Employer of Record in Belarus

An Employer of Record, or EOR, is a company that legally hires employees on your behalf in another country. Think of it as a partner that handles all the local employment tasks. This lets you hire talent in Belarus without setting up your own legal entity there. The EOR takes care of payroll, taxes, benefits, and makes sure you follow all Belarusian labor laws. You still manage your employee's day-to-day work, while the EOR handles the legal and administrative responsibilities. Providers like Rivermate can act as your EOR in Belarus.

How an Employer of Record (EOR) Works in Belarus

Using an EOR simplifies hiring in Belarus. Here is how it usually works:

• You Find the Talent: You recruit and select the person you want to hire in Belarus.
• The EOR Hires Them: The EOR legally hires the employee under its own local Belarusian company.
• Compliant Contracts: The EOR drafts a legally compliant employment contract that meets all Belarusian labor law requirements.
• Onboarding: The EOR manages the entire onboarding process, including any necessary registrations.
• Payroll and Benefits: The EOR handles all salary payments, taxes, and social security contributions. It also administers all mandatory employee benefits.
• Ongoing HR: The EOR provides continuous HR support to your employee, ensuring everything stays compliant with local laws.

Why use an Employer of Record in Belarus

Using an EOR in Belarus helps you avoid the complex and time-consuming process of setting up a local company. It's a practical way to test a new market or hire specialized talent without a major investment.

Here are some key reasons to use an EOR:

• Speed: You can hire employees and start operating in Belarus much faster. An EOR is already set up and ready to go.
• Compliance: You don't have to be an expert in Belarusian labor law. The EOR ensures you comply with all regulations, from contracts to termination.
• Reduced Risk: The EOR takes on the legal responsibilities of being the employer, which reduces your risk.
• Cost-Effective: It saves you the significant expense and administrative burden of establishing and maintaining a legal entity in Belarus.
• Focus on Your Business: You can concentrate on your core business goals while the EOR manages the complexities of local employment.

Rivermate's transparent pricing model eliminates complexity with a single, competitive monthly fee per employee. Unlike traditional PEO providers, our pricing in Belarus includes comprehensive HR support, benefits administration, compliance management, and access to our proprietary dashboard for real-time workforce analytics. No hidden costs, no setup fees—just straightforward pricing that scales with your business needs while ensuring full legal compliance in Belarus.

Hiring in Belarus means navigating a structured and formal employment environment. You'll find a workforce that is generally well-educated. The legal system, however, has specific requirements you need to follow. It's important to get the details right to build a successful team in the country.

Employment contracts & must-have clauses

When you hire an employee in Belarus, a written contract isn't just a good idea; it's required by law. These agreements are the foundation of your relationship with your team members.

There are a few types of employment contracts in Belarus:

• Indefinite-term contracts: These are for permanent positions with no set end date.
• Fixed-term contracts: These contracts have a specific duration, up to a maximum of five years. They are suitable for temporary or project-based work.
• Other fixed-term contracts: You can also use contracts for the time it takes to complete a specific task, for seasonal work, or to temporarily replace an absent employee.

Your employment contracts must be in writing and include several key clauses to be legally sound.

Probation periods

You can include a probation period in your employment contracts to see if a new employee is a good fit.

• The maximum length of a probation period is three months.
• During this time, either you or the employee can end the contract with just three days' notice.
• The probation period must be stated in the employment agreement.
• Not all employees can be subject to a probation period; for example, it's not allowed for employees under 18 or for those transferring from another employer.

Working hours & overtime

The standard workweek in Belarus is 40 hours, typically eight hours a day, five days a week.

Overtime is carefully regulated:

• It cannot exceed 10 hours per week and 180 hours per year.
• The daily working time, including overtime, cannot be more than 12 hours.
• You must pay employees 200% of their regular wages for any overtime hours worked. As an alternative, you can offer time off in lieu of payment.

Public & regional holidays

Your employees are entitled to time off for public holidays. There are nine official non-working public holidays in Belarus.

