Employment contracts
in South Africa.

SALARY PAYMENT IN South African Rand (ZAR, R)

CONTRACT LANGUAGES English

PAYROLL TAX 2%

PAYROLL CYCLE Monthly

TIME TO HIRE 12 hours
Get Started

Horizons-owned entity with local country experts in Seoul.

We offer fair, scalable, and transparent pricing on South Korea PEO service. Contact us for a cost breakdown

End service in South Korea with no additional penalties or fees.

Including vision, dental, death & disability, travel, and more.

Hire and pay talents
with Horizons in
180+ countries

Get started

South Africa

Standard employment contract in South Africa: Open-ended contract

The standard employment contract in South Africa is an unlimited employment contract. This is a contract of indefinite duration with no fixed end date. The employee can work for the employer for as long as they wish and there must be a just reason for termination.

As with all employment contracts, the Labour Relations Act and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, provide the legal framework for open-ended contracts in South Africa.

Alternative employment contract in South Africa: Fixed-term contract

he alternative employment contract in South Africa is a fixed-term contract. These contracts will end on a specific date or when a specific task has been completed. In South Africa, for fixed-term contracts the employer must show that the nature of the work is of limited duration. Otherwise the contract should be converted into an open ended.

Are there other types of employment contracts in South Africa?

South Africa also allows probationary contracts (contracts with a set probation period where it is easier to dismiss workers).

Another common type of contract is a ‘casual employment contract’. These contracts, also known as ‘zero-hours’ contracts are used to hire employees typically hired to perform work on an ad hoc basis or for a short period. This could be to cover a busy period, to fill in for another employee, or to complete a specific task or project.

Note, legal protections apply to ensure that employers are not using casual contracts where other forms of contract would be preferable.

Hiring in South Africa, Made Easy

Your business can easily hire employees in South Africa without opening a local entity. We handle local employment law, complex tax regulations, and international payroll in 180+ countries worldwide. All you need to do is focus on your business.

FAQs

What are the main differences between the standard contract and the alternative contract in South Africa?

The main difference is the standard contract is for an unlimited amount of time, whereas the alternative contract (a fixed-term contract) has an end date or finishes once the project is finished.

Which South Africa employment contract is right for me?

The best employment contract that is right for you depends on the nature of your business. Factors like the needs of your business and the job you are hiring for will effect which employment contract is right for you in South Africa.

Success stories from businesses we’ve helped enter and grow in new markets.

Client Testimonials

"As a seed-stage, London-based startup, we were initially hesitant to expand internationally due to the administrative workload involved. Horizons completely took the headache out of the process, allowing us to hire a team of software engineers in Germany."

Gabor SzedlakCo-founder & COO

"I truly appreciated the thoroughness and the professionalism of Horizons personnel while we hired internationally with them. When they advised our international expansion, they spoke confidently and were knowledgable on all subject matters pertaining to international employment."

Gary PaskyVice President of Software Development

"On deciding to begin commercial activities in Asia Pacific, we needed a provider to handle the employment and remuneration of our workforce. With Horizons the result was fast, efficient, and fit-for-purpose. We recommend Horizons as an EOR provider.”

Chris MorrellManaging Director

"The collaboration with the Horizons team is excellent. Both our local employee as well as our HQ in Germany are more than pleased with the support provided and the simplicity of the service. We can highly recommend the Horizons solution to anyone."

Christoph EngelbertCo-Founder & CTO

"We needed an EOR that could provide expert support for payroll in APAC. We are pleased with Horizons’ expertise and the fact that they are flexible, responsive, and easily accessible from Belgium. They were able to provide services within the short timeline we required."

Katia FlamandHuman Resources

Global Benefits

Global Immigration

Talent Acquisition

About Horizons

Success Stories

Partner Program

Global Hubs

Careers

Hire Globally

Switch to Horizons

Subsidiary to EOR

For HR Teams

For Finance Teams

For Legal Teams

Insight

Inside Horizons

Help Center

Support

Global Payroll Calculator

Employee Misclassification Calculator

Employment contracts
in South Africa.

Standard employment contract in South Africa: Open-ended contract

Alternative employment contract in South Africa: Fixed-term contract

Are there other types of employment contracts in South Africa?

Hiring in South Africa, Made Easy

FAQs

Success stories from businesses we’ve helped enter and grow in new markets.

Client Testimonials

Hire Anywhere. Today.

Employment contracts in South Africa.

Standard employment contract in South Africa: Open-ended contract

Alternative employment contract in South Africa: Fixed-term contract

Are there other types of employment contracts in South Africa?

Hiring in South Africa, Made Easy

FAQs

Success stories from businesses we’ve helped enter and grow in new markets.

Client Testimonials

Hire Anywhere. Today.

Employment contracts
in South Africa.