Payroll and Benefits Guide Trinidad & Tobago
Last updated: Mar 03, 2026
Contribution
| Employer Payroll Contributions | |
|
$23.80 TTD to $276.20 TTD
|
National Insurance Scheme (weekly contribution dependent on the employee’s weekly earnings – The maximum rate is 414.30 TTD per week for monthly income over 13,600 TTD)
|
| 23.80 TDD to 276.20 TDD |
Total Employer Cost |
| Employee Payroll Contributions | |
|
$11.90 TTD to $138.10 TTD
|
National Insurance Scheme (weekly contribution depending on the employee’s weekly earnings – The maximum rate is 414.30 TTD per week for monthly income over TTD 13,600 TTD)
|
| 8.25% | Health Surcharge (maximum weekly contribution income over 470 TTD) |
| 11.90 TDD to 138.10 TDD + 8.25% |
Total Employee Cost |
| Employee Income Tax | Income tax is applicable for employees earning above $90,000TTD per year |
|
25.00%
|
up to 1 million TTD (Trinidad and Tobago Residents pay no taxes on their first $84,000 of income)
|
| 30.00% | 1 million TTD and above |
Employer taxes
Employee taxes
Minimum Wage
General
The minimum wage is 20.50 TTD per hour.
Public sector employees are subject to a minimum wage of TTD 22.50 per hour.
MINIMUM WAGE (PER MONTH)
Payroll
Payroll Cycle
Wages must paid at least once a month.
13th Salary
A 13th-month salary payment in Trinidad and Tobago is not mandatory, and bonuses are granted at the employer’s discretion; these tend to be performance-based.
Working Hours
General
The standard working week consists of 40 hours per week, 8 hours per day. This should include a minimum of a 45 mins paid lunch break.
Overtime
| Aspect | Regulation Details | Notes |
| Maximum Ordinary Hours | 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week. | Overtime is triggered when an employee works beyond these limits. |
| Overtime Requirement | Overtime compensation is statutorily guaranteed only for employees receiving an hourly rate up to $1.5$ times the national minimum wage (currently TTD 20.50 per hour). | For all other employees, overtime is based on the employment contract or CBA. |
| Maximum Overtime Cap | The law sets limits on hours for specific tiers of pay, but generally, total work hours are managed by the premium rates. |
Mandatory Overtime Pay Rates (Statutory Tiers)
The following tiered rates are the statutory minimums for employees covered under the Minimum Wages Order:
A. Overtime on a Normal Working Day or Exceeding 40 Hours/Week
| Overtime Hours Worked | Minimum Premium Rate (Supplement) | Total Pay Rate | Notes |
| First 4 hours of overtime | 1.5 times the regular hourly rate. | 150% | |
| Second 4 hours of overtime | 2 times the regular hourly rate (Double Pay). | 200% | |
| Thereafter (Beyond 8 hours of daily OT) | 3 times the regular hourly rate (Triple Pay). | 300% |
B. Overtime on Off Days and Public Holidays
| Day/Condition | Overtime Hours Worked | Minimum Premium Rate (Multiplier) | Total Pay Rate |
| Off Day/Public Holiday (First 8 hours) | 2 times the regular hourly rate (Double Pay). | 200% | Applies to work on the designated weekly rest day or a public holiday. |
| Off Day/Public Holiday (Beyond 8 hours) | 3 times the regular hourly rate (Triple Pay). | 300% | Applies to all hours worked beyond 8 hours on the designated rest day or public holiday. |
| Night Shift Work (Non-Overtime) | N/A | 2 times the regular hourly rate. | Some sources indicate a 200% rate for work performed on the night shift (even when not overtime), though this is often covered by specific industry agreements. |
Compensation and Exemptions
| Aspect | Requirement | Notes |
| Exemptions | Executive, managerial, and professional employees may be exempt from statutory overtime pay due to the nature of their responsibilities. | |
| Compensation Method | Overtime must be compensated via monetary payment. The law does not generally provide for compensatory time off in lieu (TOIL) of the premium pay. | |
| Unauthorized Overtime | Even if overtime is unauthorized, an employer may still be required to compensate the employee for the additional hours worked, depending on the circumstances and employment agreement. |
Leave
Annual Leave (vacation)
In Trinidad and Tobago, employees who have worked 220 days for one employer are generally entitled to 10 working days (2 weeks) of paid annual leave.