• January 1 & 2 - New Year's Day
• January 7 - Orthodox Christmas
• March 8 - International Women's Day
• Varies - Radonitsa (9 days after Orthodox Easter)
• May 1 - Labour Day
• May 9 - Victory Day
• July 3 - Independence Day
• November 7 - October Revolution Day
• December 25 - Catholic Christmas

Hiring contractors in Belarus

You can also hire independent contractors in Belarus, which can offer more flexibility. This is governed by the Civil Code, not the Labor Code. A clear civil law contract is essential and should outline the scope of work, payment, and duration of the project.

Working with contractors can be a good option, but it's important to understand the risks. Misclassifying an employee as a contractor can lead to legal problems, including back taxes and social security contributions. An independent contractor should operate with a degree of autonomy and not be integrated into your company's structure like a regular employee.

An Employer of Record (EOR) can help you avoid these risks. An EOR can help you hire and pay contractors compliantly, ensuring that the relationship is correctly classified from the start. This saves you from the administrative burden and legal risks of managing contractor relationships on your own.

Navigating compensation and payroll in Belarus requires understanding a few key rules. All payments to employees must be in the Belarusian ruble (BYN). The system is straightforward, with a focus on regular, timely payments and clear social security contributions. While not required by law, a 13th-month bonus is a common and widely expected part of employee compensation.

Payroll cycles & wage structure

In Belarus, the standard payroll cycle is monthly. You must pay your employees at least once a month on dates specified in their employment contract. A common practice is to pay an advance of about 40% of the salary in the middle of the month and the rest at the beginning of the next month.

An employee's salary structure includes their base income as negotiated in the employment contract. It can also include variable income like performance bonuses, commissions, and overtime pay.

Overtime & minimums

The standard workweek is 40 hours, typically eight hours per day, five days a week. Anything beyond this is overtime. Overtime work cannot be more than 12 hours a week or 180 hours a year. You must compensate employees for overtime at a higher rate. For the first two hours of overtime, the rate is at least 1.5 times the standard hourly rate.

As of January 1, 2025, the national minimum wage in Belarus is BYN 670 per month. The government reviews this rate annually.

Employer taxes and contributions

As an employer, you are responsible for contributing to social security and other funds. These contributions are a percentage of the employee's gross salary.

Employee taxes and deductions

Employees also contribute to the country's social security system and pay income tax. These amounts are deducted from their gross salary.

In Belarus, providing competitive and compliant employee benefits is key to attracting and retaining top talent. Understanding the local laws around leave and benefits is the first step. This guide breaks down what you need to know about statutory leave, holidays, and supplemental benefits in the country.

Statutory leave

Belarusian labor law provides several types of mandatory leave for employees.

• Annual Leave: Employees are entitled to a minimum of 24 paid vacation days each year. You can take this leave in one continuous period or split it into two parts, with one segment being at least 14 days long. Unused vacation days can be carried over to the next year.
• Sick Leave: If you are sick, you are entitled to paid sick leave. The state's Social Protection Fund covers this benefit. For the first 12 days of illness, you receive 80% of your average earnings, and 100% for any days after that.
• Maternity Leave: Female employees receive 126 calendar days of paid maternity leave. This can be extended to 140 days for complicated births or if you have more than one child. After this paid leave, a parent can take up to three years of unpaid, job-protected parental leave.
• Paternity Leave: Fathers can take up to 14 days of paid leave within the first six months after their child's birth.
• Family Care Leave: You can take one day of paid leave to care for a sick child under 14 or a disabled child under 18.

Public holidays & regional holidays

Belarus observes nine public holidays each year. These are paid days off and are separate from your annual leave entitlement.

Typical supplemental benefits

To stay competitive, many companies in Belarus offer benefits that go beyond the legal requirements.

How an EOR can help with setting up benefits

Navigating a new country's employment laws can be complex. An Employer of Record (EOR) simplifies the process. An EOR acts as the legal employer for your team in Belarus, ensuring full compliance with local labor laws.

