Hiring the first person in a new country triggers obligations most HR teams have not met before: mandatory contract terms, payroll registration, social security, work permits and, in some markets, nationalisation quotas.
Check before the offer letter
- Can the business employ directly without a local entity, and does doing so create a taxable presence?
- What must the employment contract contain, and what notice and end-of-service payments apply?
- What do employer and employee pay in social security and payroll tax?
- Which work permit or visa applies, what salary threshold does it require, and how long does it take?
- Do quotas for local nationals apply to the entity's size or sector?
The people area of each market guide covers these, and minimum wages, thresholds and contribution rates are tracked as market notes when they change.
