 1 TU = 49,799 Colombian pesos, c. US$12
Income Tax Rates
0-1,090 0%
1,090 -1,700 19%
1,700 – 4,100 28%
4,100 – 8,670 33%
8,670 – 18,970 35%
18,970 – 31,000 37%
Over 31,000 39%
Notice
Notice will depend on the terms of the contract. 15 days’ notice is common. Notice should always be given in writing.
A final payment must include normal pay up to the termination date, prorated untaken vacation pay, 13th salary and any bonuses.
Terminations
Unless the termination is for just cause, severance is payable. For fixed term contract terminations employees should be paid the salary due for the remainder of the contract.
Severance Pay
Employers must put 1 month’s salary per year into a severance fund payable on termination. Interest of 12% per year is payable on this amount. Employees are entitled to 1 month’s salary for the first year and to 20 days’ salary thereafter. The statutory multiples are less for high earners.
During Probation
A contract can be terminated during probation without a specific reason and with no severance. Notice should be given as per the contract.
Annual Leave 2025:
National Public Holidays: 18
New Year’s Day – 1st January
Day Given in Lieu if falls on Sunday: Yes
*Epiphany – 8th January
Day Given in Lieu if falls on Sunday: NA
*St Joseph’s Day – 24th March
Day Given in Lieu if falls on Sunday: NA
Maundy Thursday – 17th April
Day Given in Lieu if falls on Sunday: NA
Good Friday – 18th April
Day Given in Lieu if falls on Sunday: NA
Labour Day / May Day – 1st May
Day Given in Lieu if falls on Sunday: Yes
*Ascension Day – 2nd June
Day Given in Lieu if falls on Sunday: NA
*Corpus Christi – 23rd June
Day Given in Lieu if falls on Sunday: NA
*Sacred Heart – 30th June
Day Given in Lieu if falls on Sunday: NA
*Feast of St Peter and St Paul – 30th June
Day Given in Lieu if falls on Sunday: NA
Independence Day – 20th July
Day Given in Lieu if falls on Sunday: Yes
Battle of Boyaca Day – 7th August
Day Given in Lieu if falls on Sunday: Yes
*Assumption of Mary – 18th August
Day Given in Lieu if falls on Sunday: NA
*Columbus Day – 13th October
Day Given in Lieu if falls on Sunday: NA
*All Saints’ Day – 3rd November
Day Given in Lieu if falls on Sunday: NA
Independence of Cartagena – 11th November
Day Given in Lieu if falls on Sunday: Yes
Immaculate Conception – 8th December
Day Given in Lieu if falls on Sunday: Yes
Christmas Day – 25th December
Day Given in Lieu if falls on Sunday: Yes
Comment *Holidays are moved to the nearest Monday.
Paid legal entitlement (working days)
15 days which accrues monthly in the first year of employment.
Carry over permitted
Employees must use 6 days of vacation per year but may carry over the rest for a maximum of 2 years, or 4 years under certain conditions. Many employees choose to cash out their leave entitlement.
Sick
With a medical note, employees receive two thirds of salary for the first 90 days of absence and 50% of salary for the next 90 days, all paid by the social security after the first 2 days. Many employers pay 100% during sick leave.
Maternity
New mothers are entitled to 18 weeks of fully paid maternity leave, with an additional 2 weeks for multiple births. The same rights apply to adopting mothers, or fathers who are in sole charge of the child.
1 week should be taken before delivery unless there is medical advice recommending otherwise.
Pregnant employees who suffer an abortion or a non-viable premature birth are entitled to the same maternity leave.
Maternity pay is covered by Social Security.
New mothers are entitled to two breastfeeding breaks a day of 30 minutes each for 6 months after their return to work, in addition to a lunch break. The employee can decide to combine these breaks.
Paternity
10 consecutive working days of paid leave is allowed from the date of the child’s birth. This is paid at 100% by social security.
Parental
There are no provisions in the law regarding parental leave.
Other
5 days of paid leave is given for marriage and 5 consecutive paid days for bereavement of an immediate family member. Other leave which may be given is carer leave, study leave and emergency leave.
Medical Insurance
This is sometimes provided to employees and their families to provide faster access to a greater choice of facilities.
Other
In addition to allowances to cover items such as phone and home office, meal vouchers, gym membership and transport allowances are sometimes given.
