In Ecuador, employers are not required to give advance notice to terminate an employment contract; however, termination without just cause constitutes dismissal without cause and triggers statutory severance, as well as an additional bonus equivalent to 25% of the employee’s last monthly remuneration for each year of service.
Foreign nationals wanting to work in Ecuador are granted a temporary residence visa valid for up to 2 years, provided they submit proper documentation. Foreign employees who wish to work in public sector require special permission from the Ministry of Labor, while those working in private sector do not require any special permission.
In Ecuador, employees are entitled to 15 days of paid annual leave after 1 year of service. Those who have worked for more than 5 years with the same employer are entitled to 1 additional day of leave per extra year of service; the employer may choose between granting these additional days or paying them in cash. Additional leave accrued due to seniority is capped at 15 days, unless otherwise agreed in an individual or collective contract. Employees under 16 years of age are entitled to 20 days of annual leave, while employees aged 16 to under 18 are entitled to 18 days.
Employees may accumulate unused leave for up to 3 consecutive years to be taken in the fourth year. Exceptions apply for technical roles or positions of trust. In all cases of termination, employees must receive compensation for any accrued but unused leave on a proportional basis according to their length of service.
Standard working hours are 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week. For underground work, the maximum working hours are 6 hours a day. The working day for adolescents may not exceed 6 hours a day for 5 days a week. 2 days' paid weekly rest is mandatory. Collective agreements can determine higher or lower working hours.
Employees who stop working 8 hours a day without justification will lose a proportional part of remuneration. When work is interrupted due to accidental or unforeseen causes, force majeure, or other reasons beyond the control of employers and employees, employers have the right to increase working hours by 3 hours a day to recover the lost time without liability for overtime pay.
The Ministry of Labor established a new framework for special work schedules. Employers and employees may agree to spread the standard 40-hour workweek over 5 days, with shifts of up to 10 hours per day. Any hours worked beyond 40 in a week must be paid at the overtime rates. The arrangement must be documented in the employment contract or in a contract amendment. While Ministry authorization is still required for special work schedules, it is not required to implement the efficient-workday arrangement itself.
All female employees in Ecuador have the right to 12 weeks of paid maternity leave, 2 weeks before delivery, and 10 weeks after.
Employees are entitled to 15 months of optional unpaid leave after paid maternity leave has ended to care for their biological or adopted children.
Adoptive employees are entitled to adoption leave for 30 days from the date of leaving the adoption entity. Employees who adopt newborn children are entitled to the same paid and unpaid leave as those provided to biological parent employees.
Employers are prohibited from dismissing pregnant employees and those on maternity leave and during the breastfeeding period, except in cases such as liquidation or disability that makes them unable to work.
The unified basic salary is USD 482 (US dollar) per month in 2026.
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