Definitive Guide to Hiring in Turkmenistan

Hiring in Turkmenistan

Hiring employees compliantly in Turkmenistan means doing it yourself or using an Employer of Record like Global Expansion. You should be careful using independent contractor agreements in Turkmenistan so that you don’t run afoul of employment laws. To hire an employee compliantly and offer them mandatory benefits and compliant agreements, you can:

(a) Establish your own new legal entity, banking, accounting and payroll service in Turkmenistan; or

(b) use an Employer of Record like Global Expansion who can handle all of the details for you.

Labor Laws in Turkmenistan

Employee Probation Period

• The probationary period cannot exceed 3 months for workers and 6 months for managerial employees.

Annual Leave in Turkmenistan

• Employees automatically receive  annual leave of 30 calendar days per year
  
  

Holidays in Turkmenistan

Maternity Leave Turkmenistan

• Women in Turkmenistan receive 112 calendar days of social leave for pregnancy and child birth, 56 days prior to and 56 days after childbirth.

Paternity Leave Turkmenistan

• The guarantees and privileges granted to women in connection with maternity also apply to fathers who bring up children without a mother, as well as to guardians (trustees) of minors

Sick Leave in Turkmenistan

• There is no mandatory sick leave

Working Hours in Turkmenistan

• Normal working hours may not exceed 40 hours per week
• Reduced working time is set:
• for workers between the ages of sixteen and eighteen year
  • no more than 36 hours’ week, for persons under the age of sixteen years
  • no more than 24 hours a week
• for workers engaged in work with harmful, difficult conditions - not over 36 hours a week.

Overtime in Turkmenistan

• Overtime work shall not exceed for each employee four hours for two consecutive days and 120 hours per year.

Termination of Employment in Turkmenistan

Valid grounds for termination are as follows:

• liquidation of the enterprise or termination of activities by an individual employer;
• a reduction in the number or staff of workers, including in connection with changes in production technology, organization of labor, reduction in the volume of work
• the employee’s inconsistencies with the position held or the work performed due to insufficient qualifications, including those confirmed by the certification results;
• change of the owner of the enterprise (in relation to the head of the enterprise, his deputies and the chief accountant) in accordance with the first part of Article 37 of this Code;
• absence from work for more than four months in a row due to temporary disability, not counting the period of maternity leave, unless the legislation of Turkmenistan establishes a longer term for maintaining a place of work (position) for a specific disease. For employees who have lost their ability to work due to labor injury or occupational disease, the place of work (position) is maintained until the restoration of working capacity or the establishment of disability;
• systematic non-performance by an employee without valid excuses of employment duties assigned to him by the employment contract or the internal labor regulations of the enterprise, if the employee has previously been subject to disciplinary measures;
• absenteeism, including absence from work without good reason for more than three hours during the working day;
• appearance at work in a state of alcoholic, narcotic or other toxic intoxication;
• the disclosure of secrets protected by the legislation of Turkmenistan (state, commercial, official and other), which became known to the employee in connection with the performance of his job duties;
• commission at the place of work of embezzlement of property, embezzlement, its deliberate destruction or damage established by a valid court verdict or decision of the body whose competence includes the imposition of an administrative penalty;
• violation by an employee of labor protection requirements, if this violation entailed grave consequences (work accident, accident, catastrophe) or deliberately created a real threat of such consequences;
• in case of revealing the fact of submission by the employee to the employer of forged documents or knowingly false information when concluding an employment contract;
• stipulated by the employment contract with the head of the enterprise, members of the executive body of the enterprise

Notice Period in Turkmenistan

• The notice period is as follows: -
  • 15 days to 2 months (if given by the employer)
  • 2 weeks notice period (if given by the employee)

Severance in Turkmenistan

• Severance pay in the amount of two weeks' average salary is paid to employees upon termination of the employment contract in connection with the termination.

Turkmenistan Salary and Wages

13th / 14th Month Salary in Turkmenistan

• No
• There is no statutory requirement to pay the 13th or the 14th month salary.
• Employees are entitled to 24 days of holiday pay, whilst teachers receive 35 days.
• There is no evidence that bonuses are common.

• Pension insurance is payable by employers at 20% of the total remuneration provided to local employees.
• Additional 3.5% obligatory professional pension insurance is levied on employers with respect to employees who work under hazardous conditions.
• Employees may participate in a voluntary pension insurance, the minimum rate for which is established at 2% of total remuneration.
• Income paid to expatriate employees should not be subject to the pension insurance payments.

Immigration Turkmenistan

• The government in Turkmenistan issues a variety of visas to foreign nationals who intend to visit.
• Transit visas are available to foreign nationals who need to pass through Turkmenistan on their way to another destination.
• Tourist visas are also available to those who plan to visit the country, although they are required to have a guide with them throughout their stay.
• Foreign nationals who plan to stay in Turkmenistan for an extended period will need to get a visa that is categorized by the length of their intended stay. Visas may be purchased based on one’s intended length of stay:
  • Up to 10 days and nights
  • Up to 20 days and nights
  • Up to one month
  • The number of months required in increments of one, up to one year
• Foreign nationals who need to travel to Turkmenistan for work should begin the application process by getting in touch with the embassy, consulate, or diplomatic mission in their country of residence.
• One of the requirements is a letter of invitation from the applicant’s employer in Turkmenistan.
• For this document to be valid, the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan must certify it.
• The letter will be valid for three months after the date of certification.

Value Added Tax (VAT) in Turkmenistan

• VAT is generally payable at the rate of 15%.
• A zero-rate applies to exports of goods (except for oil and gas) and international transport services.

Mandatory Benefits in Turkmenistan

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

Payroll Accrual in Turkmenistan

Payroll Accruals Additional Information

Accrued Benefits in Turkmenistan

Why use Global Expansion to hire in Turkmenistan

Establishing a branch office or subsidiary in Turkmenistan can be time-consuming, expensive and complex. With such a robust labor market in place, one must pay great attention to detail when structuring employment because Turkmenistan labor laws are complex.

The company also has a responsibility to comply with specific employment practices dictated by Turkmenistan law to maintain its good standing as an equal opportunity employer.

Global Expansion makes it easy for you to expand into Turkmenistan. We'll help you hire your candidate of choice, handle HR matters and payroll, and ensure that you comply with local laws without the burden of setting up a foreign branch office or subsidiary. In addition, you'll have complete control and direction over your employees.

We enable you to stay in control of everything. Our Turkmenistan Global Professional Employer Organization (PEO) and Employer of Record (EOR) solution provides you with peace of mind to focus on running your company and the security to enter new markets.