A Growing Workforce in Guyana: Opportunities for Hiring, Recruitment & EOR in 2025
For companies, entrepreneurs, and investors looking for opportunities in an often-overlooked market, the conditions might be right for them to consider company formation in Guyana. The country is on an upwards trajectory, having discovered enormous oil reserves that have transformed its economic outlook. Businesses looking to hire employees in Guyana must consider compliance regulations, recruitment strategies, and local talent availability.
Key takeaways on hiring trends in Guyana
| What are the key sectors in Guyana? | Oil is the overwhelming boom sector, but there are also strong opportunities in mining and tourism, among others. |
| Steps to hiring in Guyana | A local advisor can help you with: Job adverts Networking CV assessment Interviewing Contract writing Onboarding |
| Is PEO legal in Guyana? | Yes, it is legal to work with PEO providers to outsource HR and payroll functions in Guyana. |
| What is the minimum wage in Guyana? | GYD$60,000 (approx USD$290) |
| What are the employer contributions in Guyana? | Employer contribution of 8.4% and employee contribution of 5.6% of each salary to national social security. |
Hiring trends in Guyana: A sector to watch
Guyana’s economy presents a compelling opportunity for foreign investors. Rich in natural resources, particularly oil and minerals, Guyana has experienced substantial growth in recent years. The discovery of significant oil reserves has catalyzed economic expansion, drawing attention from global investors.
Guyana’s strategic location on the northern coast of South America, coupled with its membership in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), positions it as a gateway to the South American and Caribbean markets. The government has implemented reforms to improve the business environment, making it more investor-friendly.
Foreign investors can tap into sectors beyond energy, including agriculture, tourism, and infrastructure development. However, navigating the legal and regulatory landscape requires expertise, emphasizing the importance of partnering with local legal and business experts. As the Guyanese economy continues to evolve, foreign investors stand to benefit from its promising potential and burgeoning marketplace.
How much it costs to hire people in Guyana
To form a company in Guyana provides access to a growing economy, rich natural resources, and a business-friendly environment. Its strategic location in South America and investor-focused policies make it an attractive choice for entrepreneurs.
Establishing a business here offers competitive costs and opportunities in emerging markets.The national minimum wage is GYD$60,000 (approx USD$290) and there is an employer contribution of 8.4% and employee contribution of 5.6% of each salary to national social security.
Two options for hiring: establish a company or PEO
When entering the market and hiring in Guyana, there are essentially two options available to investors and entrepreneurs. The most common way of doing so is through full company formation to establish a presence in the jurisdiction. However, this may take time and effort, meaning that it is worth considering another option as well, using a Professional Employer Organization (PEO).
PEO: fast and agile
A Professional Employer Organization (PEO), also known as a ‘Registered Employer’ or ‘Employer of Record’, is an organization that provides and supports companies with their human resources functions, from the early stages of recruitment to the payment of taxes and benefits. PEOs undertake the fundamental and time-consuming tasks of human resources teams, allowing companies to focus on the growth and success of their business.
The services of a PEO are particularly useful when businesses seek to hire a local workforce but do not wish to establish a local legal entity. Simply put, a PEO makes it easy to hire staff in Guyana through an outsourced provider. It means you can enter the market and start hiring quickly, without having to commit to full entry until you are sure that it is what you want to do. It is worth noting that regionally there is beginning to be more regulation and PEO in Guyana may not be viable in the future.
The long-term option: direct hiring
This is the gold standard of hiring in Guyana, as it will give you full control over your employees as well as being sure that you will be compliant for the long term. It also gives you a higher status with potential job applicants, who will see you as a more secure long-term employer.
Before you start hiring employees in Guyana, you will first need to get a sense of the legal, financial and cultural lay of the land. Things such as how to sort out the red tape associated with incorporation and how to manage payroll, for example. With a permanent legal presence in Guyana, you will be fully liable for compliance with local law.
A local expert will help when hiring in Guyana, as they will have an extensive network of qualified professionals for top jobs as well as a good idea of the local labor market. They will be able to advise on the best rates to offer and what type of profile you should be targeting. With anti-discrimination legislation important in Guyana, especially for top jobs, they can make sure you are making a fair offer which complies with local law.
After placing adverts and receiving applications, you will want to move towards interviewing potential candidates. This should be done by both a team manager and HR representative at minimum, to make sure that everything is watertight in legal terms. You may want to include other people into the process in order to make a better assessment of the candidate.
It is entirely possible that you may wish to have a second interview, possibly involving other team members as discussed above. It is also common in the region and when hiring in Guyana to provide candidates with an aptitude task to be completed. This usually takes the form of a dummy task that simulates the type of job that will be done in the future and confirm that they possess the skills cited on their CV.
