Hire Employees in the Philippines: 2026 EOR, Payroll and Employment Guide

Updated for 2026 Last verified 3 August 2026 Next review November 2026

A foreign company can hire in the Philippines through a domestic corporation or an Employer of Record. Budget roughly 13% above gross for SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG, plus a further 8.3% for the mandatory 13th month pay. All three contributions are capped at low levels, so the percentage falls sharply as salary rises.

This guide covers the hiring-model decision, 2026 contribution rates and ceilings, the statutory 13th month pay, semi-monthly payroll, regularisation after six months of service, the two-notice dismissal process and separation pay, the Alien Employment Permit route and a 20-question FAQ — verified against SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG and the Labor Code on 3 August 2026.

the Philippines
Asia · PHP
Employer contributions
≈ 13% falling to ≈ 5%
13th month pay
Statutory · ≈8.3%
EOR onboarding
1–2 weeks
Regularisation
After 6 months, automatic
Statutory leave
5 days · 10–15 typical
Workweek
48 hours · 8 /day

Can a foreign company hire employees in the Philippines?

Direct answer

Yes, through a Philippine entity or an Employer of Record. A foreign company can own up to 100% of a domestic corporation in most sectors, but entity setup involves the SEC, BIR, local government permits and separate registrations with SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG. An EOR removes all of that.

The usual vehicle is a domestic corporation registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, followed by a barangay clearance, a mayor’s permit, BIR registration and enrolment with each of the three contribution agencies. Minimum paid-in capital rules apply to companies with substantial foreign ownership unless the business qualifies as an export enterprise.

An Employer of Record signs the Philippine contract, runs semi-monthly payroll, remits SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG, withholds income tax and pays the mandatory 13th month. The Philippines is a strongly pro-employee jurisdiction, so the risk transfer matters as much as the administrative saving.

Sources: Labor Code of the Philippines · SEC · verified 3 August 2026

Why companies hire in the Philippines

The Philippines has the deepest English-speaking service workforce in Asia, built over decades of business process outsourcing and now extending into finance, healthcare administration, software engineering and creative work. Metro Manila dominates, with Cebu and Davao offering genuine capability at lower cost.

Cultural affinity with the United States is a practical advantage: American English, familiarity with US business conventions, and a time zone that supports night-shift alignment with US hours — something the market is organised around rather than merely tolerant of.

Statutory employer contributions are among the lowest in the region at roughly 14 to 17% including the mandatory thirteenth month, and salary levels are competitive.

The counterweights are regularisation and dismissal. Employees become regular after six months automatically, and termination requires both a valid cause and strict procedural compliance. The two-notice rule is procedural, not advisory, and failure to follow it makes an otherwise justified dismissal illegal.

EOR, entity or contractor — which model fits?

Direct answer

Use an EOR for speed and to avoid four separate agency registrations. Incorporate once the Philippines is a delivery centre. Contractors carry real risk: the Labor Code presumes employment, and regularisation after six months of continuous service is automatic and hard to reverse.

Employer of RecordOwn entityContractor
Time to first hire1–2 weeks2–3 months (SEC, BIR, mayor’s permit, three agency registrations)Days
Upfront costNone, monthly fee per employeePaid-in capital plus registration and permit costsNone
Ongoing obligationsEOR runs payroll, three contributions, withholding and 13th monthCorporate tax, local business tax, annual permits, full payrollInvoice-based, withholding tax applies
Regularisation riskHandled, employees are regular from the outsetYoursHigh: six months of continuous service creates regular status
Best forFirst hires, testing, BPO-style teamsDelivery centres, larger operationsGenuinely independent, project-based work

Regularisation is the concept foreign employers most often miss. An employee who completes six months of continuous service becomes regular by operation of law, regardless of what the contract says, and regular employees can only be dismissed for just or authorised cause with due process. Repeated fixed-term renewals to avoid this are treated as circumvention.

How Employer of Record hiring works in the Philippines

Typical flow for a Philippine hire. Government agency registration is the step that most often delays a start date, so begin document collection early.

