Global coverage
Available in +150 countries
Employer costs, taxes, minimum wage and leave rules for hiring here, plus the faster route: hire a contractor with Ontop, no local entity needed.
2026
Currency
BMD BD$ (Bermudian Dollar) at par with USD
Employer contributions
~10.5% employer payroll tax + ~5.25% employer CPF
Minimum wage
BMD 16.40/hour (minimum wage 2024)
Payment frequency
Monthly / Bi-weekly
Calendar year (Jan 1 - Dec 31)
Capital
Hamilton
Timezone
AST (GMT-4)
Employee or contractor
If the work is project-based or you need to move fast, a contractor gets you the same talent with a fraction of the paperwork.
Employee
~BMD 11,575 total
/month
For a gross salary of
BMD 10,000 gross/month
Setup
Local entity or employer of record, plus tax and social security registration
Employer contributions
~10.5% employer payroll tax + ~5.25% employer CPF
Mandatory extras
Annual Bonus
Monthly admin
Monthly payroll - payroll tax by 15th - CPF by 15th - annual return February
Contractor with Ontop
No local entity
$49
/contractor/month
The agreed rate, plus Ontop from $49 per contractor per month.
Sign a contract, yours or an Ontop template. No local registration on your side.
No employer contributions: the contractor handles their own taxes and social security.
One payment per invoice, in one payroll run.
Paid into their Ontop Global Account in USD.
See the full side-by-side comparison
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A contractor's rate usually covers their own taxes, so compare total cost, not just gross pay. Run your numbers in the contractor vs employee calculator.
Hiring here: the full breakdown
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Payroll guide
Employer costs come on top of gross pay. Use these figures to budget a hire and to compare it with a contractor rate.
Total monthly cost
~BMD 11,575 total
Example gross salary
BMD 10,000 gross/month
~BMD 7,925 net
Net pay to the employee
Tax and employee contributions
Withheld from gross pay
~BMD 1,575 payroll tax + CPF
Employer contributions on that salary
Employer contributions
~10.5% employer payroll tax + ~5.25% employer CPF
Employee contributions
~5.5% employee payroll tax + ~5.25% employee CPF
Total cost above gross
~10.5% above gross (Payroll Tax)
Figures are estimates for planning. Rates change with each budget and can vary by sector, so confirm them before you make an offer.
What people earn here, from the legal floor to the main cities, plus the extra pay most employers budget for.
National average
~BMD 8,000
Per month
Hamilton
BMD 9,000 - 30,000
~40%
Devonshire
BMD 7,000 - 22,000
~15%
Monthly gross. National average salary per year:
~BMD 96,000
Minimum wage
BMD 16.40/hour (minimum wage 2024)
Paid:
Hourly
Extra pay
Annual Bonus
Discretionary
December
Collective agreements can set sector minimums above the national one. Check whether one applies to the role before you set the salary. Next step: estimate the full cost of an employee.
Who collects what, how often, and what happens when a payment is late.
Income tax brackets
No income tax (flat payroll tax on employer and employee)
Tax year:
Calendar year (Jan 1 - Dec 31)
Filing calendar
Monthly by 15th
Social security payments
February 15 (annual payroll tax return)
Income tax
By February 15
Employee tax certificate
Annual Employment Certificate
February 15
Annual return
Annual Payroll Tax Return
Late payment penalties
Late payroll tax: 1.5% per month; late CPF: penalty per CPF Act
Who collects what
Bermuda Revenue Service
Payroll tax administration
Registrar of Companies
Work permit oversight
Department of Labour
Employment Act enforcement
The time off and paid leave every employee is entitled to by law. Budget for it when you compare an employee with a contractor.
Annual leave
Annual Leave
10 working days/year (after 1 year) up to 25 days
Public holidays
~14 public holidays
Sick leave
Sick Leave
Full pay: 10 days/year
Maternity leave
16 weeks (8 paid via employer)
8 weeks full pay employer
The contracts you can use, and what ending an employment relationship costs.
Permanent
Contract of Employment (Permanent)
Fixed term
Fixed-Term Contract
Independent contractor
Independent Contractor
Collective agreements
No general CBA
Ending employment
Severance Pay
How it is calculated
Per Employment Act 2000; 1 week/year (capped at 26 weeks)
Calling someone a contractor does not make them one. If the role works like employment in practice, local authorities can reclassify it, with back contributions and penalties.
The errors that most often trigger back payments and penalties here, and what to do instead.
Work Permit Compliance for Non-Bermudians
Risk Level: HIGH
Bermuda requires work permits for all non-Bermudian and non-spouse-of-Bermudian workers. Work permits are occupation-specific, employer-specific, and subject to term limits (generally 6 years). The Department of Immigration enforces strictly with fines and deportation for violations.
Payroll Tax Rate Tiers
Risk Level: HIGH
Bermuda's payroll tax has tiered employer rates based on total annual payroll size. Small employers (under BMD 1M) pay lower rates; large employers pay 10.5%. Miscalculating the applicable tier generates Revenue Service assessment notices.
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Next topicOntop is the Global Workforce Engine for contractor teams: contracts, compliance documents and payments in 150+ countries.
150+
countries
$49
per contractor per month
1 run
to pay your whole team
USD
Global Account for every contractor
FAQ
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Ontop works with contractors, not employees. As Contractor of Record, Ontop handles contracts, compliance documents and payments for contractors in 150+ countries. To employ someone, you need a local entity or an employer of record. Ontop doesn't act as your employer of record.
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Employers pay contributions on top of gross salary. The cost table on this page shows the rates that apply here and a worked monthly example. A contractor with Ontop costs the agreed rate plus Ontop from $49 per contractor per month.
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Many countries require an extra month or an annual bonus for employees. The salaries section on this page shows the one that applies here and when it is usually paid. Contractors are paid what you agree in the contract.
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Employers withhold income tax and the employee's social security share every pay run, then pay them to the local authorities. The taxes section on this page lists the brackets, rates and filing deadlines that apply here.
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Yes. The contractor vs employee calculator compares the full cost of an employee, employer contributions included, with a contractor rate plus Ontop's monthly fee.
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When the work is project-based, you need to start fast or you don't have a local entity. If the person will work fixed hours, under your direction and only for you, local law may treat them as an employee, so hire them as one.
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Misclassifying employees as contractors, missing tax and social security deadlines, and ignoring collective agreements that set higher wage floors. The mistakes section on this page covers the ones that come up most often here.
Compare employer costs, taxes and contractor rules in nearby countries:
Ready to hire? See Ontop pricing or learn how to build a global team without an employer of record.
Ready to hire? See Ontop pricing or learn how to build a global team without an employer of record.