Hiring guide · Americas

How to hire in Argentina

To hire in Argentina you need a registered entity contributing to social security and union schemes, or an Employer of Record that holds one. Employer contributions run roughly 24–27% of salary, plus a mandatory 13th month aguinaldo paid in two instalments.

Currency
ARS
Payroll cycle
Monthly
Employer cost
~24–27% + aguinaldo
Notice
15 days to 2 months

The talent market in Argentina

Argentina has some of Latin America's strongest software engineering and design talent, concentrated in Buenos Aires, Córdoba and Rosario, with high English proficiency and full US time-zone overlap.

Inflation and currency controls shape compensation practice: peso salaries are renegotiated frequently, often against collective bargaining agreement indices, and many senior engineers prefer USD contractor arrangements. That preference has to be weighed against reclassification exposure.

Salary benchmarks in Argentina

Indicative annual gross base salary in ARS for common roles. Treat these as planning ranges — actual offers move with city, seniority, sector and equity mix, and we model a live benchmark before you go to offer.

Indicative annual gross salary ranges in Argentina
RoleAnnual gross base
Software engineer (mid)USD 30,000 – 50,000 equivalent
Senior software engineerUSD 50,000 – 80,000 equivalent
Account executive (SaaS)USD 35,000 – 65,000 equivalent incl. variable
Customer support specialistUSD 12,000 – 22,000 equivalent

Employment rules and payroll in Argentina

The statutory framework any offer has to sit inside — hours, leave, notice and the contributions that turn salary into fully loaded cost.

  • Working week

    48 hours maximum, 8 hours per day

  • Probation

    Up to 6 months for indefinite contracts

  • Notice period

    15 days during probation, then 1–2 months by length of service

  • Paid leave

    14 calendar days rising to 35 with service

  • Public holidays

    Around 15 national days plus bridge holidays

  • Payroll cycle

    Monthly, with aguinaldo in June and December

  • Employer contributions

    ~24–27% across pension, health, family allowances and union or collective bargaining contributions

Contractor, EOR employee or your own entity?

Three ways to engage someone in Argentina. The right one depends on how permanent the role is, how much direction you give, and how much local risk you want to carry.

  • Contractor

    Fastest to start and simplest to end. Suitable for genuinely independent, project-scoped work where the person controls how and when they deliver, invoices you, and works for other clients. No statutory benefits, no notice period, no severance.

  • Employee via EOR

    The right structure for a full-time role with fixed hours, managerial direction and exclusivity. A licensed in-country partner is the legal employer, so the person gets a compliant contract, statutory benefits and local payroll — without you opening an entity.

  • Your own entity

    Worth it once headcount, permanence and local revenue justify the incorporation, tax registration, statutory filings and local directorship. Most companies reach that point somewhere between 15 and 30 employees in a single country.

Misclassification risk in Argentina

Argentine labour courts are strongly employee-protective and readily find an employment relationship where work is continuous, directed and exclusive. Reclassification brings back contributions, aguinaldo, vacation and severance of one month per year of service, plus penalties for unregistered employment that can double the award.

Work permits and right to work

Mercosur nationals have simplified residence access. Other foreign nationals need a temporary residence permit with work authorisation sponsored by an employer registered with the immigration authority, typically taking one to three months.

Immigration and mobility support

Hire in Argentina without an entity

TalentStores orchestrates Employer of Record employment in Argentina through licensed in-country partners, with cost modelled before you extend an offer.

Explore Employer of Record
  • Fully loaded cost modelled before offer
  • Licensed partner matched, not assumed
  • One contract, one consolidated bill

Hiring in Argentina: frequently asked questions

Is it safe to engage Argentine engineers as USD contractors?

It is common but carries real exposure. Where the person works full time under your direction, courts reclassify the relationship and apply back contributions, aguinaldo, vacation and severance, with penalties for unregistered employment that can substantially increase the award.

What does an Argentine employee cost above salary?

Roughly 24–27% in employer social security and union contributions, plus the aguinaldo thirteenth salary, which adds about 8.3%. Collective bargaining agreements may add further mandated benefits depending on the sector.

How are salary increases handled under inflation?

Peso compensation is typically reviewed several times a year, frequently tracking collective bargaining agreement adjustments for covered roles. Budget for scheduled reviews rather than annual cycles, and model cost in both peso and hard-currency terms.

Related

Get the Argentina Hiring Cost Guide

A country brief covering fully loaded employment cost in ARS, salary benchmarks by role, statutory contributions, leave and notice rules, and a sample offer breakdown for Argentina.