Labour Regime
Guyana has several laws which govern the employment of labour. Some of the significant laws in this regard are as follows:
Labour Act
Labour Act
Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act
Wages Council Act
Leave with Pay Act
Shops (Consolidation) Act
Prevention of Discrimination Act
Occupational Safety and Health Act
Labour (Conditions of Employment of Certain Workers) Act
Trade Unions Recognition Act
Employment of Young Persons and Children Act
Licensed Premises Act
Factories (Hours and Holidays) Act
These laws address matters such as the treatment of wages and salaries, normal hours of work and overtime, leave with pay, safety, health and welfare, accidents and occupational diseases, termination of employment and severance pay, registration and regulation of industrial establishments, collective agreements, employment of young persons and duty of employers to keep records.
The normal work week is legislated as 40 hours over not more than 5 days. Any hours of work beyond normal hours are remunerated as overtime in accordance with applicable law.
The statutory minimum wage in Guyana is G$60,147 per month; however, the public service minimum wage is G$70,000 per month.
Employment of Foreigners
Foreigners require a work permit to be employed in Guyana. Application for work permit requires information on both the employer and the intended non-national employee. Foreigners employed in Guyana are required to register with the Guyana Revenue Authority and National Insurance Scheme.
A CARICOM national holding a CSME Skilled National Certificate and his/her spouse are not required to obtain work permits to be employed in Guyana.