Contracts, too, will be important. A local advisor will be up to speed on what you can and cannot offer. Bear in mind that you will have to follow all the rules established by Guyana. In Guyana, this includes clear conditions for the termination of a fixed-term or project-based contract.
Finally, your local advisor will be able to help you with the stages of both the hiring and onboarding process. They will make sure that you comply with standard requirements such as compulsory medical checks and make sure that any probation period is within the boundaries of those established by the labor law in Guyana. This is generally two months.
Labor laws and regulations in Guyana
Before making a move into the jurisdiction, it’s important for companies to understand the labor rights and responsibilities of both employers and employees in Guyana. What follows are a few things that foreign business owners should know about when it comes to the local work culture:
- Work hours – The standard workweek spans 40 hours over 5 days, with overtime compensated at one and a half times the regular rate.
- Public holidays – Guyana celebrates 15 national holidays, and employees are entitled to 12 days of annual leave.
- Vacation time – Workers in Guyana are eligible for 14 days of vacation annually, rising to 21 after five years’ service. Women are entitled to 13 weeks’ maternity leave.
- Contract types – There are essentially two types of contract in Guyana, indefinite employment and fixed-term employment.
FAQs on hiring trends in Guyana
Based on our extensive experience these are the common questions we receive from clients when looking to hire in Guyana.
Establishing a business here offers competitive costs and opportunities in emerging markets.The national minimum wage is GYD$60,000 (approx USD$290) and there is an employer contribution of 8.4% and employee contribution of 5.6% of each salary to national social security.
Yes, absolutely. Guyana has a number of strong cards to play in terms of talent:
A hard-working, industrious workforce
A growing talent pool of young, enthusiastic workers
World-class technical/skilled trade schools
Government assistance for on-the-job training
Good employer-employee relationships
English is the first language of the country, with many workers also competent or fluent in Spanish thanks to neighbouring countries.
Yes. Using an Employer of Record in Guyana allows you to legally hire employees without setting up a local entity. This approach ensures compliance and simplifies market entry.
Although EORs are fast and convenient, they tend to be more costly per employee and may be less appealing to senior-level candidates. Prolonged use may also expose your business to permanent establishment risks.
If you’re planning a long-term operation or hiring multiple employees, setting up a company in Guyana is often more cost-effective and better suited to building local operations and culture.
Entity vs. EOR in Guyana: What’s the Right Hiring Strategy for 2025?
Businesses entering the Guyanese market in 2025 have two primary options for hiring: setting up a local legal entity or using an Employer of Record (EOR). While both are valid, setting up a company in Guyana is generally the preferred long-term solution — offering better control, cost efficiency, and talent acquisition opportunities.
Why Setting Up a Company in Guyana Is the Preferred Option
For businesses planning sustained operations or building a local team of any size, establishing a legal entity in Guyana is the most strategic and sustainable approach. It gives you direct control over employment contracts, builds trust with local talent, and strengthens your brand presence in the country.
Advantages of Entity Setup:
- Lower long-term employment costs
- Greater flexibility in hiring and compensation
- Easier to attract and retain top-tier local talent
- Better alignment with your company culture and processes
- Stronger local credibility with clients and partners
Biz Latin Hub provides full support for company formation in Guyana, including legal entity registration, corporate bank account setup, labor law compliance, and ongoing back-office administration.
When to Consider an Employer of Record (EOR)
An Employer of Record in Guyana is useful for companies that want to hire quickly, test the market, or take on short-term contracts without establishing a local company. Under this model, your employees are officially hired through Biz Latin Hub’s local subsidiary while you retain management control.
Advantages of EOR:
- Fast onboarding – ideal for pilot hires or short-term projects
- No need to incorporate a company
- Simplified legal and compliance management
Disadvantages of EOR:
- More expensive per employee over time
- May be less attractive to senior or strategic hires
- Harder to build long-term company culture
- Extended use can trigger permanent establishment risks
EOR is a tactical option for quick deployment, but if you plan to build a team, expand your footprint, or operate in Guyana beyond the short term, we strongly recommend setting up your own legal entity as the more robust and cost-effective solution.
Biz Latin Hub can help you with hiring trends in Guyana
At Biz Latin Hub, we provide integrated market entry and back-office services throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, with offices in over a dozen other major cities in the region. We also have trusted partners in many other markets.
Our unrivaled reach means we are ideally placed to support multi-jurisdiction market entries and cross border operations.
As well as knowledge about hiring trends in Guyana, our portfolio of services includes hiring & PEO accounting & taxation, company formation, and corporate legal services.
Contact us today to find out more about how we can assist you in finding talent, or otherwise do business in Latin America and the Caribbean.
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