Here is how an EOR can help:

• Ensure Compliance: An EOR stays up-to-date on all local regulations regarding compensation, benefits, and leave. This protects you from legal risks.
• Administer Benefits: They handle the administration of all statutory benefits, including payroll deductions and contributions to social security.
• Offer Competitive Packages: An EOR can provide insights into the local market and help you create a supplemental benefits package that attracts top talent.
• Simplify Operations: You get one point of contact and a single invoice for all your employment costs, making international expansion much easier to manage.

Let's talk about ending an employment relationship in Belarus. It’s a process with clear rules you need to follow. The Labour Code of Belarus outlines the specific steps for both you and your employee. Getting this right is important to avoid legal problems.

The process involves providing written notice, potentially consulting with a trade union, and issuing a formal termination order. You must also settle all final payments on the employee's last day.

Notice periods

When you end an employment contract, you usually need to give notice. The length of this notice period depends on the situation.

• Your employee resigns: If your employee decides to leave, they generally need to give you one month's notice.
• You initiate the termination: If you are ending the contract for reasons like company liquidation or staff reduction, you typically need to provide at least two months' notice.
• Fixed-term contracts: For employees on fixed-term contracts, you must let them know in writing at least one month before the contract ends whether you plan to continue the working relationship.
• Probationary period: During a probationary period, either you or the employee can end the employment with just three days' written notice.

Severance pay

In some cases, you will need to provide severance pay.

• Company liquidation or staff reduction: If you are letting an employee go due to the company closing down or a reduction in staff, severance pay is often required. This is typically three months' salary.
• Employer violation: If the employment contract is ending because you, the employer, have violated its terms, the employee is entitled to severance pay of at least two weeks' average earnings.

How Rivermate handles compliant exits

When you work with an Employer of Record like Rivermate, we manage the entire offboarding process for you. We make sure everything is done correctly and according to Belarusian law.

Here’s how we help:

• Legal compliance: We stay up-to-date with any changes in local labor laws to ensure the termination process is always compliant.
• Documentation: We handle all the necessary paperwork, from the written notice to the final termination order.
• Final payments: We calculate and process all final payments, including any outstanding salary, benefits, and severance pay.
• Guidance: We provide you with expert advice and support throughout the process, so you understand your obligations.

Using an EOR simplifies the process of ending an employment relationship. It gives you peace of mind that you are handling the exit in a fair, compliant, and professional way.

Getting work authorization in Belarus involves a two-part process. First, your employer needs to secure a work permit for you. Once that’s approved, you can apply for a work visa to enter the country. The whole process is employer-led, meaning the company hiring you kicks things off and handles the initial application with the Department of Internal Affairs.

Work permits are typically issued for one year, but highly qualified professionals might get one for two years. After the work permit is sorted, you'll apply for a long-term Type D visa, which allows you to stay and work in Belarus.

Employment visas & sponsorship realities

An Employer of Record (EOR) can be your legal employer in Belarus, which simplifies things considerably. This means you don't need to worry about your company setting up a local entity to sponsor your visa. The EOR handles all the legal requirements, including your employment contract, payroll, taxes, and, most importantly, your visa sponsorship.

Here’s what that process looks like:

• Job Offer: You must have a formal job offer from the EOR in Belarus.
• Work Permit: The EOR applies for your work permit from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. They need to provide documents like your employment contract and proof of your qualifications.
• Visa Application: With the approved work permit, you can then apply for your Type D visa at a Belarusian embassy or consulate in your home country.

This route is a practical solution for full-time employment. It's not a path for freelancers or independent contractors, who have different obligations. The entire process, from application to visa issuance, generally takes around 6 to 8 weeks.

Business travel compliance

If you need to visit Belarus for short-term business activities, you'll need a Type C visa. This visa is for trips lasting up to 90 days and covers things like meetings, conferences, or training. It does not allow you to carry out paid work.

To get a Type C business visa, you will generally need:

• A completed visa application form
• A valid passport with at least two blank pages
• A recent passport-sized photo
• Proof of medical insurance valid in Belarus
• An invitation letter from a registered Belarusian company or organization

The processing time for a short-term visa is usually about five days. Always make sure your activities in Belarus align with the purpose of your visa to stay compliant with local immigration laws.