A more generous annual leave entitlement might apply depending on the industry and sector, where the entitlement should be stipulated in the Employment Agreement/Collective Bargaining Agreement.
PTO carryover
In Trinidad & Tobago, statutory annual leave cannot be forfeited. The law does not clearly provide an automatic carryover right, but unused statutory leave must be granted or paid out on termination.
Public Holidays
Public holidays falling on weekends are usually moved to a weekday in lieu.
| Date | Day | Holiday | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2026 | Thursday | New Year’s Day | Standard holiday |
| 16 February 2026 | Monday | Carnival Monday (De facto Holiday) | |
| 17 February 2026 | Tuesday | Carnival Tuesday (De facto Holiday) | |
| 21 March 2026 | Saturday | Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan) | |
| 30 March 2026 | Monday | Spiritual Baptist/Shouter Liberation Day | Standard holiday |
| 3 April 2026 | Friday | Good Friday | Standard holiday |
| 6 April 2026 | Monday | Easter Monday | Standard holiday |
| 30 May 2026 | Saturday | Indian Arrival Day | Standard holiday |
| 4 June 2026 | Thursday | Corpus Christi | Standard holiday |
| 19 June 2026 | Friday | Labour Day | Standard holiday |
| 1 August 2026 | Saturday | Emancipation Day (African Emancipation Day) | Standard holiday |
| 31 August 2026 | Monday | Independence Day | Standard holiday |
| 24 September 2026 | Thursday | Republic Day | Standard holiday |
| 8 November 2026 | Sunday | Divali / Diwali | |
| 9 November 2026 | Monday | Divali Holiday (Observed) | |
| 25 December 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day | Standard holiday |
| 26 December 2026 | Saturday | Boxing Day | Standard holiday |
Sick Days
In Trinidad and Tobago, employees general should be entitled to 2 weeks of paid sick leave once the employee has been employed with the organization for more than 6 months. However, more generous sick leave entitlements might apply depending on the industry and sector, where the entitlement should be stipulated in the Employment Agreement/Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Sick leave of more than 3 days requires a medical certificate to be provided.
Maternity Leave
Pregnant employees are entitled to 14 weeks of paid maternity leave following one year of continuous service within an organization.
Maternity leave can be extended by four to twelve additional weeks of leave in the event of pregnancy-related illnesses.
Paternity Leave
There is no law that provides paternity leave.
Parental Leave
There are no provisions in the law regarding parental leave.
Other Leave
There are no additional statutory leave entitlements in Trinidad and Tobago.
PAID MATERNITY LEAVE (DAYS)
Termination
Termination Process
The termination process varies according to how the employment agreement and collective agreement are in place and is based on the type of contract and reason for termination.
| Salary payment interval / date | Final payment on termination | Bank account/payment-method requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Pay intervals are generally defined by contract or employer practice; one guide indicates monthly pay is common in practice. | On termination (especially for retrenchment) the employer must pay wages and any severance under the Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act, Chap 88:13: e.g., 2 weeks’ basic pay per year of service for the first 4 years, then 3 weeks per year thereafter. | The law requires salary payment in money/legal tender. |
Notice Period
For monthly paid employees this notice period is usually 1 month for both the employer and employee. However, a different length can be stipulated in a Collective Agreement or Employment contracts.
Severance Pay
Severance pay is required where termination is made due to redundancy. The rate of severance pay is dependent on the employee’s length of service:
- For less than 1 year of service, the severance rate is pro rated.
- For more than 1 year of service but less than 5 years, an employee is entitled to 2 weeks’ pay for each year of service.
- For more than 5 years of service, an employee is entitled to 3 weeks’ pay for each year of service.
Separation due to resignation, termination with cause, retirement or medical termination does not require severance to be paid but the worker will be entitled to receive payout for all accrued benefits.
Probation Period
In Trinidad and Tobago, Probation periods are usually a minimum of 3 months with the ability to extend it to 6 months. However, the exact length can be dependent on the type of role and must be stipulated within the Employment Agreement.
Immigration
Unless exempt by treaty or other agreement, foreign nationals must apply for a business visa before arrival to conduct business activities in Trinidad and Tobago.
