Hire in Ecuador

Hire in Ecuador

The Republic of Ecuador, most commonly known as Ecuador, is one of the leading countries in South America. The unemployment rate in Ecuador has been decreasing. The latest recorded unemployment rate of Ecuador is 4.8%. Ecuador has to offer an amazing quality of life. With beautiful weather and rich history, it is a perfect place to relocate. Ecuador was hit by the pandemic, same as most South American countries, but now it is recovering in full swing.

Overview of Ecuador

Ecuador is one of the developing countries in the American region. But even after that, it has been classified as an upper-middle-income country due to the excellent opportunities. It is one of the largest economic countries in Latin America. The poverty rate of this nation has significantly decreased in the past two decades. Ecuador is known to have achieved economic stability very efficiently.

Total population – 18 million

GDP – 117.93 USD Billion

Economic Overview

The Ecuadorian economy stands to be the 69th largest economy globally, based on the total GDP. The Annual PPP GDP of Ecuador is US $202.043 billion, which makes the per capita income to be US $11,701. The growth in GDP till date is remarkable. This country now has a nominal GDP of US $106.289 with a per capita income of US $6,155. The substantial economic growth of this nation makes it an excellent choice for relocation.

Market size

The market of Ecuador is largely dependent on the agriculture, petroleum, and aquaculture industries. Besides that, the technological industry is also in bloom. The service sector and food processing, textiles and metallurgy industries have observed similar growth over the years. The private sector in Ecuador has minor revenue compared to the public sector, but plans are in action to make Ecuador more privatized.

A Brief Glimpse of The Industries

• The Ministry of Information and Tourism manages the tourism sector in Ecuador. Ecuador has beautiful beaches, snowy mountains, amazing flora, and fauna, along with exquisite cultural attractions. This drives tourism and produces excellent revenue.
• Ecuador is one of the most famous agricultural countries in the world. It stands amongst the ten largest producers of cocoa, bananas, and palm oil. The agriculture sector contributes an excellent part to the national GDP.
• Ecuador has export-import relations with several notable countries. It exports bananas, cut flowers, cocoa, coffee, shrimp, wood, sugar cane, rice, cotton, corn, palm, timber, walnuts, rosemary, balsa wood and fish.

Cost of living in Ecuador

Living in Ecuador is a dream for many. It is a beautiful country with so much to offer its residents. The cost of living in Ecuador is comparatively low as compared to most American countries. With minimum cost, you can enjoy the excellent experience Ecuador has to offer. The cost of living has gone up in the past few years. The increasing population of the country has given rise to the cost of living as well.

Cost of Renting

Ecuador is an American country where the cost of renting is dependent on two major factors. Those are the location of your housing facility and the area of your housing facility. The location plays a key role. If your house is situated in the main city area, that will cost you more than it would have if it was located on the city's outskirts. And considering the area of your house, the rent increases with increase in area.

Cost of living depending upon your location

As mentioned earlier, the location of your place of living is very important. The easier access you have to amenities and services, the more it is going to cost you.

• Cities categorized as Tier 1 cities are metropolitan cities like Guayaquil, Quito, Cuenca, etc.
• Cities categorized as Tier 2 cities are upcoming centres like Ibarra, Quevedo, Loja, etc.
• Cities categorized as Tier 3 cities are locations with notable growth potential like Babahoyo, La Libertad, Latacunga, etc.

Mentioned below are details regarding the cost of living in the leading Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities of Ecuador.

The top sectors that are expected to hire in 2025 in Ecuador are:

Top skills in Ecuador

Ecuador is big on agriculture. The abundance of natural resources makes Ecuador an excellent candidate for successful agricultural activities. With that, the need for agriculturally skilled individuals arises. The produced products need to be further enhanced and made market-ready, which calls for technical workers, manufacturers, producers, sales executives, chemical researchers, etc.