18 Submit employee and role detailsYou · same day
19 Eligibility and role review, including regularisation standardsEOR · 1–2 days
20 Total-cost quotation including 13th month accrualEOR · 1 day
21 Draft Labor Code-compliant contractEOR · 1–2 days
22 You review and approve termsYou · 1–3 days
23 Employee signs; documents collected (TIN, SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG numbers)Employee · 2–3 days
24 Alien Employment Permit and 9(g) visa (foreign hires)EOR + employee · adds 6–12 weeks
25 Registration or transfer with SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIGEOR · before first payroll
26 BIR registration and tax status confirmedEOR · before first payroll
27 Day-one onboardingEOR + you · start date
28 Semi-monthly payroll with statutory payslipsEOR · ongoing
29 Monthly contribution remittance to all three agenciesEOR · by the 10th
30 13th month pay disbursedEOR · on or before 24 December
31 Compliant offboarding: notice, clearance, final pay, separation pay where dueEOR · at exit

How much does it cost to employ someone in the Philippines?

Minimum wages are set regionally by tripartite wage boards, so the applicable rate depends on where the employee works. Rates differ substantially between the National Capital Region and provincial areas, and are reviewed periodically rather than on a fixed annual cycle.

Employees must be paid at least twice a month, at intervals not exceeding sixteen days. Monthly-only payment does not comply. Payslips must be issued showing pay, deductions and the period covered.

The thirteenth month pay is statutory under Presidential Decree 851, not customary. It equals at least one twelfth of basic salary earned during the calendar year, must be paid on or before 24 December, and applies to all rank-and-file employees regardless of position or how they are paid.

Night shift differential of at least 10% applies to work between 10pm and 6am — directly relevant given how much outsourced work runs on US hours. Holiday and rest-day premiums are similarly prescribed by statute.

2026 mandatory employer contributions

ContributionTotal rateEmployer share2026 capEffective cost
Social Security System (SSS)15% of MSC10% employerMSC PHP 5,000–35,00010% of Monthly Salary Credit
Employees’ Compensation (EC)100% employerIncluded in the SSS remittancePHP 10 for MSC at or below PHP 14,500; PHP 30 for MSC of PHP 15,000 and above
PhilHealth5% of basic salary2.5% employerFloor PHP 10,000 · ceiling PHP 100,0002.5%, PHP 250–2,500/month
Pag-IBIG (HDMF)4% combined2% employerMonthly Fund Salary capped at PHP 10,000Maximum PHP 200/month
13th month pay100% employerNo cap≈8.33% of basic salary

Worked example

Gross monthly salary PHP 30,000
SSS — 10% of MSC PHP 30,000PHP 3,000
Employees’ CompensationPHP 30
PhilHealth — 2.5% × PHP 30,000PHP 750
Pag-IBIG — 2% × PHP 10,000 (capped)PHP 200
Total monthly contributionsPHP 3,980 · 13.3%
13th month accrual — PHP 30,000 ÷ 12PHP 2,500
Total employer cost per monthPHP 36,480 · 21.6% above gross

Worked example

Gross monthly salary PHP 30,000
SSS — 10% of MSC PHP 30,000PHP 3,000
Employees’ CompensationPHP 30
PhilHealth — 2.5% × PHP 30,000PHP 750
Pag-IBIG — 2% × PHP 10,000 (capped)PHP 200
Total monthly contributionsPHP 3,980 · 13.3%
13th month accrual — PHP 30,000 ÷ 12PHP 2,500
Total employer cost per monthPHP 36,480 · 21.6% above gross
RoleGrossEmployer costTotal

the Philippines employer-cost calculator

What does a real hire cost? Benchmarks by role

How the Philippines compares — employer on-costs in the region

CountryEmployer costNotes
Philippines≈ 13% falling to ≈ 5%, plus 8.3% 13th monthAll three contributions capped and the caps are low. Employer cost as a percentage falls sharply above PHP 35,000 of salary.
Vietnam≈ 21.5%Social, health and unemployment insurance with a contribution ceiling.
Indonesia≈ 10–11%BPJS health and employment programmes, with caps.

How do payroll, income tax and the 13th month work?

Direct answer

The Labor Code requires wages to be paid at least twice a month at intervals of no more than 16 days, so a semi-monthly cycle on the 15th and the last day is standard. Payslips showing all earnings and deductions are mandatory, and contributions are remitted monthly.

