PEO Argentina

World Bank Ease of Doing Business Ranking

• DB Rank – 126
• DB Score – 59.0

Rankings on Doing Business topics – Argentina

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Global PEO in Argentina

Argentina, known for its rich cultural heritage, diverse landscapes, and passionate people, stands out as a captivating destination for professional employer organizations (PEOs). As a PEO country, Argentina offers a compelling mix of economic potential and a skilled workforce, making it an attractive option for businesses seeking to expand their global presence. The nation’s strategic location in South America facilitates access to neighboring markets and enhances international trade opportunities. With a growing economy that spans various sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing, technology, and services, Argentina presents a fertile ground for PEOs to establish and support businesses in this vibrant and dynamic environment. Moreover, the country’s commitment to advancing labor laws and fostering a business-friendly ecosystem makes it an ideal choice for companies seeking to streamline HR operations and navigate the complexities of the Argentine labor market efficiently. From Buenos Aires’ bustling metropolis to the awe-inspiring landscapes of Patagonia, Argentina offers not only a promising business environment but also a unique and enriching cultural experience for employees and entrepreneurs alike.

What Is a PEO?

A PEO, or Professional Employer Organization, is a company that provides a range of HR and payroll services to small and medium-sized businesses. These services can include employee benefits, payroll, compliance with labor laws, and recruiting and training.

PEOs work by entering into a co-employment agreement with the businesses they serve. In this arrangement, the PEO becomes the employer of record for the business’s employees, taking on responsibilities such as payroll, tax withholding, and employee benefits. The business, however, retains control over its day-to-day operations and the supervision of its employees.

PEOs can help businesses streamline their HR and payroll processes, reduce costs, and free up time and resources to focus on their core business activities. They can also provide access to a range of benefits and resources that small businesses may not be able to afford or manage on their own.

PEOs are also understood as employer of record / EOR at times.

Argentina – Country Overview

Argentina is one of the largest economies in South America that is undergoing an economic transformation. The long-term vision of the country with $600 billion GDP has a two-fold aim of social inclusion and global integration. Argentina offers investment opportunities in a wide range of industries including agriculture and livestock, manufacturing, and high tech innovations. Economic reforms have speeded up in the country through revamping the regulatory regime for imports, unification of exchange rates in agreement with international creditors.

Currency

Peso

Principal Language

Spanish

Government

Federal Presidential Representative Democratic Republic

Capital City

Buenos Aires

Major Cities

La Plata, Mendoza

Employment Contracts in Argentina

In Argentina, a written employment contract is not mandatory, however, an implicit contract is deemed to be in place as soon as an employer hires a worker. Up to 3 months of probation is permitted in which both the employer and employee can discontinue the employment relation. A notice of 15 days is a must for both employers and employees.

In case an organization rehires a person who was dismissed earlier, it cannot put the person under another probationary period. This condition eliminates the loophole of continually hiring and firing employees and making them work permanently on probationary terms.

Working Hours in Argentina

In Argentina, the usual work schedule is 8 hours per day and the maximum 48 hours per week. A minimum of 12 hours between the end of one shift and the start of the next is a must. Workers generally get off work at 1 p.m. on Saturdays.

Nationally, the law does not allow workers in both public and private establishments to work for more than 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week, including employees who do not get any remuneration for their work. An average workweek includes 45 hours including 5 hours of work done on Saturday. Night work is defined as any work done between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Employees’ total work hours at night cannot be more than 7 hours in a 24-hour period. Employees working in a hazardous work environment are not allowed to work more than 6 hours in a 24-hour period or 36 hours in a week.

Overtime Rules

Employees working more than 48 hours a week are entitled to overtime pay. Overtime work is compensated at 1.5 times the normal pay rate, and at 2 times the normal pay rate on holidays, Sundays, and later than 1 p.m. on Saturdays. Overtime work cannot be more than 30 hours per month or 200 hours in a year.

