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BASIC COUNTRY FACTS

Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste

Dili

  • Portuguese
  • Tetun

1.268 million

United States Dollar

.tl

+670

United States Dollar

STATUTORY LABOR REQUIREMENTS

Probation Period

  • Maximum length of probationary period is 1 month

Annual Leave

  • The period of vacation shall not be less than 12 working days.

Public Holidays

  1. New Year's Day (1st January)
  2. Ash Wednesday (26th February)
  3. Good Friday (10th April)
  4. Labor Day (1st May)
  5. Independence Restoration Day (20th May)
  6. Eid al-Fitr
  7. Corpus Christi (11th June)
  8. Eid al-Adha
  9. Popular Consultation Day (30th August)
  10. All Saints' Day (1st November)
  11. All Souls Day (2nd November)
  12. National Youth Day (12th November)
  13. Proclamation of Independence Day (28th November)
  14. National Heroes Day (in East Timor) (7th December)
  15. Feast of the Immaculate Conception (8th December)
  16. Christmas Day (25th December)
  17. National Heroes Day (31st December)

Maternity Leave

  • Female workers shall have the right to paid maternity leave for the minimum period of 12 weeks, 10 weeks of which shall necessarily be taken after delivery, without loss of remuneration and seniority rights.

Paternity Leave

  • Male workers shall have the right to a five-day remunerated paternity leave after the birth of their children without losing the right to seniority.

Work Hours

  • The standard work week is of 8 hours per day for 6 days

Overtime

  • Work provided overtime shall be remunerated with normal hourly remuneration added by 50 per cent. 
  • Work provided on a weekly rest day or on a mandatory holiday shall be remunerated on the basis of normal hourly remuneration added by 100 per cent.

Notice Period

  • The notice period is 15 days if the worker has worked less than 2 years
  • The notice period is 30 days if the worker has worked more than 2 years
  • The worker may also terminate the employment contract, irrespective of good cause, through written communication sent to the employer with a minimum of 30 days’ advance notice.

INCOME TAX

  • Timor-Leste residents are taxable on a worldwide income basis, while non-residents are taxable only on the income sourced from Timor-Leste. 
  • Residents earning foreign-sourced income may receive a foreign tax credit
  • Timor-Leste individual taxpayers are subject to income tax on their taxable income, which is essentially the difference between gross income (other than from employment, see Wage Income Tax [WIT] below) and allowable deductions.
  • The income tax rate for taxable income earned by a non-resident individual is 10% (flat rate) for all Timor-Leste sourced taxable income.
  • The income tax rates applicable for a resident individual taxpayer are as follows:

Annual taxable income (USD)

Income tax rate (%)

Over

Not over

0

6,000

0

6,000

 

10

DEDUCTIBLE EXPENSES

  • There are no personal deductions covered in Timor-Leste.

 IMMIGRATION

  • Ordinary Visa Class I is designed for foreigners who travel to the national territory for tourism or business, it allows a maximum length of stay of 90 days and is valid for up to one year with one or multiple entries.
  • The Work Permit (or Work Visa) allows the holder to enter Timor-Leste to work temporarily, paid or unpaid, as an employee, independent worker or professional.
  • The applicant must
    • Demonstrate the purpose of work, by producing the necessary documents and statements, namely: Employment offer, or
      • Interests in a company, or
      • Professional competence for performing an independent profession, or
      • Any other document related to the intended activity.
    • Demonstrate means of subsistence.
    • Demonstrate accommodation arrangements.
    • Demonstrate that (s)he does not have a criminal or police record.
    • Demonstrate that (s)he is physically and psychologically fit.
    • Hold a return ticket, or show ability to fund own departure.

Type of Visa/ Permit

Documentation

Validity

Eligibility

Ordinary Visa Class I

  • Valid passport
  • Completed application form
  • Passport size photos
  • Return ticket

90 days

  • Foreigners who wish to travel to the Timor Leste for tourism or business purposes

Work Permit

  • Valid passport
  • Passport size photographs
  • Employment contract
  • CV
  • Educational qualifications
  • Proof of financial stabilitu
  • Police record
  • Medical record
  • Return ricket

1 year

  • Foreigners seeking employment in Timor Leste must obtain a work permit

 VALUE ADDED TAX

  • There are no consumption or similar taxes that impact individuals in Timor-Leste.

WITHHOLDING TAX

Dividends

  • Timor Leste source dividends paid to nonresidents are subject to a 10% withholding tax

Interest

  • Interest paid to a nonresident is not subject to withholding tax

Royalties

  • A 10% withholding tax applies on royalties paid to residents and nonresidents

 

Type of Payment

Residents

Nonresidents

 

Company

Individual

Company

Individual

Dividends

0%

0%

10%

10%

Interest

0%

0%

0%

0%

Royalties

10%

10%

10%

10%

Fees for technical services

0%

0%

0%

0%

TERMINATION

The employment contract may be terminated by: 

    • Expiry
    • Agreement between the parties
    • Rescission at the initiative of the worker
    • Rescission at the initiative of the employer based on good cause
    • Rescission due to market, technological or structural reasons relating to the company of business.
  • The employer and the worker may terminate the employment contract by mutual agreement, which should be concluded in writing and signed by both parties, containing the terms under which the termination takes place, the date of such agreement, the beginning of its entry into force, as well as the compensation to be paid to the worker, if any.

STATUTORY BENEFITS

  • These are mandatory benefits as postulated by law
  • These include probationary period, annual leave, public holidays, sick leave, maternity leave, paternity leave, overtime pay, notice period, and severance pay
  • Statutory benefits also include social security benefits

Statutory Benefits

Probationary Period

Annual Leave

Public Holidays

Maternity Leave

Paternity Leave

Sick Leave

Overtime Pay

Notice Period

Severance Pay

Social Security Benefits

PAYMENTS AND INVOICING

  • An individual who derives income from business activities is required to lodge an Annual Income Tax Return by the 15th day of the third month of the following year.
  • An individual who receives income only from wages that have been correctly subject to WIT is not required to submit an Annual Income Tax Return.
  • An individual who is required to settle income tax is required to do so by the 15th day of the third month of the following year.

EASE OF DOING BUSINESS

  • The ease of doing business index is an index created by Simeon Djankov, an economist at the Central and Eastern Europe sector of the World Bank Group.
  • Higher rankings (a low numerical value) indicate better, usually simpler, regulations for businesses and stronger protections of property rights.
  • According to the World Bank Timor Leste ranked 181st in the World in 2019 in terms of ease of doing business.

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