Country Guide

Employer of Record in French Guiana

Last updated: July 3, 2025

Capital City

Cayenne

Languages

French

Currency

Euro (EUR)

Population Size

~313,320 (mid-2025 est.)

Employer Taxes

29.15%

Employee Costs

1.5 to 2 times the gross salary

Payroll Frequency

Monthly

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Hire Globally, Pay Locally, Expand Effortlessly

International expansions can be time and capital-intensive. Also, companies may need help navigating a foreign country’s legal and administrative framework. But, an Employer of Record in French Guiana can allow you a hitch-free entry into its regional markets.  

An EOR like INS Global becomes an official employer and caters to your legal and administrative needs, such as payroll management, benefits administration, and assured compliance with tax and labor laws. 

As a result, companies can diversify and grow their revenue without the burdens of legal or administrative tasks on their shoulders.  

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Why Choose A EOR Over Company Incorporation?

EOR services help you simplify foreign market entry by eliminating the need for establishing a legal entity or branch office in French Guiana.   

In addition, EOR services guarantee compliance with Guianese labor laws and market regulations and policies. These measures help protect your brand’s reputation and save time and capital expenses from navigating complex legal and tax frameworks.  

This streamlined approach promotes adaptability, so you seize new opportunities in French Guiana.  

EOR services are a great choice when you are:  

  • Testing new markets: You can test the viability of a new market or assess its business prospects before making a long-term commitment. 
  • On a project-based work: You can quickly find and engage local talents for your short-term assignment. 
  • Focusing on core business: Fee up valuable time and capital by outsourcing HR-related tasks and instead focus on core business activities. 

PEO/EOR vs Company Incorporation

The Advantage in Figures

PEO/EOR

Company Incorporation

Price

80% Less Expensive

Market Entry

2-5 Days

6 Months

Employee Turnover
Decrease by 14%
Recommendation
98% of the Current PEO Clients
Administrative Fees
Saves an Average of $450
Costly Payroll and Compliance Fines
Help Avoid
Company Growth Rate
7 – 9%
ROI
27%
Closed During Pandemic
-58%
employer of record

The Advantages of Using an Employer of Record in French Guiana

icon EOR

Ensured Statutory Compliance

An EOR partner provides legal support and ensures compliance with employment laws, trade practices, tax obligations, and employment contracts. 

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Time and Cost Optimization

EOR services handle your company’s legal and administrative tasks, saving you time and resources for other strategic initiatives.

icon EOR

Focus On Company Growth

Concentrate on business expansion and seizing growth opportunities by outsourcing your talent acquisition, benefits administration, and payroll management to an EOR in French Guiana. 

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Risk Mitigation

Navigating the labor laws and regulations of a foreign country can be complex. But you can ensure compliance and avoid penalties by partnering with an EOR. 

icon EOR

One Platform For Everything

Leverage our understanding of the local market, industry-specific challenges, and best practices to optimize your expansion efforts in French Guiana and 100+ countries globally. 

How Does an Employer of Record in French Guiana Work?

You can establish an EOR services agreement in French Guiana by following these 4 steps: 

1

Discussion and assessment: We engage in a comprehensive discussion to understand your business requirements and employment needs so that we can develop a custom EOR plan that meets your specific goals. 

2

Legal entity provision: INS Global immediately provides a legal entity for hiring in French Guiana, enabling you to recruit and deploy workers locally. 

3

HR administration and compliance: We become liable for HR administration and ensure compliance with tax and labor laws of French Guiana that are relevant to your operations. 

4

Focus on growth: With your HR responsibilities in our hands, you can concentrate on managing the day-to-day contributions of your employees towards your business growth without stress. 

You and your employees begin operations while we take care of the rest

The Differences Between PEOs and Employer Of Record

EOR services help you simplify foreign market entry by eliminating the need for establishing a legal entity or branch office in French Guiana.   

In addition, EOR services guarantee compliance with Guianese labor laws and market regulations and policies. These measures help protect your brand’s reputation and save time and capital expenses from navigating complex legal and tax frameworks.  

This streamlined approach promotes adaptability, so you seize new opportunities in French Guiana.  

EOR services are a great choice when you are:   

  • Testing new markets: You can test the viability of a new market or assess its business prospects before making a long-term commitment. 
  • On a project-based work: You can quickly find and engage local talents for your short-term assignment. 
  • Focusing on core business: Fee up valuable time and capital by outsourcing HR-related tasks and instead focus on core business activities. 