Visas are generally issued with a 90-day authorized stay and allow a single entry into the country.
Visa-exempt nationals do not require a visa for entry for business purposes for up to 30 days, 90 days, 90 days within 180 days, or for the period allowed by the immigration officer at the port of entry, depending on their nationality.
In practice, the period of stay is generally granted for 21 days.
Foreign nationals entering Trinidad and Tobago for gainful employment may do so without a work permit for a single entry for a period of up to 30 days every 12 consecutive months. Otherwise, a work permit is required. Work permits may be granted initially for up to three years.
They must usually be accompanied by a Multiple-Entry Visa, except for Canada and European Union passport holders.
VAT
General
The standard rate of VAT in Trinidad and Tobago is 12.5%.
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Questions & Answers
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Payroll and Benefits Guide
in Trinidad & Tobago
What’s covered in this guide:
- Employer/employee contributions
- Minimum wage
- Working hours
- Visa requirements
And more...
Public Holidays Calendar
| Date | Day | Holiday | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2026 | Thursday | New Year’s Day | Standard holiday |
| 16 February 2026 | Monday | Carnival Monday (De facto Holiday) | |
| 17 February 2026 | Tuesday | Carnival Tuesday (De facto Holiday) | |
| 21 March 2026 | Saturday | Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan) | |
| 30 March 2026 | Monday | Spiritual Baptist/Shouter Liberation Day | Standard holiday |
| 3 April 2026 | Friday | Good Friday | Standard holiday |
| 6 April 2026 | Monday | Easter Monday | Standard holiday |
| 30 May 2026 | Saturday | Indian Arrival Day | Standard holiday |
| 4 June 2026 | Thursday | Corpus Christi | Standard holiday |
| 19 June 2026 | Friday | Labour Day | Standard holiday |
| 1 August 2026 | Saturday | Emancipation Day (African Emancipation Day) | Standard holiday |
| 31 August 2026 | Monday | Independence Day | Standard holiday |
| 24 September 2026 | Thursday | Republic Day | Standard holiday |
| 8 November 2026 | Sunday | Divali / Diwali | |
| 9 November 2026 | Monday | Divali Holiday (Observed) | |
| 25 December 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day | Standard holiday |
| 26 December 2026 | Saturday | Boxing Day | Standard holiday |
Which act calls out to 16 hours max hours to work ?
The Minimum Wages Act – MINIMUM WAGES (SECURITY INDUSTRY EMPLOYEES) ORDER
Sick Leave is counted by working days, Monday to Friday not weekends for government workers and Health Surcharge is maximum $8.25 per week or $41.25 for a 5 week month or $33.00 for a 4 week month
According to the MINIMUM WAGES ACT, the worker’s payment for sick leave shall amount to the difference between a worker’s pay and their entitlement to sickness. As this is related for a specific industry we can’t advise, it is recommended to review the applicable labor agreement in place.
Are there any laws in Trinidad that refer to a timeframe for employers to provide workers that work shifts, their schedule/shift time and off days, for the week and can that be provide a day before the shift starts?
We are not aware if such laws exist. However, it would be fair and reasonable to inform the worker in advance about any planned shift changes for the upcoming week. For precise advice, we recommend consulting with a local legal expert.
Hi so my work gave everyone bonuses. I did not receive any. Am I entitled to get bonus like every one else even if I’m on maternity leave?. I’m working there almost 4yrs.
It depends on whether the bonus is considered part of regular compensation and whether the employee has met the eligibility criteria for receiving the bonus e.g. is it a bonus based on performance, attendance, christmas etc. Eligibility will likely depend on the nature of the bonus and what is stated in the employment contract.
I have a 30minute paid lunch is this legal?
It could depend on the type of employment set up e.g. shift work, working hours etc. Generally, for regular working contracts the minimum meal break in law is 45 minutes (unpaid or paid depending on contract/sector) plus an additional rest break of 15 minutes after a further 3 hours of work.
“
Well it’s mall hours therefore 10-6/10-7 on weekends no breaks and in the contract it says 30 minutes paid lunch break. How do I go about this if it’s illegal?
A 30-minute paid break may or may not meet legal requirements depending on the jurisdiction and nature of your work. If you’re unsure whether it’s compliant, it could be worth consulting an employment lawyer or contacting your local labor authority for clarification.