Employer of Record in Seychelles

Hiring independent contractors has boomed in popularity because of the cost savings and flexibility they offer. It can be a great option if you require niche skills or short-term project support. Contractors allow businesses to access specialized skills quickly, without the time and cost of setting up a local entity.

However, it’s important to know the limits of this model: contractors are not a substitute for full-time employees. Relying on them for ongoing, long-term roles can create serious compliance risks, including employee misclassification, which can lead to fines, back taxes, and reputational damage.

Playroll’s contractor management solutions make it simple to compliantly engage, onboard, and pay contractors around the world. We provide clear visibility into agreements, streamline payments, and reduce compliance risks – so you can focus on getting the work done. And when you’re ready to take the next step, we can help seamlessly convert contractors into full-time employees through our global Employer of Record service.

Businesses can only operate smoothly in Seychelles if they comply with local labor laws including drafting compliant employment contract agreements and meeting taxation and payroll obligations. Learn more about the employment laws and regulations in Seychelles below, to avoid any compliance issues.

Onboarding Process

We can help you get a new employee started in Seychelles quickly, with a minimum onboarding time of just 1-2 working days. The timeline starts once the employee submits all required information onto the Playroll platform and completes any necessary local authority registrations.  

For non-nationals, the Right to Work assessment (if applicable) may add up to three extra days. Additional time may be needed for follow-ups on this assessment.

In Seychelles, you should treat overtime as a controlled exception and ensure extra hours are authorized and evidenced through time records that can stand up in disputes. In 2026, compliance scrutiny focuses on whether overtime and rest-day work are paid correctly and whether weekly rest is preserved in practice.

• Standard Working Hours: 40 hours per week.
• Overtime Thresholds: Overtime applies beyond the normal weekly schedule.
• Overtime Pay Rates: Overtime is commonly paid at 1.5 times the regular hourly rate, with higher rates for public holidays depending on sector practice.
• Daily And Weekly Rest Requirements: Employees must receive at least one weekly rest day.
• Night Work Restrictions: Night work should be managed through policy and risk controls, with correct premium classification where applicable.
• Penalties For Non–Compliance: Exposure includes back pay and enforcement action for wage and working-time breaches.

Setting up a local legal entity in Seychelles can be time-consuming and expensive. It often involves complex paperwork, local representation, banking, registrations, and ongoing tax filings, which isn't cost-effective if you're simply looking to hire a few employees or test the market. An Employer of Record removes these barriers entirely. Instead of spending months establishing a presence, an EOR lets you hire and onboard employees within days while staying fully compliant.

This enables faster market entry and greater agility. Whether you’re launching a pilot program, supporting a regional client, or adding specialized talent, you don't need to commit to long-term infrastructure to explore new business opportunities. The EOR handles local employment logistics while you retain day-to-day oversight of your hires. This model lets you scale up or down based on business needs, giving you more flexibility with less overhead and risk.

Operating a business in Seychelles requires managing monthly PAYE deductions (0–30%), employee social security (3%), employer SNPF (10%), social contributions (10%), and benefits tax (15%). Employers must register timely with SRC and SNPF, file returns by the 21st of each month, and issue annual reconciliations by January 21.

Using payroll software or EOR services like Playroll helps consolidate data, automate calculations, and avoid penalties—making compliance smooth and reliable in Seychelles.

One of the biggest risks in global hiring is payroll mismanagement. In Seychelles, even small errors in tax reporting or social contribution payments can trigger audits, fines, or reputational damage. For companies without in-country expertise, the risk isn’t worth taking. An Employer of Record removes this burden by owning the legal responsibility of payroll, executing every step with built-in compliance.

Key Ways an EOR Supports Payroll in Seychelles:

• Mitigates Compliance Risk: Oversees all legal obligations for payroll, tax filings, and recordkeeping.
• Local Regulatory Expertise: Interprets and applies Seychelles’s latest labor and tax changes in real time.
• Free Processing: Reduces mistakes in wage calculations and reporting through built
• Payroll Record Management: Maintains compliant payroll audit trails and documentation for each employee.

Seychelles operates a relatively flexible immigration framework where most foreign nationals can enter visa-free for short stays, but must obtain the appropriate work authorization before taking up employment. For paid work, the core instrument is the Gainful Occupation Permit (GOP), sometimes referred to as a work permit, which authorizes a foreign national to live and work in Seychelles for a specific employer, role, and period. Certain categories, such as investors, self-employed professionals, and senior executives, may also look at Residence Permits or Permanent Residence options once longer-term ties are established.

Employers are expected to justify the need for a foreign hire, demonstrate that the role cannot easily be filled locally, and remain compliant with labor and tax rules. Applications are usually submitted to the Department of Immigration and Civil Status before the employee travels to Seychelles to start work. Processing times can vary depending on the type of permit, the completeness of the file, and whether additional checks are required, so planning ahead is essential for a smooth onboarding experience.

Mandatory Leave Entitlement in Seychelles

The annual leave entitlement in Seychelles is 21 days for a full time worker. These can include public holidays on top of that or within those days, which would otherwise be unpaid.

An Employer of Record (EOR) helps businesses manage annual leave, paid time off (PTO), and local holidays across the globe, including in Seychelles. By partnering with an EOR, companies ensure full compliance with local labor laws in Seychelles when it comes to annual leave and time-off management.  EOR providers like Playroll offer platforms that simplify tracking and managing employee time off in Seychelles. By outsourcing this responsibility to Playroll, you can streamline leave management, ensure compliance, and free up time to focus on other business priorities.

Public Holidays in Seychelles

Seychelles observes 13 national public holidays, with some dates, such as Good Friday and Corpus Christi, varying each year based on the Christian calendar.

Employee benefits in Seychelles are built around strong protections for maternity, annual leave, and social security, with relatively lean but clear legal requirements for employers. When you hire here, you need to understand how leave, benefits, and statutory contributions fit together so you stay compliant while offering a package that feels competitive in the local market.

Your company will need to meet all mandatory obligations around paid leave, public holidays, social security, and basic health protections, then decide which extra perks to layer on top. Thoughtful supplemental benefits such as health top‑ups, additional paid leave, and flexible working can significantly boost your employer brand in Seychelles and help you attract and retain talent in a small, relationship‑driven labor market.

• Top mandatory benefits: annual leave, paid public holidays, paid sick leave, maternity and paternity leave, and social security contributions
• Key other statutory protections often treated as benefits: safe working conditions and work injury protection via the national framework
• Top supplemental benefits: private health insurance, performance or thirteenth‑month bonuses, flexible and remote work options
• Key legal and tax considerations: mandatory registration with the Seychelles Pension Fund, payment of the 20% employer social security contribution on insurable earnings, and payroll record‑keeping to support any benefit‑related tax treatment

In Seychelles, benefits play a central role in attracting and retaining top talent. Employees often expect more than just a paycheck – they're looking for stability, healthcare coverage, pension plans, and other perks that show a company is invested in their well-being. If you're not familiar with what’s standard or required, you risk falling short. An Employer of Record helps bridge that gap by administering a locally competitive benefits package that meets both legal requirements and employee expectations.

An EOR doesn't just check boxes, they make sure your employees receive benefits that are timely, properly communicated, and well-managed from the moment they’re onboarded. From managing healthcare contributions to adjusting for regional differences in leave or bonus entitlements, an EOR acts as both a legal and operational partner. The result is a better employee experience, less administrative burden on your internal team, and greater confidence that your offer is aligned with what top candidates in Seychelles actually want and need.