INS GUIDES

Check Our Labor Law Guides

Learn how the Labor Law Guide is applied in all aspects and situations, from an employer and employee perspective.
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Labor Law in French Guiana

Employment Contracts In French Guiana

The labor law in French Guiana is primarily derived from France’s national labor legislation since it is an overseas region of France.  

French Guiana requires a written employment contract for employees outlining the terms and conditions of employment. Such agreements should include these necessary details: 

  • Names and addresses of the employer and employee 
  • Job description 
  • Duration of employment (if fixed-term) 
  • Working hours 
  • Salary and benefits 
 

The employment law in French Guiana allows 2 types of employment contracts: 

 

  • Indefinite contract 
  • Fixed-term contract 

Indefinite-term employment contracts in French Guiana may include a maximum probation period as described below: 

  • 2 months for blue and white-collar employees 
  • 3 months for supervisors and technical employees 
  • 4 months for managers and professional staff 

In French Guiana, the employer or the employee can terminate an employment contract for serious misconduct of the other.   

During the notice period, an employee is entitled to 1 day of paid leave weekly. This will allow them to seek another job.  

The length of notice depends on the employee’s seniority in the company: 

  • 1 month’s notice for 6 months to 2 years of service 
  • 2 months’ notice for more than 2 years of service 
  • The notice period for less than 6 months of service is set by collective agreement or company practice 

 

Employees in French Guiana receive statutory severance pay as follows: 

  • 1/4 of the monthly salary for each year of service for the first 10 years of service  
  • 1/3 for each year above 10 years of service 

These above rates apply where there is no Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), or the CBA rate is lower than the statutory amount.

Working Hours

The legal length of the workweek in French Guiana is 35 hours for all company types. Furthermore, employees may work up to 4.5 hours before having a break.  

Employers must pay overtime work as follows:  

  • Standard wage plus 25% an hour for each of the first eight hours of overtime (from the 36th to the 43rd hour inclusive) 
  • Standard wage plus 50% for each hour after that 

Types Of Leave

Holidays and Annual Leave

Workers in French Guiana are eligible for paid leave on the region’s 12 nationally recognized public holidays: 

  • New Year’s Day 
  • Carnival Monday: 24th February 
  • Mardi Gras: 25th February 
  • Ash Wednesday: 26th February 
  • Ascension Day: 21st May 
  • Whit Monday: 1st June 
  • Slavery abolition day: 10th June 
  • French National Day: 14th July 
  • Assumption of Mary: 15th August 
  • All Saints Day: 1st November 
  • Armistice Day: 11th November 
  • Christmas Day: 25th December  

Sick & Annual Leave

An employee who has worked 12 months is entitled to a minimum of 30 days (or five weeks) of annual leave in French Guiana. 

Employees in French Guinana are entitled to a maximum of 6 months of sick leave.  

Maternity/Paternity Leave

First or second-time mothers in French Guiana are entitled to 16 weeks of paid maternity leave, consisting of:  

  • 6 weeks before childbirth 
  • 10 weeks after childbirth 

Meanwhile, paternity leave is 25 days, or 32 days in the event of multiple births. 

Social Security in French Guiana

For social security contributions in French Guiana, the employer contributes around 45% of the employee’s gross salary, while the employee contributes between 20-23%. 

Tax Law

The income tax rate in French Guiana is progressive, up to 45%, depending on an employee’s income bracket. 

Resident companies in French Guiana are liable to tax on their worldwide income. Non-resident companies that conduct trade or business in Guiana are subject to tax on the income derived from the region. 

The current rates of corporate tax are as follows: 

  • Telephone companies: 45% 
  • Commercial companies: 40% 
  • Non-commercial companies: 25% 

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Frequently Asked Questions

faqs

No, it is necessary to use a local entity abroad to comply with each country labor law.

Foreign companies can either set up a local entity in each country or use the services a local PEO (Professional Employment Organization) to hire the staff on-site directly.

The employer of record is the legal entity liable for the staff employed in a specific country. In practice, a foreign company can either open a subsidiary to become the employer of record of its abroad employees or use a PEO to act as the employer of record.

When you use a POE as the Employer of Record, you may require 1 month to become operational in French Guiana. Depending on the complexity and scope of services to be provided. However, company incorporation takes from 4-12 months. 

The price of professional EOR services in French Guiana is a percentage of the worker’s monthly compensation. This price ensures compliance with local employment laws, including all HR-related tasks. 