Employee Leave in Argentina

Employees in Argentina get the following public holidays:

• Jan. 1: New Year’s Day
• Carnival (2 days in February or March)
• March 24: National Day of Memory for Truth and Justice
• April 2: Veterans Day and Day of Those Who Died in Malvinas (Falklands) War
• Good Friday
• May 1: Labor Day
• May 25: First National Government
• June 20: Flag Day
• July 9: Independence Day
• Aug. 17: Death of General Jose de San Martin
• Oct. 12: Columbus Day (Di´a de Respeto a la Diversidad Cultural)
• Dec. 8: Immaculate Conception
• Dec. 25: Christmas

If Flag Day, the anniversary of the death of General Jose de San Martin or Columbus Day falls on a Tuesday or Wednesday, it is moved backward to Monday; if it falls on a Thursday or Friday, it is moved forward to the next Monday.

Jewish workers are entitled to the following days off:

• Passover (the first and last 2 days)
• Rosh Hashanah (first and second days)

Muslim workers are entitled to the following days off:

• Feast of Sacrifice
• Islamic New Year
• Completion of the Fast

Workers are paid double time for working on a holiday.

Annual Leave

The number of paid annual leaves employees would get depends on the duration of their work with the current employer. For employees who have:

• worked with an employer for less than 5 years, 14 days of vacation is paid
• worked with an employer for between 5 and 10 years, 21 days of vacation is paid
• worked with an employer for between 10 and 20 years, 28 days of vacation is paid
• worked with an employer for more than 20 years, 35 days of vacation is paid

If workers have not worked for an employer long enough to get paid vacation days, they are entitled to 1 day off for every 20 days of work. Employers need to grant vacation days between the Oct. 1 and April 30 of the subsequent year.

Maternity Leave

Women must take a paid leave from work 45 days before expected childbirth till 45 days immediately after the birth of their child. This leave is payable through the social security funds, or SIPA. Women can request to reduce this time away from work to a minimum of 30 days before and after their childbirth. In the case of pre-term births, women can take more days off than 45 days after the birth in order to complete 90 days’ off. For up to a year after giving birth, women are allowed to take 2 daily breaks for 30 minutes each for the purpose of breastfeeding.

Paternity Leave

Male employees get 2 days’ paid time off for the birth of their child.

Sick Leave

Workers have the right to sick leave with full pay for a period of up to 3 months per year if their length of service is 5 years or less and for a period of up to 6 months if their length of service is more than 5 years. If the worker has family responsibilities, these entitlements are extended to 6 and 12 months, respectively. The worker is entitled to sick leave without pay for another 12 months, during which the employer is obliged to maintain the employment relationship.

Other Leave

Employees can take paid leave for the following circumstances:

• Marriage: 10 calendar days;
• Death of a spouse, child or parent: 3 days;
• Death of a sibling: 1 day; and
• High school or college exam: 2 days (maximum 10 days per year).

Taxation

Instead of having to spend hours studying Argentinian tax law in your spare time, partner with a  PEO that can stay on top of everything on your behalf. 

Here are some of the specifics that you should know when hiring in Argentina:

Payroll

• The standard workweek in Argentina is 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week.
• Employees are paid in local Argentine pesos. Some employees request to be paid in USD as it’s a more stable currency, but this is illegal.
• Overtime must not exceed 30 hours a month and 200 hours a year.
• Employers must give between two weeks’ and two months’ notice of termination, based on the time the employee has been with the company.

Employer contributions

• Employers must pay a compulsory life insurance policy for all their employees, at a rate of 6%.
• Meal tickets are a common benefit for employees, paid on a monthly basis together with the monthly salary. 
• Local law states that employees receive a 13th-month bonus, called aguinaldo, which is delivered in two installments –– due prior to June 30th and December 18th. 
• Employers must contribute 17% of the employee’s salary to their pension fund, and 2.41% to labor insurance. 

Employee Benefits in Argentina

All employees in Argentina are covered under the Argentine social security system. Employers have an obligation to enrol employees for social benefits under the Integrated Social Security System (SIPA). In order to be eligible for receiving retirement benefits, beneficiary age must be:

• 65 years for men; or
• 60 years for women.

In both cases, beneficiaries need to provide supporting evidence of 30 years of service along with social security payments.

Although it is mandatory to comply with the social security system, there are certain exceptions. Foreigners with a temporary visa are exempt from contributing into the system if their residency in Argentina is not permanent and they get social security protections in the country of their permanent residence.

Employers need to purchase labor risk insurance through private insurers to provide medical benefits to employees who are injured at work.