You’re exploring new locations for your next remote hire. You’ve already eliminated Mexico, Colombia, and the Philippines when someone mentions Belize. A small country wedged between Mexico and Guatemala, home to only 400,000 people—is it really a talent hub?
For starters, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official language. Approximately 56% of the total population also speaks Spanish, which is a significant advantage if your business is global or borderless.
What’s even more impressive is that nearly 80% of the working-age population holds tertiary degrees, such as bachelor’s and master’s degrees. This is huge for a country, as we’re not talking about a labor market limited to call center talent. The workforce includes IT specialists, financial analysts, people with specific skills in operations, and customer service teams that would fit exactly into remote-structured companies.
The country’s economy grew by 10.5% in 2024, thanks to foreign investment, and the outsourcing sector has been expanding at a rate of around 15% annually since 2018. Belize also shares time zones with major U.S. cities like Chicago and Houston, which means real-time collaboration without the offshore lag. Factor in a government rolling out digital nomad visas and significant infrastructure investments, and you start to see why tech companies are quietly hiring in Belize as part of their talent strategies.
Inside look at Belize’s labor market
The numbers behind the labor market are rather peculiar for global employers. Unemployment in Belize dropped to just 2.1% in April 2025, down from 3% the previous year. The country added nearly 14,000 employed workers in a single year, while the number of unemployed people fell by over 1,000. That puts Belize at one of the lowest unemployment rates in the region which indicates a tight labor market where skilled workers are in high demand.
The real economic engine right now is the Business Process Outsourcing sector. Over 16,000 Belizeans work in BPO and call center roles, with annual salaries totaling around $150 million. Prime Minister John Briceño recently called it one of the largest private sector employers in the country and “hailed the sector as a key economic driver, especially for young Belizeans entering the workforce,” as put by a local news outlet. And the sector keeps expanding, particularly in hubs like Belize City, Belmopan, and San Ignacio.
The country’s most advertised remote positions offer jobs centered around Python, SQL, AWS, Kubernetes, and JavaScript. Positions in Salesforce, cloud computing, and data analysis are also in high demand, along with customer support. Senior developers in Belize earn around BZ$36,000 annually (US$18,000), while IT support technicians average about BZ$21,800 per year (US$10,900). That means you get technical talent at 30 to 50% lower costs compared to North American rates without sacrificing English fluency or time zone compatibility.
One challenge worth noting is youth unemployment. While the overall rate is low, unemployment among workers aged 15 to 24 is high at 16.3% as of 2024. But this also represents an opportunity—young Belizeans are entering the workforce with increasing digital literacy and are actively seeking remote work with international companies. The BPO sector has become a primary entry point, offering career development pathways that keep talent in the country rather than pushing them toward emigration.
How to hire employees in Belize
Let’s say you’ve decided to hire an employee in Belize. You have the budget for the position, and you have found the perfect talent. Then comes the big question: how do you employ this individual? As a foreign employer, you have two options.
Option 1: Setting up a legal presence
Setting up a branch office or a subsidiary is the standard way to do business. This gives you legal standing, along with putting your company name on the employment contract. Once registered, you can handle everything in-house. This includes drafting contracts compliant with local labor law, processing payroll in the local currency, managing employees’ payment and contributions to social security, and ensuring tax compliance and document preparation annually.
The upside is that you have full control over this employment process and the room to build on it, assuming you want to hire more workers or want a permanent presence in Belize. The downside is that this demands more time and administrative resources, especially if you have to onboard someone new for Belize’s local system. It is also expensive.
Option 2: Working with an Employer of Record (EOR)
An EOR becomes the legal employer while you control the work. They become the legal employer of your Belizean hire, managing the contract, payroll, tax withholding, social security contributions, and all the associated paperwork. You still assign work, manage the performance review process, and assimilate the employee into your team the same way you do with anyone on your payroll.
The main difference is that the EOR takes on the compliance risk and operational complexity. This is particularly valuable when you’re new to a market or need to move faster than the normal incorporation timeline. There is a service fee, but you also avoid setup investment, hidden costs, and the ongoing burden of operating your own entity. Using an EOR can get your talent hired in days, not weeks or months.