Yes. EOR services in French Guianan EOR is a legally recognized option for outsourcing employment-related legal and administrative tasks. 

An EOR service agreement in French Guiana ensures your team members are paid accurately and on time each month. In addition, they can access all French Guianese employee benefits and be completely protected by the law. 

Independent contractors in French Guiana who interact with their clients within an EOR framework will retain full control of their work and may be eligible for some or all of regular employee benefits.  

Yes, we can streamline your hiring process and identify the right employees for your business in French Guiana. 

Yes, INS Global can assist you in identifying, attracting, and hiring skilled talents across different regional cities.  

There are generally no specific limits on the number of employees you can hire in French Guiana. This will depend on various factors like the scope of your operations or specific business needs. 

No. But the option for your employees to work in a shared workspace can be helpful. A PEO in French Guiana eliminates the need for a local business address. 

Yes. We can manage the necessary visa and work permit processes for foreigners in French Guiana. Also, we’re adept at handling situations where the local employment laws, tax laws, or employee benefits differ for natives and foreigners. 

EOR and PEO solutions help enterprises of all sizes save time and cost when expanding abroad.  

 

PEO and EOR services help businesses that don’t have their own structures or those seeking to avoid cost-scaling difficulties when expanding abroad. 

Staffing firms and umbrella corporations are third-party options for hiring independent freelancers in the region. You can hire these contractors under a work agreement rather than an employment contract. 

 

You may require independent contractors to provide a CV, a portfolio, verified references, and a signed NDA. 

The cost of hiring in French Guiana should factor in expenses like salary, recruiting service fees, foreign employee tax management, and social security contribution payments. 

Employers in French Guiana manage payroll for all workers, usually at the end of every month. Employers are responsible for withholding amounts corresponding to employees’ income tax and social security fund contributions. 

The minimum wage is 790 EUR monthly.  

These are the common visa types for foreign employees in French Guiana: 

 

 

  • Long Stay Visa (Visa de Long Séjour): Individuals planning to reside and work in the region for an extended period exceeding 90 days may be issued this visa type. 
  • Work Visa (Visa de Travail): This visa type allows foreign employees to work legally in the territory and is issued in connection with a job offer from a French-Guianese employer. 

Employers are responsible for organizing, withholding, and remitting employees’ income tax payments and social security fund contributions every month. 

Employees are entitled to retirement benefits, public holidays, paid leave (sick, annual, and parental leave), severance pay, and health insurance. 

Unilateral changes to an employee’s contract are not permitted. Instead, both parties must agree upon and sign changes to an employee’s working conditions.  

In addition to public and private healthcare, the “Sécurité Sociale,” the French national healthcare system, provides health insurance coverage for the population.  

Severance pay in French Guiana is as follows: 

 

  • 1/4 of the monthly salary for each year of service for the first 10 years of service  
  • 1/3 for each year above 10 years of service 

The national labor laws of France primarily govern labor regulations in French Guiana since it’s an overseas region of France.  

Workers in French Guiana are eligible for paid leave on these 12 recognized holidays. 

Smiling woman representing the simplicity and efficiency of a Global Employer of Record for international hiring

A Global Employer of Record is an effective solutions for companies like yours that are looking to expand a workforce abroad effortlessly.

This approach allows you to outsource the international hiring process quickly and efficiency, providing access to a global talent pool while still managing payroll compliance in each  country.

Public Holidays Calendar

French Guiana

Date Day Holiday Notes
1 January Wednesday New Year’s Day Celebrates the start of the new year.
21 April Monday Easter Monday Commemorates Christ’s resurrection.
1 May Thursday Labour Day International Workers’ Day; employees are legally entitled to a day off, except in essential sectors.
8 May Thursday Victory Day Marks the end of World War II in Europe.
29 May Thursday Ascension Day Commemorates the ascension of Jesus Christ.
9 June Monday Whit Monday Celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles.
10 June Tuesday Abolition Day Commemorates the abolition of slavery in French Guiana.
14 July Monday French National Day National Day commemorating the storming of the Bastille during the French Revolution.
15 August Friday Assumption Day Observance of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s assumption into heaven.
1 November Saturday All Saints’ Day Honors all saints and deceased loved ones.
11 November Tuesday Armistice Day Commemorates the end of World War I and honors veterans.
25 December Thursday Christmas Day Celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.

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