Pay frequency

At least twice monthly, at intervals of no more than 16 days. Semi-monthly on the 15th and month end is the norm; weekly is common in manufacturing and retail.

Contribution bases differ

SSS is on the Monthly Salary Credit. PhilHealth is on basic monthly salary. Pag-IBIG is on monthly compensation including overtime. Withholding tax applies to all compensation. Four different bases, which is a frequent source of payroll error.

Deadlines

Contributions are remitted monthly, generally by the 10th of the following month. Withholding tax is remitted and reconciled through an annualisation at year end.

13th month pay

Statutory under PD 851, payable on or before 24 December, at one twelfth of basic salary earned in the year. Pro-rated for partial years.

De minimis benefits

A defined list of small benefits, including rice and clothing allowances, are exempt from income tax up to prescribed limits. Widely used in Philippine packages.

Night shift differential

An additional 10% of the hourly rate for work between 10pm and 6am. Relevant for BPO and support roles serving other time zones.

Sources: Labor Code arts. 86, 103 · BIR · PD 851 · verified 3 August 2026

2026 resident income tax brackets

The tax-free treatment of 13th month pay and other benefits up to the statutory ceiling is a meaningful part of Philippine package design, and works alongside the de minimis benefit list. Both are worth building into an offer rather than paying everything as basic salary.

Sources: Bureau of Internal Revenue · TRAIN Law (RA 10963) · verified 3 August 2026, bracket values and the benefit ceiling pending line-by-line verification

BandRate
Graduated withholding under the TRAIN lawProgressive; lowest band exempt
13th month pay and other benefitsTax-free up to a statutory ceiling
De minimis benefitsExempt up to prescribed limits
Year-end annualisationWithholding reconciled against actual annual liability

What does Philippine labor law require?

Direct answer

The Labor Code is strongly protective. Employees become regular after six months of continuous service and can then only be dismissed for just or authorised cause with a documented two-notice process. Statutory paid leave is modest at five days of service incentive leave, but 13th month pay and separation pay are both mandatory.

Security of tenure

A constitutional and statutory principle. A regular employee cannot be dismissed at will. Doubts in interpreting the Labor Code are resolved in favour of labour, which shapes how disputes are decided.

Regularisation

Six months of continuous service creates regular status by operation of law. Probationary employment must state the standards for regularisation at the time of engagement, or the employee is deemed regular from day one.

Service incentive leave

Five days of paid leave per year after one year of service, convertible to cash if unused. Modest by international standards, so most employers offer 10 to 15 days of vacation and sick leave by policy.

Special leave entitlements

Separate statutory leaves exist for solo parents, victims of violence against women and children, and women undergoing gynaecological surgery, each with its own qualifying conditions.

Maternity and paternity

105 days of paid maternity leave, extendable by 30 days unpaid, with an additional 15 days for solo parents. Seven days of paid paternity leave for married employees.

Contractualisation rules

Labour-only contracting is prohibited. Engaging staff through an agency that lacks substantial capital or control makes the principal the direct employer of those workers.

Sources: Labor Code of the Philippines · RA 11210 (Expanded Maternity Leave) · DOLE Department Orders · verified 3 August 2026

Contracts & probation

Working hours & overtime

The premium structure compounds: overtime worked on a rest day or holiday attracts both premiums, so a holiday overtime hour can cost well over double the ordinary rate. For BPO and support operations running around the clock, night differential and holiday premiums are a material part of the cost model rather than an edge case.

Managerial employees are excluded from overtime and premium pay entitlements, but the test is the actual nature of the work rather than the job title.

Sources: Labor Code arts. 83–93 · verified 3 August 2026

Annual leave

Annual leave

5
After 1 year of service

Other statutory leave

LeaveEntitlementPay
Maternity105 daysFull pay, with an additional 30 days available unpaid and 15 further days for solo parents. Funded through SSS with an employer salary differential.
Paternity7 daysFull pay, for married male employees, for the first four deliveries of the legitimate spouse.
Parental leave for solo parents7 days per yearPaid, for employees qualifying under the Solo Parents’ Welfare Act.
Special leave for womenUp to 2 monthsPaid, following surgery for gynaecological disorders, after six months of service in the prior year.
Leave for victims of violence (VAWC)10 daysPaid, under RA 9262.
Service Incentive Leave5 days per yearPaid after one year of service; convertible to cash if unused.

