Employer of Record in Togo

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 Togo 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 Togo below, to avoid any compliance issues.

Onboarding Process

We can help you get a new employee started in Togo 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 Togo, you should keep overtime exceptional and ensure premium pay is calculated correctly based on whether work occurs during the day, at night, or on rest days. In 2026, inspections commonly focus on whether overtime tiers are applied correctly and whether weekly rest is protected.

• Standard Working Hours: 40 hours per week.
• Overtime Thresholds: Overtime applies beyond the standard weekly schedule.
• Overtime Pay Rates: Tiered overtime premiums apply, including higher rates for night work and rest days.
• Daily And Weekly Rest Requirements: Weekly rest must be at least 24 consecutive hours.
• Night Work Restrictions: Night work is regulated and should be tracked distinctly.
• Penalties For Non–Compliance: Exposure includes fines and mandatory back pay for underpaid overtime.

Employment laws in Togo can be intricate, and even unintentional mistakes in contracts, benefits, or termination processes can carry legal and reputational consequences. With an Employer of Record, you gain a local partner that ensures every hire is compliant. The EOR takes care of drafting compliant contracts, processing accurate payroll, managing contributions to statutory benefits, and handling lawful terminations if needed, all according to local employment standards.

This level of protection is especially valuable when expanding into new or unfamiliar regions. Instead of using time and resources to build in-house legal knowledge, you gain immediate access to local expertise. The EOR keeps you ahead of regulatory updates and shields your company from potential compliance gaps, so you can confidently hire and manage employees while minimizing risk. For hiring managers and founders, it's the difference between hiring with uncertainty and building your team on a legally sound foundation.

Managing payroll in Togo involves careful attention to progressive personal income tax (0.5–35%), social security contributions (4% from employees, 17.5% from employers), and a 3% corporate payroll tax. Employers must register with OTR and CNSS, use reliable payroll systems, collect accurate data, and file monthly and quarterly returns within strict deadlines to remain compliant. Implementing automated payroll solutions helps consolidate data, reduce errors, and ensure timely filings—supporting businesses of all sizes in Togo's regulatory framework.

When you’re scaling quickly, setting up local payroll systems in each new country slows you down. In Togo, the administrative load can include government registration, benefits management, and accurate, on-time payment delivery. An EOR gives you a plug-and-play solution that handles all of this while your internal team stays focused on growth, not red tape.

Key Ways an EOR Supports Payroll in Togo:

• Rapid Payroll Setup: Onboards employees quickly with ready-to-go infrastructure.
• End Administration: Handles salary, tax, and benefits with no extra internal resources.
• Vendor Simplicity: Consolidates payroll across countries for centralized oversight.
• No Entity Required: Operates legally, saving your business the time and resources needed for local incorporation.

In Togo, foreign nationals who wish to work legally typically need both the appropriate entry visa (such as a long-stay visa or visa de long séjour) and an authorization to work, often referred to as a work permit or autorisation de travail, issued under the oversight of the Ministry of Labor and related immigration authorities. Employers must sponsor most medium- and long-term work arrangements, demonstrating the need for a foreign hire and ensuring that the role and salary comply with local labor standards.

Short-term business visits are usually covered by a business visa (visa d’affaires), while longer assignments may require a residence permit (carte de séjour) linked to employment. Processing times and exact documentation can vary depending on the applicant’s nationality, the sector of employment, and whether all supporting documents are complete and properly legalized, so companies should build in extra time and work closely with local counsel or a trusted in-country partner.

Mandatory Leave Entitlement in Togo

The annual leave entitlement in Togo is 30 days for a full time worker, accruing at a rate of 2.5 days per month of effective service. 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 Togo. By partnering with an EOR, companies ensure full compliance with local labor laws in Togo 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 Togo. By outsourcing this responsibility to Playroll, you can streamline leave management, ensure compliance, and free up time to focus on other business priorities.

Employee benefits in Togo center on the statutory social security system, paid leave, and protections for health and family life. When you hire in Togo, you need to understand which benefits are legally mandated and which are market practice so you can stay compliant while remaining competitive.

Your company will typically work within the framework of the Interprofessional Collective Agreement and the Social Security Code, and then layer additional perks on top. The most attractive employers in Togo usually go beyond the legal minimum by enhancing healthcare, leave, and income protection benefits.

• Key mandatory benefits: Registration and contributions to the Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale (CNSS), statutory paid annual leave, maternity leave, public holidays with pay, and work injury coverage under the social security scheme.
• Top supplemental benefits: Private health insurance, meal or transport allowances, and performance-based bonuses or 13th-month pay.
• Legal and tax considerations: Mandatory CNSS contributions for both employer and employee, income tax on most cash benefits, and the need to document benefits and payroll records to demonstrate compliance during inspections.

For startups and small teams, managing global employee benefits isn’t just complex, it’s a full-time job. In Togo, understanding what benefits are required, how to deliver them, and how to stay compliant can be overwhelming, especially without local HR expertise. An Employer of Record removes that pressure by taking complete ownership of benefits administration, so you don't have to become an expert in local employment law.

Whether it’s healthcare contributions, pension enrollment, or statutory leave, the EOR ensures everything is delivered accurately and on time. They navigate any country-specific nuances, keep up with legal changes, and ensure each benefit is properly tracked and documented. For founders, that means fewer distractions and more time to focus on growth. Your employees get the security and support they expect from a local employer, and you get to scale your team in Togo without building complex infrastructure or worrying about compliance missteps.