Employment contracts in Belize
According to Belizean labor law, employment contracts must be in writing in situations where the employment is expected to last more than three months. This written employment contract is to be the basis for the employment relationship, serving to protect both you and your employee if there are any issues in the future.
At the very least, your contract should detail the duties to be performed, working hours, payment, including any other compensation, benefits, and how the employment relationship will be terminated. There are additional requirements applicable to you if your employee is not a Belizean national. An employee will need to obtain a work permit before starting to work for you. A temporary work permit is valid for a period of one year and is applicable for short-term employment or training purposes. A permanent work permit will last for three years, with the option to renew it for an additional three years.
Applying for work permits is a one to six week process, and requires submission of a valid passport, a letter from any previous employers you may have, and a duplicate of the employment contract. An important point to remember is that the Department of Labour has to be satisfied that you made a reasonable attempt to recruit a Belizean national before granting approval for the employment of a foreign national.
Working hours, holidays, and leave in Belize
The standard workweek in Belize is similar to that of other Central American countries:, 45 hours, spread over a maximum of 6 days. Any work exceeding 45 hours per week is classified as overtime pay and should be compensated accordingly.
Employees are entitled to two weeks of paid annual leave after completing one year of service. That leave can be taken all at once or split into two parts if both sides agree. Payment for annual leave must be made in advance. If an employee leaves the company before using their leave, the employer is required to either grant the time off or pay them in lieu of it. Belize also recognizes several public holidays throughout the year, and employees are generally entitled to paid time off on those days.
Employee benefits and social contributions
Social security in Belize is mandatory for both employers and employees. As of recent updates, the employer contribution ranges from 5.50% to 8.13% of the employee’s insurable earnings, depending on the employee’s salary level. Employees also contribute a portion of their earnings, and both amounts are paid into the Social Security Board to cover benefits like sickness, maternity, injury, and retirement.
Beyond statutory contributions, many employers hiring in Belize offer supplemental benefits to stay competitive:
- Health insurance coverage to supplement public healthcare services
- Pension or retirement savings plans beyond Social Security
- Performance bonuses or profit-sharing arrangements
- Transportation or housing allowances, depending on the role and location
The employee benefits you offer can make a real difference when competing for talent, especially in the tech and BPO sectors where skilled professionals have options.
Payroll and taxation in Belize
When running payroll and taxes in Belize, taxes for income on employee salaries are withheld and paid on an elimination basis to Belize’s Tax Service. Individuals who earn BZ$29,000 or less per year are exempt from paying income tax, and anyone earning more than this benchmark is taxed at a flat 25% rate. All taxes are paid monthly, and companies are required to maintain reliable and comprehensive tax records.
To avoid penalties, employers must complete their tax returns and fulfill all reporting obligations. When operating through an EOR, they handle all of this for you, removing the burden of navigating the tax system on your own. If you have set up a local entity, you must build an internal payroll function or partner with a local accountant who is familiar with Belizean tax law. Either way, precise record-keeping and timely filing are essential.
Employee vs. contractor classification
While the impact of getting these classifications correct may seem nominal, it is not. Belizean labor authorities examine the nature of the working relationship, and not just what you call the person in the contract. If the person works solely for you, is directed by you on how and when tasks are completed, uses your equipment, and is part of your everyday activities, then they are your employee, regardless of job title or what the contract says.
Contractors should determine their approach and their timetable for the work, assume the business risk themselves, and work with more than one client. They are the ones who issue you invoices for the work they have completed, and they handle their taxes and business expenses. There are consequences of the actions taken in your operations. These consequences include fines, back payment of taxes, social security contributions, and benefits that you should have provided to an employee.
This is why you must set the relationship realistically from the outset. If you require consistent work with direct oversight, onboard an employee. If you need sporadic work done and are willing to be hands-off, consider using a contractor.
Termination and severance
Terminating an employment relationship in Belize requires giving notice and sometimes severance pay, depending on how long they have been with you. Notice periods depend on the duration of service.
- One week’s notice for over two weeks of employment, but not more than six months
- Two weeks’ notice for over six months, but not more than two years
- Four weeks for over two years, but not more than five years
- Eight weeks for over five years of employment
While the company retains the right to “pay in lieu of notice” if it needs to end the employment relationship immediately, it still provides the required notice to ensure compensation.
Severance pay is triggered when an employee is terminated without cause after five years of uninterrupted service. The severance amount is proportional to both the employee’s length of employment with the company and their weekly salary. Terminations without severance pay, as a result of “cause” (e.g., notable or substantial violation of a company policy or ongoing neglect of company practices), do require a severance waiver. However, a fair and straightforward process is still required.
Work permits and immigration in Belize
Beyond the mechanics of obtaining a work permit, there are practical realities about immigration in Belize that affect how you plan your hiring strategy. The country has become increasingly open to remote workers and digital professionals, particularly as the government has recognized the economic value of attracting international talent. This shift has made it easier for foreign nationals to work legally in Belize, particularly in roles where local talent is scarce.
If you’re bringing in employees from abroad, consider these factors:
- Processing times can vary, so start the application process well before the planned start date
- The Labor Department evaluates whether you’ve made a genuine effort to hire locally before approving foreign hires
- Dependents of work permit holders may also need separate permits or visas, depending on their circumstances
- Renewals need to be submitted before the current permit expires to avoid gaps in authorization
Many companies find it helpful to work with a local immigration attorney or HR partner who understands the current policies and can navigate the process efficiently. Immigration rules can shift, and having someone on the ground who tracks those changes can save you from delays or compliance issues down the road.
FAQs: Hiring in Belize
Questions always come up once you’re considering a hire. Here are answers to the ones we hear most often from companies expanding into Belize.
What is the work culture in Belize?
Belize is characterized by a combination of the Caribbean kindness and professional devotion. While there is a degree of formality in the work being done, this comes with light, friendly conversations which make the work feel more relatable and pleasant. In the tech and BPO sectors, work is systemized, and the entire sector is dictated by the end results from the work done. In these sectors, there is a strong work culture of collaboration.
What is a good salary in Belize?
Salaries in Belize are considerably lower than those in North America, making it an attractive hiring destination for global employers. A competitive monthly salary for a skilled professional typically ranges from BZ$2,500 to $3,000 (US$1243 to $1942), depending on experience and role. Senior developers and specialized technical roles can command higher salaries, but the cost of living in Belize is also lower which makes these wages locally competitive.
Can I hire in Belize without setting up a local entity?
Yes. You can bypass entity establishment by hiring talent through an Employer of Record. This is usually the fastest and simplest option in Belize for new companies hiring for the first time.
What jobs are in high demand in Belize?
The BPO and call center sectors remain the largest employers; however, demand in other sectors is also starting to grow. For instance, IT jobs and positions are seeing a significant need for software developers, data analysts, and customer success specialists. There are also other, more technical skills that are seeing an increase in demand such as Python, SQL, AWS, and other tools associated with cloud computing.
Ready to make hiring in Belize easy?
You’ve decided to hire in Belize. You can go down the expensive and time-intensive route of setting up a local entity, or you can make things easy by partnering with Pebl.
We operate in 185+ countries worldwide, including Belize, so you can hire and manage international teams without setting up a local entity. Our EOR services handle everything from compliant employment contracts and payroll to benefits administration and tax withholdings, giving you a single platform to manage your global workforce. Whether you’re making your first hire in Belize or building a new distributed team across the Americas, Pebl takes care of the complexity so you can focus on growing your business. Contact us to learn more.
This information does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal or tax advice and is for general informational purposes only. The intent of this document is solely to provide general and preliminary information for private use. Do not rely on it as an alternative to legal, financial, taxation, or accountancy advice from an appropriately qualified professional. The content in this guide is provided “as is,” and no representations are made that the content is error-free.
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