Public holidays

The Philippines distinguishes regular holidays, paid at 200% if worked, from special non-working days, paid at 130%. The list is set by presidential proclamation each year and can be amended, so confirm the current proclamation before publishing a payroll calendar.

HolidayDate (2026)
New Year’s DayThu 1 Jan · regular holiday
Araw ng KagitinganDay of ValourThu 9 Apr · regular holiday
Maundy ThursdayMoveable feast — confirm annually
Good FridayMoveable feast — confirm annually
Labour DayFri 1 May · regular holiday
Independence DayFri 12 Jun · regular holiday
National Heroes DayLast monday of august · regular holiday
Bonifacio DayMon 30 Nov · regular holiday
Christmas DayFri 25 Dec · regular holiday
Rizal DayWed 30 Dec · regular holiday

Family & sick leave

The statutory package is SSS for social security, PhilHealth for medical cover, and Pag-IBIG for housing and savings. All three are mandatory from the first day of employment, alongside the thirteenth month pay.

Because PhilHealth coverage is basic, private health maintenance organisation cover is effectively expected at professional level and is the single most important non-statutory benefit. Dependant cover is a common differentiator.

Service Incentive Leave of five days a year is the statutory minimum, but most employers offer substantially more, commonly splitting vacation and sick leave. Employers with existing leave policies meeting or exceeding five days satisfy the requirement.

Rice allowance, transport and meal allowances are common and carry de minimis tax treatment up to defined ceilings. Night differential and shift allowances above the statutory minimum are widely used to attract staff for US-hours work.

Termination, notice & severance

GroundNoticeSeparation pay
Just cause (serious misconduct, wilful disobedience, gross neglect, fraud, crime against the employer)Two-notice process with an opportunity to be heardNone
Redundancy or installation of labour-saving devices30 days to employee and DOLEOne month per year of service
Retrenchment to prevent losses, or closure not due to serious losses30 days to employee and DOLEHalf a month per year of service
Disease preventing continued employment30 days, with a medical certificateHalf a month per year of service

The two-notice rule is procedural and strictly enforced. A first notice setting out the charge, a genuine opportunity to respond, then a second notice of decision. A dismissal with valid grounds but defective process is still actionable, and nominal damages are routinely awarded.

A fraction of at least six months counts as a full year for separation pay. Resignation requires 30 days’ notice from the employee and carries no separation pay unless company policy provides it.

Sources: Labor Code arts. 297–299 · DOLE Department Order 147-15 · verified 3 August 2026

How do work permits and visas work in the Philippines?

Direct answer

Foreign nationals need an Alien Employment Permit from the Department of Labor, followed by a 9(g) pre-arranged employment visa from the Bureau of Immigration. The AEP requires the employer to show that no Filipino is able and willing to do the work.

The labour market test is real rather than a formality: the AEP application is published and open to objection. Roles that appear replaceable locally are refused. Plan on several weeks for the AEP and further time for the visa, and start before committing to a start date.

Special routes exist for regional headquarters, PEZA-registered enterprises and certain treaty nationals, which can be materially faster where they apply.

Sources: Department of Labor and Employment · Bureau of Immigration · verified 3 August 2026

RouteWho it fitsKey criteriaNotes
Alien Employment Permit (AEP)All foreign nationals working in the PhilippinesEmployer must show no Filipino is able and willing to do the work; application is published and open to objectionIssued by DOLE; prerequisite for the work visa
9(g) pre-arranged employment visaForeign nationals with an approved AEPValid AEP, employment contract, employer sponsorshipIssued by the Bureau of Immigration; employer-tied
Special routesRegional headquarters, PEZA-registered enterprises, certain treaty nationalsDepends on the specific incentive regime or treatyCan be materially faster where they apply

What are the main compliance risks when hiring in the Philippines?

Direct answer

It can. A fixed place of business or a dependent agent habitually concluding contracts can create a permanent establishment and bring the foreign company into Philippine corporate tax. Service PE provisions in several treaties are triggered by employee presence beyond a threshold number of days.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue has become more active on this point, and treaty relief requires a formal application rather than self-assessment. Back-office and support roles are generally lower risk; sales roles and anything involving contract signature are the common trigger.

