Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country of northwestern South America. It is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuela to the east, Brazil to the southeast, Ecuador and Peru to the south, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and Panama to the northwest. The economy of Colombia is the fourth largest in Latin America as measured by gross domestic product. The economy is mainly driven by exports of petroleum, emeralds, minerals, bananas, coffee, and cut flowers.
*Please note that the official currency is the currency of remuneration when employed through WorkMotion in Colombia.
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Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country of northwestern South America. It is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuela to the east, Brazil to the southeast, Ecuador and Peru to the south, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and Panama to the northwest. The economy of Colombia is the fourth largest in Latin America as measured by gross domestic product. The economy is mainly driven by exports of petroleum, emeralds, minerals, bananas, coffee, and cut flowers.
*Please note that the official currency is the currency of remuneration when employed through WorkMotion in Colombia.
The national holidays mentioned below are valid for the year 2025.
| January 1 | New Year’s Holiday | |
| January 6 | Three King’s Holiday | Movable - The second Monday of January |
| March 24 | St. Joseph’s Day | Movable |
| April 17 | Maundy Thursday | Movable - Thursday before Easter Sunday |
| April 18 | Good Friday | Movable - Friday before Easter |
| May 1 | Labor Day | |
| June 2 | Ascension Day | Movable |
| June 23 | Corpus Christi | Movable |
| June 30 | Sacred Heart | Movable |
| June 30 | Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul | Movable |
| July 20 | Independence Day | |
| August 7 | Battle of Boyacá Day | |
| August 18 | Assumption of Mary | Movable |
| October 13 | Columbus Day | Movable |
| November 3 | All Saints’ Day | Movable |
| November 17 | Independence of Cartagena | Movable |
| December 8 | Feast of the Immaculate Conception | |
| December 25 | Christmas Day |
The approximate time for sharing the contract with an employee in Colombia is 10 business days assuming no special requests or changes to our standard employment contract. Any such requests or changes would need to undergo internal and external review, directly leading to a time delay.
NOTE: This number is subject to change and is only an estimation of the Contract Sharing Time. The estimated Contract Sharing Time begins from the moment that WorkMotion has received all required information from both the client and the employee.
The Colombian system is compounded by the subsystems of
Each employer has the obligation to enroll their employees in the social security entities that the employee voluntarily chooses.
Ordinary Salary Employment Costs
|
Health Insurance |
8.5% |
4% |
|
Pension |
12% |
4% |
|
Family Compensation Fund* |
4% |
– |
|
Colombian Institute for Family Welfare (ICBF) |
3% |
– |
|
National Learning Service (SENA) |
2%* |
– |
|
Labor risks |
0.522% to 6.96% |
– |
|
Solidarity Fund** |
– |
1% |
|
Layoff benefit |
8.33% |
|
|
Interest on severance payments |
1% |
|
|
Vacation |
4.17% |
|
|
13th salary |
8.33% |
|
NOTE: The employer does not need to pay any health insurance contribution for employees with salaries below 10 minimum monthly wages.
*Only applicable to employees who earn 10 minimum wages or more (≥ 10,000,000 COP).
** Only applicable to employees who earn at least four minimum wages.
As from July 15 2023, the maximum number of working hours is 47 hours per week.
If authorization is granted, the maximum number of overtime hours must not exceed 12 hours per week. Overtime is paid at a surcharge of 25% over average wages if the work is performed during the day hours (i.e. between 6 am and10 pm) or at a surcharge of 75% if the work is performed at night (between 9 pm and 6 am).
The trial period cannot exceed two months.
For fixed-term employment contracts whose duration is less than one year, the trial period may not exceed one-fifth of the term initially agreed for the respective contract, without exceeding two months.
A 30 day notice period is only applicable to fixed-term contracts. It must be given before the contract’s date of expiration.
However, in cases related to employee misconduct or low performance, a maximum of 15 days’ notice must be given. The employee is entitled to at least 24 hours to review the dismissal notification and respond.
As from July 15 2023, the maximum number of working hours is 47 hours per week.
If authorization is granted, the maximum number of overtime hours must not exceed 12 hours per week. Overtime is paid at a surcharge of 25% over average wages if the work is performed during the day hours (i.e. between 6 am and10 pm) or at a surcharge of 75% if the work is performed at night (between 9 pm and 6 am).
The trial period cannot exceed two months.
For fixed-term employment contracts whose duration is less than one year, the trial period may not exceed one-fifth of the term initially agreed for the respective contract, without exceeding two months.
A 30 day notice period is only applicable to fixed-term contracts. It must be given before the contract’s date of expiration.
However, in cases related to employee misconduct or low performance, a maximum of 15 days’ notice must be given. The employee is entitled to at least 24 hours to review the dismissal notification and respond.
The Colombian system is compounded by the subsystems of
Each employer has the obligation to enroll their employees in the social security entities that the employee voluntarily chooses.
Ordinary Salary Employment Costs
|
Health Insurance |
8.5% |
4% |
|
Pension |
12% |
4% |
|
Family Compensation Fund* |
4% |
– |
|
Colombian Institute for Family Welfare (ICBF) |
3% |
– |
|
National Learning Service (SENA) |
2%* |
– |
|
Labor risks |
0.522% to 6.96% |
– |
|
Solidarity Fund** |
– |
1% |
|
Layoff benefit |
8.33% |
|
|
Interest on severance payments |
1% |
|
|
Vacation |
4.17% |
|
|
13th salary |
8.33% |
|
NOTE: The employer does not need to pay any health insurance contribution for employees with salaries below 10 minimum monthly wages.
*Only applicable to employees who earn 10 minimum wages or more (≥ 10,000,000 COP).
** Only applicable to employees who earn at least four minimum wages.
