Hire in Panama

Panama PEO &

Employer of Record

Hire & manage teams remotely in Panama without a local entity. We handle HR compliance, payroll & taxes so you can focus on your business.



    Business Language

    Spanish

    Salary Currency

    United States Dollar (USD)

    Payroll tax

    25%

    Payroll Cycle

    Monthly

    Time zone

    UTC -5

    Capital city

    Panama City

    Hire Employees in Panama

    NNRoad provides employer of record (EOR)professional employment organization (PEO) services to ensure that your business in Panama complies with local labor laws and regulations. We process monthly payroll and act as the Employer of Record, taking on all local employer liabilities.

    The NNRoad Advantage ☺

    Pay as you go

    No set-up or overhead costs to global expansion.

    Global account manager

    One point of contact for all of our 50+ serviced countries and regions.

    Compliance

    Ensured compliant contracts and operations.

    Fast Onboarding

    Start working with your remote employees/contractors within a week.

    Foreigner Visas

    NNRoad assists with overseas foreign hires visa needs.

    Platform

    Access your payroll reports and employee pay stubs on our portal.

    Employer of Record in Panama

    Employer of Record (EOR) services are for companies who do not have a legal entity in Panama, but who want to hire localy. Employment and full liability are outsourced to NNRoad.

    01.

    Candidate Selection

    You interviews & select the candidates you want to hire in Panama.

    02.

    Employee Onboarding

    We sign a local labor contract with your employees based in Panama.

    03.

    Compliance & Payroll

    We manage monthly payroll, mandatory benefits & all HR compliance in Panama.

    04.

    Payroll Reporting

    See all payroll reports on our platform & focus on your business in Panama.

    Recruiting process outsourcing – including but not limited to resume screening, shortlisting candidates, coordination for interviews, and assistance for salary negotiation.

    Hiring and termination of employees/local labor contracts (contract administration – engagement, extension termination and conversion to permanent hire).

    On-boarding and off-boarding employees following labor law practice.

    Complete payroll solution and benefit administration

    Employee management – employee record retaining, time keeping, bonus and allowance management, expense and claims, and leave employee database management accordingly to the local law.

    Mandatory insurance compliance (i.e. pension, labor and health insurance) according to the local labor laws.

    Payment management (Invoicing customers/clients and vendor payments).

    Work VISA application assistance, if needed.

    Local individual income tax reporting.

    Payroll & PEO in Panama

    Professional Employment Organization (PEO) services are for companies who have a legal entity in Panama, and want to outsource their payroll. Employment liabilities are shared between your organization and NNRoad.

    01.

    Compliance & Payroll

    We manage monthly payroll, mandatory benefits & all HR compliance in Panama.

    02.

    Payroll Reporting

    See all payroll reports on our platform & focus on your business in Panama.

    Registering the necessary company and personnel information for payroll calculation in the payroll software and system

    Monthly Payroll Processing

    Year-End Adjustment and Annual Declaration

    Panama peo

    Taxes & Payroll in Panama

    Employee Income Taxes:

    Individual income tax rates in Panama are based on progressive tax brackets.

    Panama’s tax system is founded on the premise of income being territorial. Citizens and residents are taxed on income earned from Panamanian sources. Non-residents are only taxed on income earned in Panama, and the payer must withhold the tax on any sort of income paid to a non-resident.

    Tax Brackets

    0%: Up to 11,000 USD
    15%: 11,000 – 50,000 USD
    25%: Over 50,000 USD

    Sample Calculation

    NA

    Employer Costs in Panama

    Employer Contribution

    • Social security: 12.25%
    • Unemployment: 1.92%
    • Education tax : 1.50%
    • Accident: 0.98-5.67%

    Employee Contribution

    • Social security: 9.75%
    • Education tax: 1.25%

    Benefits & Insurance in Panama

    Social Security Fund

    The Panamanian Social Security Fund is in charge of administering and governing the Republic of Panama’s social security system. Pensions, as well as programs such as survival, disability, and old age, are coordinated by the social security fund. The social security fund also provides benefits, such as maternity and illness benefits.

    Panama peo and eor

    Working Hours in Panama

    Working Hours Per Week

    The standard workday in Panama is eight hours, and the workweek is up to 48 hours. Night shifts (from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.) are restricted to seven hours per day and 42 hours per week. A mixed-shift workweek is seven and a half hours long and can last up to 45 hours.

    Overtime

    Overtime is paid based on the following rules:

    • 25% of ordinary wages, when the overtime work is performed between 6 am and 6 pm.
    • 50% of ordinary wages when the overtime work is performed between 6 am and 6 pm and mixed shifts which start in the daytime and continue for longer than usual working time.
    • 75% of ordinary wages when an overtime work shift is an extension of a night shift or of a mixed shift that starts between 6 pm and 6 am.

    Termination Laws in Panama

    Contracts can be dissolved through mutual consent, resignation, or unilaterally for good or bad reason. In Panama, only limited and serious conditions, as defined by the labor legislation, can result in a just cause dismissal.

    The employer must give the employee written notice of the termination, including the reason for it and the date it was given. A dismissal that does not follow the labor code’s rules is considered unreasonable, and the employee may be able to file a claim in a labor court.

    Severance

    Severance pay is required if an employee has served the company for less than 2 years continuously and if dismissed without cause. In this case, the severance pay is equal to 3.4 weeks of salary for each year worked.

    Employment Contract in Panama

    Employment Contract

    Employment contracts in Panama can be in writing or verbal form. Contracts are usually for an indefinite term, and fixed-term contracts can only be used for temporary replacement of an employee or for specific tasks that are not permanent in the nature of the company.

    Written employment contracts must include:

    • Name of employer and employee
    • Probation period
    • Job description
    • Place of work
    • Working hoursSalary and form of payment
    • Duration of the contract if it is for a definite term, or a specific project
    • Other terms agreed by the parties

    Probation Period

    The probation period can be for maximum three months and must be included in the employment contract.

    peo panama

    Types of Leaves in Panama

    Annual Leave

    Employees that have worked for at least 11 months without interruption are entitled to 30 days of paid vacation leave. The pay due to the employee will be settled and paid three days prior to the start of the employee’s yearly vacation.

    Sick Leave

    Employees in Panama are entitled to 18 days of paid sick leave. For non-work-related illness or injury, the employer pays sick pay at 100% salary rate for the first 18 days. From the 21st day onward, the Social Security fund (at rates according to the law) covers sick pay.

    Maternity and Paternity Leave

    A female employee is entitled to maternity leave for a period of six weeks prior to delivery and eight weeks following childbirth. The overall length of maternity leave must not be less than 14 weeks. The Social Security Fund is responsible for maternity leave payments. Pregnant women who have paid a minimum of 9 monthly installments in the 12 months before to the 7th month of pregnancy, that is, up to the 6th month inclusive, are eligible for the Maternity Allowance.

    Fathers are entitled to three days of leave paid by the company. The leave shall be taken immediately after the childbirth.

    Public Holidays in Panama

    Public Holidays

    • New Year’s Day – January 1
    • Martyr’s Day – January 9
    • Carnival – February 28
    • Mardi Gras – March 1
    • Ash Wednesday – March 2
    • Holy Friday – April 15
    • Labor Day – May 2
    • Separation Day – November 3
    • Flag Day – November 4
    • Colon Day – November 5
    • Los Santos Uprising Day – November 6
    • Independence Day – November 28
    • Panama Mother’s Day – December 8
    • Christmas Day – December 25-26

    Resources