Sources: National Internal Revenue Code · applicable tax treaties · verified 3 August 2026

RiskLikelihoodImpactWarning signsPreventative control
Illegal dismissalHighReinstatement with full back wages from dismissal to reinstatement, plus damagesDismissal without just or authorised cause; skipping the two-notice processMap every exit to a statutory ground and run the full two-notice procedure with a hearing
Defective dismissal procedureHighNominal damages even where the ground was validSingle notice; no opportunity to be heard; decision issued same dayTwo written notices with a genuine interval and hearing between them
Regularisation by operation of lawHighEmployee becomes regular with full security of tenure and back entitlementsProbationary contract silent on regularisation standards; repeated fixed-term renewalsState regularisation standards at engagement; do not renew fixed terms to avoid regular status
Labour-only contractingHighPrincipal becomes the direct employer of the contracted workers, with all back liabilitiesEngaging staff via an agency without substantial capital or genuine controlVerify the contractor’s capitalisation and control; avoid agency staff doing core work
13th month pay omitted or miscalculatedMediumMoney claims plus DOLE inspection findingsTreating it as discretionary; calculating on gross rather than basic salaryAccrue monthly at one twelfth of basic; pay on or before 24 December
Contribution remittance failureMediumPenalties and interest; officers can be personally liableMissing monthly deadlines for SSS, PhilHealth or Pag-IBIGAutomate remittance; note the three agencies use three different bases
Permanent establishmentLowerPhilippine corporate tax registration and assessmentEmployee concluding contracts; service PE day thresholds under the treatyLimit signing authority; apply formally for treaty relief rather than self-assessing

Contractor misclassification risk check

The four-fold test applies: selection and engagement, payment of wages, power of dismissal, and above all the power of control over the means and methods of work. Philippine tribunals weigh control heavily and read the facts rather than the contract.

Contractor misclassification self-check

Tick each that applies. The more indicators, the more the arrangement resembles employment — courts assess substance over labels. 0–2 lower risk · 3–4 borderline · 5+ high risk. Indicative only, not legal advice.

Compliant onboarding checklist

If a probationary contract does not communicate the standards for regularisation at the time of engagement, the employee is deemed regular from day one. This is the single most common documentation failure in Philippine hiring.

Compliant onboarding checklist

Written contract stating regularisation standards where probationary
SSS registration or existing number confirmed
PhilHealth registration or existing number confirmed
Pag-IBIG registration or existing number confirmed
BIR tax identification number obtained
Semi-monthly payroll cycle configured with statutory payslips
13th month accrual set up from the first pay period
Alien Employment Permit approved before any work begins (foreign hires)

Hiring in the Philippines — frequently asked questions

Direct answers to the questions employers ask most.

No. An Employer of Record can employ the worker through its own Philippine entity and handle all three government contributions. Setting up your own domestic corporation involves the SEC, BIR, a mayor’s permit and separate registrations with SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG, typically two to three months.

Yes, through an EOR or its own Philippine corporation. The Labor Code governs work performed in the Philippines, including regularisation, the 13th month pay and security of tenure.

Through an EOR, one to two weeks for a local hire. A foreign national needs an Alien Employment Permit and a 9(g) visa, which adds six to twelve weeks and involves a genuine labour market test.

An employee who completes six months of continuous service becomes a regular employee by operation of law, whatever the contract says. Regular employees have security of tenure and can only be dismissed for just or authorised cause with due process. Renewing fixed terms to avoid this is treated as circumvention.

On a PHP 30,000 salary, about PHP 3,980 a month in contributions plus PHP 2,500 accrued for the 13th month — roughly 21.6% above gross. At PHP 150,000 the contributions fall to about PHP 7,230, or 4.8%, because all three caps have been reached.

Yes. Unlike most of Asia it is statutory, not customary, under Presidential Decree 851. It is one twelfth of basic salary earned during the calendar year, payable on or before 24 December, and pro-rated for anyone joining or leaving mid-year.

