Uruguay flag Uruguay: Operating a Business in Uruguay

Work conditions in Uruguay

The Active Population in Figures

	2023	2024	2025
Labour Force	1,858,070	1,892,909	1,905,024

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database

	2022	2023	2024
Total activity rate	74.75%	76.15%	77.23%
Men activity rate	80.99%	82.79%	83.98%
Women activity rate	68.63%	69.62%	70.60%

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database

Working Conditions

Legal Weekly Duration: The standard workweek is 44 hours.
Retirement Age: The retirement age will gradually increase from 60 to 65 years depending on the year of birth.
Working Contracts: Employment contracts are regulated by Law. Collective agreements in each sector and individual negotiations complement it.
The terms of employment contracts are flexible.
Labour Laws: Consult Doing Business Website, to obtain a summary of the labor regulations that apply to local entreprises.

Cost of Labour

Minimum Wage: The national monthly minimum wage is UYU 24,572 (approx. USD 629), as reported by the National Institute of Statistics (INE) following an increase in January 2026.
Average Wage: In 2024, the monthly average wage was UYU 47,938 (approx. USD 1,220) according to the ILO (lastest available data).
Social Contributions: Social Security Contributions Paid By Employers: 12.63% of the gross wage.
Social Security Contributions Paid By Employees: 18,1-23.1% of the gross wage according to plans and sectors.

Social Partners

Social Dialogue and Involvement of Social Partners: The Unitarian Federation ( PIT-CNT ) is the organization that co-ordinates trade union representatives. It puts pressure on the government.
Labour Unions: PIT CNT Inter-union Workers' Congress; National Workers' Convention.
Unionisation Rate: 12%.
Labour Regulation Bodies: Ministry of work

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