Tax Rankings 2026

Countries with Lowest Employee Social Security 2024

This ranking lists 196 countries from lowest to highest by soc_emp ascending. Botswana leads at 0.0%, while Belarus has the highest rate at 35.0%. Data year: 2024.

📅 April 2026 🌎 196 countries ranked 📈 soc_emp ascending 🕑 Data: 2024
Key Insight Lowest rates: Botswana, Suriname, Tuvalu lead this ranking. The top-ranked country charges only 0.0% — making it among the most attractive globally for tax residency optimisation. Compare the full list below.

Top 3 — Countries with Lowest Employee Social Security 2024

1st
Botswana
0.0%
Statutory rate
2nd
Suriname
0.0%
Statutory rate
3rd
Tuvalu
0.0%
Statutory rate
196countries ranked
8.5%average rate
13at 0% (tax-free)
4above 30%

Full Rankings Table

Filter: 196 countries
# Country SS Employee Rate
1
Botswana
Africa
0.0%
2
Suriname
South America
0.0%
3
Tuvalu
Oceania
0.0%
4
Vanuatu
Oceania
0.0%
5
Somalia
Africa
0.0%
6
Timor-Leste
Asia
0.0%
7
Cambodia
Asia
0.0%
8
Namibia
Africa
0.0%
9
Kuwait
Asia
0.0%
10
Qatar
Asia
0.0%
11
Kenya
Africa
0.0%
12
UAE
Asia
0.0%
13
New Zealand
Oceania
0.0%
14
South Africa
Africa
1.0%
15
Mauritania
Africa
1.0%
16
Turkmenistan
Asia
1.0%
17
Estonia
Europe
1.6%
18
Eritrea
Africa
2.0%
19
Myanmar
Asia
2.0%
20
Georgia
Asia
2.0%
21
Gabon
Africa
2.5%
22
Armenia
Asia
2.5%
23
Jamaica
North America
2.5%
24
Dominican Republic
North America
2.9%
25
Angola
Africa
3.0%
26
Afghanistan
Asia
3.0%
27
Azerbaijan
Asia
3.0%
28
Lebanon
Asia
3.0%
29
Mauritius
Africa
3.0%
30
Indonesia
Asia
3.0%
31
Mali
Africa
3.6%
32
Benin
Africa
3.6%
33
Niger
Africa
3.6%
34
Liberia
Africa
3.8%
35
Libya
Africa
3.8%
36
Equatorial Guinea
Africa
4.0%
37
Guinea
Africa
4.0%
38
Guinea-Bissau
Africa
4.0%
39
Togo
Africa
4.0%
40
Venezuela
South America
4.0%
41
Mozambique
Africa
4.0%
42
Iceland
Europe
4.0%
43
Colombia
South America
4.0%
44
Ireland
Europe
4.0%
45
Cameroon
Africa
4.2%
46
Morocco
Africa
4.5%
47
Zimbabwe
Africa
4.5%
48
Grenada
North America
4.5%
49
Philippines
Asia
4.5%
50
Guatemala
North America
4.8%
51
Comoros
Africa
5.0%
52
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Africa
5.0%
53
Djibouti
Africa
5.0%
54
Eswatini
Africa
5.0%
55
Gambia
Africa
5.0%
56
Malawi
Africa
5.0%
57
Burundi
Africa
5.0%
58
Zambia
Africa
5.0%
59
Bhutan
Asia
5.0%
60
Brunei
Asia
5.0%
61
Macau
Asia
5.0%
62
Kosovo
Europe
5.0%
63
Kiribati
Oceania
5.0%
64
Nauru
Oceania
5.0%
65
Sierra Leone
Africa
5.0%
66
Rwanda
Africa
5.0%
67
Saint Lucia
North America
5.0%
68
Samoa
Oceania
5.0%
69
Trinidad and Tobago
North America
5.0%
70
Hong Kong (update)
Asia
5.0%
71
Cuba
North America
5.0%
72
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
North America
5.0%
73
Thailand
Asia
5.0%
74
Bangladesh
Asia
5.0%
75
Burkina Faso
Africa
5.5%
76
Laos
Asia
5.5%
77
Ghana
Africa
5.5%
78
Guyana
South America
5.6%
79
Senegal
Africa
5.6%
80
Haiti
North America
6.0%
81
Saint Kitts and Nevis
North America
6.0%
82
Yemen
Asia
6.0%
83
Palau
Oceania
6.0%
84
Pakistan
Asia
6.0%
85
Nicaragua
North America
6.2%
86
Côte d'Ivoire
Africa
6.3%
87
Spain
Europe
6.4%
88
Chad
Africa
7.0%
89
Tonga
Oceania
7.0%
90
Bahrain
Asia
7.0%
91
Iran
Asia
7.0%
92
Honduras
North America
7.0%
93
Antigua and Barbuda
North America
7.0%
94
Belize
North America
7.0%
95
Dominica
North America
7.0%
96
Marshall Islands
Oceania
7.0%
97
Palestine
Asia
7.0%
98
Oman
Asia
7.0%
99
Maldives
Asia
7.0%
100
Papua New Guinea
Oceania
7.0%
101
Liechtenstein
Europe
7.0%
102
Chile
South America
7.0%
103
Israel
Asia
7.0%
104
Sweden
Europe
7.0%
105
Finland
Europe
7.2%
106
Solomon Islands
Oceania
7.5%
107
Jordan
Asia
7.5%
108
Andorra
Europe
7.5%
109
El Salvador
North America
7.5%
110
Micronesia
Oceania
7.5%
111
United States
North America
7.7%
112
Canada
North America
7.9%
113
Denmark
Europe
8.0%
114
Congo
Africa
8.0%
115
Central African Republic
Africa
8.0%
116
South Sudan
Africa
8.0%
117
Lesotho
Africa
8.0%
118
São Tomé and Príncipe
Africa
8.0%
119
Sri Lanka
Asia
8.0%
120
Vietnam
Asia
8.0%
121
Brazil
South America
8.0%
122
Nigeria
Africa
8.0%
123
Norway
Europe
8.2%
124
Cyprus
Europe
8.3%
125
Mexico
North America
8.4%
126
Cape Verde
Africa
8.5%
127
San Marino
Europe
8.5%
128
Algeria
Africa
9.0%
129
Paraguay
South America
9.0%
130
Peru
South America
9.0%
131
Tunisia
Africa
9.2%
132
South Korea
Asia
9.4%
133
Ecuador
South America
9.4%
134
Italy
Europe
9.5%
135
Panama
North America
9.8%
136
Saudi Arabia
Asia
9.8%
137
Kyrgyzstan
Asia
10.0%
138
Bolivia
South America
10.0%
139
Fiji
Oceania
10.0%
140
Uganda
Africa
10.0%
141
Seychelles
Africa
10.0%
142
Kazakhstan
Asia
10.0%
143
Tanzania
Africa
10.0%
144
Taiwan
Asia
10.2%
145
Mongolia
Asia
10.5%
146
China
Asia
10.5%
147
Latvia
Europe
10.5%
148
Switzerland
Europe
10.6%
149
Costa Rica
North America
10.7%
150
Nepal
Asia
11.0%
151
Malaysia
Asia
11.0%
152
Egypt
Africa
11.0%
153
Ethiopia
Africa
11.0%
154
Australia
Oceania
11.0%
155
Czech Republic
Europe
11.0%
156
Portugal
Europe
11.0%
157
Barbados
North America
11.1%
158
Albania
Europe
11.2%
159
India
Asia
12.0%
160
Iraq
Asia
12.0%
161
Uzbekistan
Asia
12.0%
162
United Kingdom
Europe
12.0%
163
Luxembourg
Europe
12.4%
164
Madagascar
Africa
13.0%
165
Belgium
Europe
13.1%
166
Slovakia
Europe
13.4%
167
Bulgaria
Europe
13.8%
168
Monaco
Europe
13.8%
169
Greece
Europe
13.9%
170
Syria
Asia
14.0%
171
Turkey
Asia
14.0%
172
Japan
Asia
14.4%
173
North Korea
Asia
15.0%
174
Uruguay
South America
15.0%
175
Sudan
Africa
17.0%
176
Argentina
South America
17.0%
177
Austria
Europe
18.1%
178
Hungary
Europe
18.5%
179
Lithuania
Europe
19.5%
180
Serbia
Europe
19.9%
181
Singapore
Asia
20.0%
182
Croatia
Europe
20.0%
183
Germany
Europe
20.5%
184
Ukraine
Europe
22.0%
185
France
Europe
22.0%
186
Slovenia
Europe
22.1%
187
Poland
Europe
22.7%
188
Moldova
Europe
24.0%
189
Montenegro
Europe
24.9%
190
Tajikistan
Asia
25.0%
191
Netherlands
Europe
27.6%
192
North Macedonia
Europe
27.9%
193
Russia
Europe
30.0%
194
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Europe
31.0%
195
Romania
Europe
35.0%
196
Belarus
Europe
35.0%