Because all three are capped, and the caps are low. SSS stops at a Monthly Salary Credit of PHP 35,000, PhilHealth at PHP 100,000 of basic salary, and Pag-IBIG at just PHP 10,000 — so the maximum employer Pag-IBIG contribution is PHP 200 a month regardless of pay.

No. SSS reached its legislated 15% target in January 2025 and PhilHealth completed its climb to 5% under the Universal Health Care Act. Both phase-in schedules have ended, so 2025 rates carry into 2026 unchanged. Pag-IBIG last changed in February 2024.

At least twice a month at intervals of no more than 16 days. Semi-monthly payment on the 15th and the last day of the month is the norm. Payslips showing all earnings and deductions are mandatory.

There is no single national rate. Minimum wages are set by Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards and differ substantially by region and sector, revised on separate regional timetables. Check the current wage order for the specific region.

An additional 10% of the hourly rate for work between 10pm and 6am. It matters for BPO and support operations serving other time zones, where it becomes a material part of the cost model rather than an edge case.

The statutory minimum is five days of Service Incentive Leave a year after one year of service, convertible to cash if unused. That is modest by international standards, so most employers offer 10 to 15 days of vacation and sick leave by policy.

105 days of paid maternity leave, with 30 further days available unpaid and an additional 15 days for solo parents. Seven days of paid paternity leave for married male employees, for the first four deliveries of the spouse.

Overtime is at least 125% of the hourly rate. Rest-day and special non-working day work is 130%, and regular holiday work is 200%. The premiums compound, so holiday overtime can cost well over double the ordinary rate.

Engaging workers through an agency that lacks substantial capital or genuine control over the work. It is prohibited outright, and where it is found the principal becomes the direct employer of those workers with all the back liabilities that follow.

Only for just cause, meaning employee fault, or authorised cause, meaning a business reason. Just cause requires a two-notice process with a genuine opportunity to be heard. Authorised cause requires 30 days’ notice to both the employee and DOLE, plus separation pay.

For redundancy or installation of labour-saving devices, one month of pay per year of service. For retrenchment, closure not due to serious losses, or disease, half a month per year. A fraction of at least six months counts as a full year. No separation pay is due for a valid just-cause dismissal.

The dismissal stands but nominal damages are routinely awarded for the procedural defect. The two-notice rule is strictly enforced: a first notice setting out the charge, a real opportunity to respond, then a separate notice of decision.

An Alien Employment Permit from DOLE, then a 9(g) pre-arranged employment visa from the Bureau of Immigration. The AEP requires the employer to show no Filipino is able and willing to do the work, and the application is published and open to objection.

It can. A fixed place of business or a dependent agent concluding contracts can create one, and several treaties contain service PE provisions triggered by employee presence beyond a day threshold. Treaty relief requires a formal application rather than self-assessment.

Terms used on this page

EOR — Employer of Record
A licensed local company that legally employs staff on your behalf while you direct their work.
SSS
The Social Security System, funding pensions, sickness, maternity and disability benefits. 15% of the Monthly Salary Credit, with the employer paying 10%.
MSC — Monthly Salary Credit
The bracketed salary figure in PHP 500 steps on which SSS contributions are calculated, running from PHP 5,000 to PHP 35,000.
PhilHealth
The national health insurance programme. 5% of basic monthly salary split equally, between a PHP 10,000 floor and a PHP 100,000 ceiling.
Pag-IBIG (HDMF)
The Home Development Mutual Fund, financing housing loans. 2% employer on a Monthly Fund Salary capped at PHP 10,000.
13th month pay
A statutory payment under PD 851 of one twelfth of basic salary earned in the calendar year, due on or before 24 December.
Regularisation
The automatic conversion to regular employment after six months of continuous service, carrying full security of tenure.
Just cause
Dismissal grounds based on employee fault: serious misconduct, wilful disobedience, gross neglect, fraud or a crime against the employer. No separation pay is due.
Authorised cause
Dismissal grounds based on business reasons: redundancy, retrenchment, closure or disease. Requires 30 days’ notice to the employee and DOLE, plus separation pay.
Two-notice rule
The mandatory dismissal procedure: a notice of charge, a genuine opportunity to be heard, then a separate notice of decision.
Labour-only contracting
Prohibited arrangement where an agency supplies workers without substantial capital or control, making the principal the direct employer.
Night shift differential
An extra 10% of the hourly rate for work between 10pm and 6am.
Permanent establishment (PE)
A taxable corporate presence created by revenue-generating activity in-country, independent of how staff are employed.

