Global HR Compliance in Namibia

Hiring in Namibia gives international employers access to a stable regulatory environment, a multilingual workforce, and growing commercial sectors such as mining, logistics, and infrastructure. While Namibia’s labour legislation is clear and well-developed, ensuring full compliance is essential, especially if your organisation does not maintain a legal entity in-country.

Acumen International enables you to hire and pay employees in Namibia without establishing a local subsidiary. Acting as your Global Employer of Record (EOR), we take on the legal responsibilities of employment, ensuring your workforce is registered, compensated, and managed in accordance with Namibian labour, tax, and immigration laws.

Whether you’re entering Namibia for a single role or managing a regional programme, this guide outlines the key employer obligations and compliance requirements you must understand when hiring in-country.

Why Hire in Namibia?

Employers typically expand into Namibia for a combination of strategic and operational reasons:

• Proximity to key regional markets in southern Africa, with port access and cross-border trade
• Specialist talent pools in engineering, extractives, logistics, and public infrastructure
• Reduced time to market via local hires rather than relocating expatriates
• Cost-control opportunities, especially in skilled technical and operational roles
• Geographic diversification, reducing exposure to market or policy volatility in neighbouring jurisdictions

Employment Contracts in Namibia

Employment relationships in Namibia are governed by the Labour Act, 2007. Employment contracts may be written or oral, but written agreements are strongly recommended and must comply with statutory minimums.

Contracts must clearly state:

• Job title, duties, and reporting structure
• Working hours and place of work
• Remuneration and payment intervals
• Leave entitlements
• Termination notice and severance terms

Where applicable, collective agreements or sector-specific laws may override individual contract terms if they offer more favourable conditions to the employee. Contract amendments must be recorded in writing.

Working Hours and Overtime

Standard working hours are defined by weekly schedules:

• 9 hours per day for a 5-day week
• 8 hours per day for a 6-day week

Employees in customer-facing roles may be required to work up to an additional 15 minutes per day, not exceeding 60 minutes per week. Overtime is permitted with employee consent and capped at:

• 3 hours per day
• 10 hours per week

Overtime pay is regulated:

• 1.5x hourly wage for weekdays and Saturdays
• 2x hourly wage for Sundays and public holidays

Probation and Termination

Probation periods are permitted but not strictly defined by law. Best practice is to specify a reasonable duration in writing, with clear performance criteria. During probation, employees remain entitled to statutory rights including paid leave and protection from unfair dismissal.

Termination may occur under specific grounds such as:

• Contract completion
• Redundancy or operational restructuring
• Incompetence or misconduct
• Mutual agreement

Notice periods are defined by tenure:

• 1 day for employment less than 4 weeks
• 1 week for employment between 4 weeks and 1 year
• 1 month for employment longer than 1 year

Termination must follow due process, with written notice and documented justification to ensure compliance with Namibia’s protections against unfair dismissal.

Leave and Time Off

Annual Leave

Employees accrue four consecutive weeks of paid annual leave for every 12 months of continuous service.

Sick Leave

After 12 months of service, employees are entitled to:

• 30 working days per 36-month cycle (for a 5-day week)
• 36 working days per 36-month cycle (for a 6-day week)

During the first year, sick leave accrues at a rate of 1 day per 26 days worked.

Maternity Leave

Employees with at least 6 months of service are entitled to 12 weeks of maternity leave, typically structured as:

• 4 weeks pre-birth
• 8 weeks post-birth
• Extended if delivery occurs early

Employers must maintain all employment rights during maternity leave, though salary payment is not mandated by law.

Minimum Wage and Compensation

Namibia does not apply a universal statutory minimum wage. Instead, wages are regulated by sectoral collective agreements, notably in industries such as security, agriculture, and construction. Employers must adhere to applicable agreements or ensure compensation aligns with fair market benchmarks.

Social Security and Payroll Obligations

Employers must register employees with the Social Security Commission (SSC) and deduct contributions from monthly salaries. The SSC rate is typically 0.9% each for the employer and employee, capped at a fixed salary threshold. Additional tax obligations include:

• PAYE (Pay-As-You-Earn) income tax withholding based on progressive tax bands
• Payroll reporting to NamRA (Namibia Revenue Agency)
• Payslips must itemise gross salary, deductions, and net pay

Payroll in Namibia must be processed in local currency (NAD) and follow strict remittance deadlines. Penalties apply for late or incorrect filings.

How Acumen International Helps You Hire in Namibia

Direct Employment Without a Local Entity

Acumen International enables you to employ workers in Namibia without opening a branch, subsidiary, or legal entity. We act as the legal Employer of Record, managing tax registration, payroll, and employment contracts while you oversee team performance and operations.

Local Compliance, Centrally Managed

We ensure each employment arrangement is aligned with Namibian legislation, including working hours, leave entitlements, probation handling, and termination procedures. All documentation is maintained to inspection-ready standards, reducing legal exposure and administrative burden.

Support for Regulated or Foreign Hires

If you’re hiring in regulated sectors or engaging non-Namibian professionals, we structure employment and compensation models to meet immigration, labour, and compensation compliance requirements. We also support transitions from contractor to employee status where needed.

Immigration and Work Permit Sponsorship

For foreign nationals, we provide global mobility support and work permit sponsorship under our local hiring infrastructure, assist with immigration documentation, and ensure compliance with government processing requirements.

Estimate Costs with the Global Payroll Calculator

Use our Global Payroll Calculator (GPC) to model gross-to-net and net-to-gross compensation, tax liabilities, and employer contributions in Namibia. The GPC helps plan workforce budgets, support RFP submissions, or validate total cost of employment across multiple jurisdictions.

Ready to hire in Namibia? Use the Global Payroll Calculator to scope employment costs or contact us to structure a compliant onboarding plan for your workforce.

Unified Support Across 190+ Countries

If Namibia is just one piece of your global hiring strategy, Acumen provides a single, integrated solution across 190+ countries. We standardise your employment workflows, simplify governance, and centralise point-of-contact management, while ensuring local compliance in every country you operate in.