Major skills and areas which have witnessed a recent growth rate

• Agriculture
• Engineering
• Manufacturing
• Textile making
• Food processing

Top skills city-wise occupation-wise

City-wise skills distribution is one of the commonly found occurrences in several countries. Each city has its unique features which require tending to. This requires specifically skilled individuals and certain occupations to cover each city, and Ecuador is no exception. Every city in Ecuador has unique opportunities to offer interested, talented and enthusiastic workers.

Hiring Cost

The cost of hiring covers all the expenses required in hiring for an already existing or a new role. The cost of hiring cover the following aspects

• Advertisement costs
• Interview process
• Time invested
• Orientation costs

Salary structure for various roles

The following table shows the average salaries of employees in Ecuador according to different sectors

Employment Laws in Ecuador

Ecuador has well put and established employment laws. Their aim is to ensure employment and fair compensation so no family will have to suffer poverty. Employment laws for the following are placed in order

• Appropriate wages
• Working hours
• Unemployment insurance
• Yearly bonus

The employment relationship in Ecuador is based on the laws and rules laid forward by following

• Ecuador's production code
• The common laws
• The National Wages Council
• Ministry of Labor Relations

How Can Skuad Help You with Hiring in Ecuador?

With various legislations and regulations to be taken care of while recruiting new employees, hiring processes in Ecuador can become prolonged or expensive. But with Skuad as your hiring partner, you can get the best talent for your organization in a quick time. Connect with Skuad Experts to know more.

‍

FAQs

How to hire employees in Ecuador?

Companies can hire in Ecuador by setting up a local legal entity or by partnering with an Employer of Record (EOR), which handles local compliance, onboarding, payroll, taxes and benefits without requiring you to incorporate locally.

What is the minimum wage in Ecuador?

As of January 2025, the basic unified minimum monthly salary (Salario Básico Unificado) in Ecuador is set at $470 USD.

In addition to the base salary, employers are required to provide:

• 13th Month Salary: Equivalent to one month's salary, paid in December.
• 14th Month Salary: Equivalent to one month's salary, paid in March or August, depending on the region.
     

How can a US company pay its employees in Ecuador?

A US company can pay employees in Ecuador through the following methods:

• Establishing a Local Entity: Set up a subsidiary in Ecuador to handle payroll, taxes, and compliance directly.
• Engaging an Employer of Record (EOR): Partner with an EOR to manage employment contracts, payroll, tax withholdings, and compliance on your behalf.
• Outsourcing Payroll: Use a global payroll provider to manage multi-currency payments and ensure compliance with local tax regulations.

Employers must contribute to Ecuador's social security system, with contributions totaling approximately 12.15% of the employee's salary. Employees contribute 9.45%.

What are the employment laws in Ecuador?

Employment in Ecuador is governed by the Labor Code and includes the following key provisions:

Working Hours: Standard workweek is 40 hours (8 hours per day). Overtime is limited to 4 hours per day and 12 hours per week, compensated at 150% of the regular rate, or 200% for night hours and holidays.

Leave Entitlements:

• Annual Leave: 15 days of paid vacation after one year of service.
• Maternity Leave: 12 weeks (84 days), with the possibility of extension in cases of multiple births.
• Paternity Leave: 10 days for a single birth, 15 days for multiple births, and up to 25 days in special cases.
• Sick Leave: Employees are entitled to paid sick leave, with compensation shared between the employer and the Ecuadorian Social Security Institute (IESS).

Termination and Severance: Employers can terminate employees without prior notice but must provide severance pay, calculated at 1.25 times the monthly salary per year of service, with a minimum of three months' salary. Additional compensation applies for employees with disabilities.
   

How to obtain a work permit in Ecuador?

To employ a foreign national in Ecuador, the following steps are typically required:

Job Offer: The foreign worker must secure a job offer from an Ecuadorian employer.

Temporary Residency Visa Application: The employer initiates the application process, which includes submitting necessary documents to the Ecuadorian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility.

Required Documents: Valid passport with at least six months' validity, recent passport-sized photograph, employment contract, medical certificate, police background check, certificate of valid private health insurance.
       

The processing time for a work visa is typically one to two months.