We make expansion in Colombia simple
Employing people compliantly across international borders can be challenging but we make it simple, bringing down barriers and making light work of the complexities. We offer the full range of compliant global expansion solutions so that wherever, whenever and however you want to employ people, we can support you.
EOR Services
Employ people compliantly in 180+ countries – without setting up new entities. We’ll shoulder responsibility as Employer of Record (EOR), making sure all your international employment is fully compliant.
We can also take care of your global HR from multi-country payroll to onboarding and offboarding.
Payroll Solutions
Getting global payroll right is one of the hardest challenges for any business expanding into new countries. We can shoulder this burden, freeing up valuable in-house resource to focus on growing your business.
Consider us an extension of your HR team, ready to answer all your questions large and small.
Global Mobility
Mobilise your people across borders with ease. Relocating to work abroad can feel daunting. But with Leap29 at your side, your employees can feel safe and supported.
We’ll guide your employees through the complexities of working in another country, helping them settle in fast.
Entity Services
Follow the opportunities to grow your business – wherever they take you.
We lighten the load of establishing and managing foreign entities and can help you solve all your entity challenges from running compliant, accurate multi-country payroll to local accounting and financial reporting.
PEO Solutions
Employ international talent wherever and whenever you need it – and enjoy the peace of mind of knowing you’re fully compliant. Our Professional Employer Organisation (PEO) services allow you to focus on growing your business while we handle compliance, multi-country payroll and your global HR.
Support & Advisory
The help you need to make your global growth effortless – trusted guidance and advice on your expansion challenges large and small.
HR Support
When you’re employing people in lots of different countries, answering just a simple query can take a disproportionate amount of time for your in-house HR team. Our HR Support service reduces this burden, saving you time and money and giving you the confidence of knowing your employees are well looked after, whatever their location.
Contractor Payroll
Enjoy compliant contractor payroll that meets all local requirements for tax, social security and employment legislation. We understand the importance of compliant contractor payroll to the success of your business and will pay your contractors on time, every time.
Start hiring today – and onboard within hours.
Pricing
Budget confidently with transparent, competitive fees and no hidden costs.
Want us to shoulder employer liability and take care of your global HR through our EOR solution? No problem. Just want global payroll? You can have that too. Pick the solutions that your individual business needs.
We’re a people business with employee management software, not a software business that works in employee management!
At Leap29 we offer access to the latest technology and software to easily and effectively manage your employees from anywhere in the world.
Our bespoke online portal LeapForward helps ensure a smooth onboarding process, manages monthly payroll and easily facilitates additional bonuses and expenses. By streamlining your processes through our online portal, it will help you attract and retain great talent and take the pain out of payroll management.
Integrated fully with our global EOR services, LeapForward comes at no additional cost to you but is guaranteed to save you time and money whilst simplifying your employee management procedures.
Colombia
Expansion Resources
Want to learn more about Global employment and expansion?
Check out our resource pages below for more information about global employment.
EOR Services For Aerospace
EOR Services For Medical & Healthcare Businesses
How the Wrong EOR Provider is Costing You – And How to Fix It
EOR Services For Transport & Logistics
Ontario, Canada PEO Services
British Columbia, Canada PEO Services
Transitioning EOR and Local Payroll Services for Samotics BV
Global Employment Tax Rates 2025 Guide
5 Signs It’s Time to Switch EOR Provider
New Zealand Entity Setup
Our Recruitment Services
A global recruitment partner you can trust
We solve global recruitment challenges for businesses large and small. Whether you’re building out a new team, expanding into another country or looking for a confidential executive level hire, you can trust us to deliver.
Need 80 contractors in Brazil? Looking for just one very special permanent hire? Want us to take care of your global HR? It’s all in a day’s work at Leap29.
Whatever and wherever your mandate, we can help.
Permanent Recruitment
Connect with great permanent talent to drive your business forward. We help you find both key strategic hires to lead organisational growth and project specialists to deliver on deadlines and budgets.
Workforce Management
Reduce the complexity of managing workers in different countries and save yourself time, energy and money.
Local expertise, global reach
Employ people compliantly in 180+ countries – with or without your own foreign entities. We can help you set up and manage foreign entities – or act as an Employer of Record. We can also help with multi-country payroll and all your HR management. Wherever, whenever and however you want to employ people, we can help.
180+
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Malaysia
Saudi Arabia
Talk to an expert today
Whatever stage you’re at in your global expansion journey, we can help.
Contact us today to see how Leap29 can be the trusted partner that supports your global expansion.
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This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or professional advice.