Frequently Asked Questions

Which countries have the lowest SS Employee Rate?
The countries with the lowest SS Employee Rate are: Botswana, Suriname, Tuvalu. Botswana leads at 0.0%. Zero-tax or near-zero jurisdictions include UAE, Bahrain, and Cayman Islands for most income taxes. Among OECD nations, Bulgaria (10% flat), Hungary (15%), and Ireland (12.5% corporate) are notable low-tax options.
How does SS Employee Rate affect expats and digital nomads?
SS Employee Rate directly impacts take-home pay and investment returns for globally mobile professionals. A 30-percentage-point difference between countries can mean €30,000/year saved on €100,000 gross income. Key considerations: the 183-day residency rule, tax treaties between countries, territorial vs worldwide tax systems, and special regimes (Portugal IFICI 10% flat, Spain Beckham Law 24%). Always confirm current rates with official sources before relocating.
What is the methodology behind the Countries with Lowest Employee Social Security 2024?
This ranking uses statutory headline rates from soc_emp ascending, data year 2024. Statutory rates are the official legal top rates — effective rates (after deductions, allowances, and tax treaty benefits) are typically lower. Corporate rates shown are the standard national rate excluding municipal or state surcharges. Rankings are updated annually as new OECD and official national data becomes available.
Data sources: OECD Tax Database, IMF Fiscal Monitor, national tax authorities. Rates shown are statutory headline rates (top marginal for income tax, standard for VAT/corporate). Effective rates depend on deductions, filing status, and individual circumstances. Last updated April 2026. Not tax advice — consult a qualified advisor for your situation.