How this guide is compiled and verified

  1. Social Security System — 15% contribution rate, 10% employer share, MSC range PHP 5,000–35,000, Employees’ Compensation charge · SSS Circular 2024-006 · effective 1 Jan 2025 · verified 3 Aug 2026 · source
  2. PhilHealth — 5% premium rate for 2026, the final adjustment under RA 11223; income floor PHP 10,000 and ceiling PHP 100,000; total premium PHP 500 to PHP 5,000 shared equally; employer remittance by the 15th · PhilHealth advisory 6 May 2026 · rate unchanged for calendar year 2026 · source
  3. Pag-IBIG Fund (HDMF) — 2% employer rate, Monthly Fund Salary capped at PHP 10,000; current rates under HDMF Circular No. 460 · HDMF Circular · effective Feb 2024 · verified 3 Aug 2026 · source
  4. Labor Code of the Philippines — Security of tenure, regularisation, working hours and premiums, Service Incentive Leave, just and authorised cause, separation pay · verified 3 Aug 2026 · source
  5. Presidential Decree 851 — Mandatory 13th month pay, one twelfth of basic salary, due on or before 24 December · verified 3 Aug 2026 · source
  6. RA 11199 (Social Security Act of 2018) — Legislated schedule raising the SSS contribution rate to 15% · verified 3 Aug 2026 · source
  7. RA 11223 (Universal Health Care Act) — PhilHealth premium schedule reaching 5% · verified 3 Aug 2026 · source
  8. RA 11210 (Expanded Maternity Leave Law) — 105 days of paid maternity leave and related entitlements · verified 3 Aug 2026 · source
  9. Bureau of Internal Revenue — Graduated withholding tax, de minimis benefits, year-end annualisation · verified 3 Aug 2026 · source
  10. Department of Labor and Employment — Alien Employment Permit, Department Order 147-15 on termination, contracting rules · verified 3 Aug 2026 · source
  11. Bureau of Immigration — 9(g) pre-arranged employment visa · verified 3 Aug 2026 · source

min_wage fields are blank because minimum wages are set by Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards, not nationally, and are revised on separate regional timetables — NCR differs from CALABARZON and every other region. The on-cost range of 5–14% excludes the statutory 13th month pay, which adds about 8.3%; the worked example shows total employer cost at roughly 21.6% above gross on a PHP 30,000 salary. SSS is calculated on a bracketed Monthly Salary Credit table in PHP 500 steps, not as a straight percentage, so figures should be taken from the agency table. The three agencies use three different contribution bases. Income tax brackets, the tax-free benefit ceiling, special immigration routes and moveable holiday dates all pending verification; tier remains 2. SOURCING CAVEAT (added 3 Aug 2026): the figures in this guide were compiled largely from secondary sources — professional services firms, payroll providers and competitor EOR vendors — that were themselves citing the government authorities listed. The government sources have NOT been individually retrieved and confirmed. Every figure must be checked against the named primary authority before this guide is published. Tier must not move above 2 until that is done. VERIFIED 3 Aug 2026: SSS 15% with 10% employer share and the PHP 5,000-35,000 MSC range CONFIRMED (SSS Circular 2024-006 under RA 11199). PhilHealth 5% with the PHP 10,000 floor and PHP 100,000 ceiling CONFIRMED via the Philippine Information Agency reporting a PhilHealth advisory of 6 May 2026 — this is the final adjustment under RA 11223, with no increase scheduled. Employer PhilHealth share is PHP 250 to PHP 2,500 monthly. REFINED: the Employees Compensation charge is PHP 10 for an MSC at or below PHP 14,500 and PHP 30 at PHP 15,000 and above; the guide previously said "below PHP 15,000". Pag-IBIG rates set by HDMF Circular No. 460. No errors found in the headline figures. STILL OPEN: income tax brackets, the tax-free benefit ceiling, regional minimum wages, special immigration routes and moveable holiday dates.

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