Economic Overview, Digital Nomad Hub & Financial Services
Antigua and Barbuda is a premier Eastern Caribbean hub benefiting from a zero personal income tax environment, stable currency (XCD pegged to USD), and modern digital infrastructure.
Key Economic Sectors
- Tourism & Luxury Yachting: Accounts for ~60% of GDP; international yachting hub (English Harbour).
- Digital Services & Remote Tech: Supported by the Nomad Digital Residence (NDR) program.
- Financial Services & Offshore Banking: Robust regulatory compliance under the Financial Services Regulatory Commission (FSRC).
Employment Contracts, Labour Code & Probation
Employment relations are regulated by the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Code (Cap. 27).
- Written Statement of Terms: Mandatory within 10 days of starting employment.
- Probation Period: Maximum statutory probation is 3 months, extendable by mutual agreement up to 6 months for technical/managerial roles.
Working Hours, Overtime & Rest Days
- Standard Workweek: 40 hours per week (8 hours/day over 5 days).
- Overtime: Paid at 150% (1.5× base wage) for hours worked beyond 8 hours/day or 40 hours/week; 200% (double time) on public holidays and designated rest days.
Annual Leave, Public Holidays & Maternity
- Annual Paid Vacation: Minimum 12 working days per year (1 day per month of service), scaling to 18 working days with tenure.
- Public Holidays: 11 national public holidays (including Carnival and Independence Day on 1 November).
- Maternity Leave: 13 weeks of maternity leave (at least 6 weeks post-natal), funded via the Medical Benefits Scheme and employer top-ups.
Termination, Notice & Severance Pay
- Notice Periods: 1 month written notice for permanent employees (or payment in lieu).
- Severance Pay: Payable for redundancy/unfair termination after 1 year of continuous service: 1 day's pay per month of service (or approx 1 month per year worked).
Why Use an Employer of Record (EOR) in Antigua and Barbuda
- Hire in Days: Avoid 4–8 week corporate registration and local banking hurdles.
- Full Statutory Remittances: Seamless management of ABSS, MBS, and Education levies.
- 0% Personal Tax Optimization: Ensure compliant local payroll in XCD or USD.
Hiring in Antigua and Barbuda? Key Resources
Whether you are evaluating entity setup vs. using an Employer of Record, or looking for the best international payroll solution, our guides give you transparent benchmarks:
