Discover & Hire Top Talents in Brunei
Everything you need to know about the country's employment laws, culture, and workforce insights.
Bandar Seri Begawan UTC+8
Bandar Seri Begawan
Brunei Dollar (BND)
Malay, English, Chinese
monthly
8.50% – 10.50% or BND 57.50
Talent Landscape in Brunei
Brunei has an estimated labor force of about 238,000 (2025), with talent demand concentrated in oil and gas, public administration, construction, financial services and digital government. International employers are most likely to find relevant candidate pools for Petroleum Engineering, Health, Safety & Environment, and Accounting & Finance. The market is compact, so targeted hiring and regional talent mobility are important for scarce specialist roles.
Major Economic Hubs
Bandar Seri Begawan
Skills In-Demand
Petroleum Engineering
Working Culture
Malay Islamic Courtesy at Work
Bruneian professional culture is shaped by Malay customs, Islam and respect for social harmony. Polite language, modest behaviour and sensitivity to prayer times and halal requirements are expected in many workplaces.
Deference to Rank and Government Protocol
Hierarchy is important, particularly in government and government linked organisations. Use correct titles, follow formal channels and avoid pushing junior employees to make commitments beyond their authority.
Calm Pace and Relationship Continuity
Business may progress through several courteous conversations rather than an immediate decision. Consistency, patience and respectful follow up are usually more effective than aggressive negotiation.
Average Salary
| Job Title | Avg Monthly Salary (BND) | |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting & Finance | ||
| Administrative Executive, Junior (1-3 years) | 2,150 BND | S$2,924 |
| Administrative Executive, Mid (3-5 years) | 2,850 BND | S$3,876 |
| Book Keeper, Junior (1-3 years) | 1,900 BND | S$2,584 |
| Book Keeper, Mid (3-5 years) | 2,600 BND | S$3,536 |
| Finance Executive, Junior (1-3 years) | 2,500 BND | S$3,400 |
| Finance Executive, Mid (3-5 years) | 3,250 BND | S$4,420 |
| Creatives | ||
| Graphic Designer, Junior (1-3 years) | 2,500 BND | S$3,400 |
| Graphic Designer, Mid (3-5 years) | 3,600 BND | S$4,896 |
| UI/UX Designer, Junior (1-3 years) | 2,600 BND | S$3,536 |
| UI/UX Designer, Mid (3-5 years) | 4,550 BND | S$6,188 |
| Data Analytics | ||
| Data Analyst, Junior (1-3 years) | 3,600 BND | S$4,896 |
| Data Analyst, Mid (3-5 years) | 4,700 BND | S$6,392 |
| Data Engineering | ||
| Data Engineer, Junior (1-3 years) | 3,600 BND | S$4,896 |
| Data Engineer, Mid (3-5 years) | 5,800 BND | S$7,888 |
| AI & Machine Learning | ||
| Data Scientist, Junior (1-3 years) | 3,600 BND | S$4,896 |
| Data Scientist, Mid (3-5 years) | 4,800 BND | S$6,528 |
| Machine Learning Engineer, Junior (1-3 years) | 3,050 BND | S$4,148 |
| Machine Learning Engineer, Mid (3-5 years) | 4,550 BND | S$6,188 |
| Digital Marketing | ||
| Content Marketing, Junior (1-3 years) | 2,900 BND | S$3,944 |
| Content Marketing, Mid (3-5 years) | 4,250 BND | S$5,780 |
| Digital Marketing, Junior (1-3 years) | 2,900 BND | S$3,944 |
| Digital Marketing, Mid (3-5 years) | 4,250 BND | S$5,780 |
| Growth Marketing, Junior (1-3 years) | 3,050 BND | S$4,148 |
| Growth Marketing, Mid (3-5 years) | 4,550 BND | S$6,188 |
| Software Development | ||
| Backend Developer, Junior (1-3 years) | 3,700 BND | S$5,032 |
| Backend Developer, Mid (3-5 years) | 5,500 BND | S$7,480 |
| Job Title | Avg Monthly Salary (BND) | |
|---|---|---|
| DevOps | ||
| DevOps Engineer, Junior (1-3 years) | 3,600 BND | S$4,896 |
| DevOps Engineer, Mid (3-5 years) | 4,800 BND | S$6,528 |
| Site Reliability Engineer, Junior (1-3 years) | 3,600 BND | S$4,896 |
| Site Reliability Engineer, Mid (3-5 years) | 5,100 BND | S$6,936 |
| Customer Support | ||
| Customer Service Officer, Junior (1-3 years) | 1,800 BND | S$2,448 |
| Customer Service Officer, Mid (3-5 years) | 2,350 BND | S$3,196 |
| Customer Experience | ||
| Customer Success Manager, Junior (1-3 years) | 2,600 BND | S$3,536 |
| Customer Success Manager, Mid (3-5 years) | 3,700 BND | S$5,032 |
| HR Operations | ||
| HR Executive, Junior (1-3 years) | 2,350 BND | S$3,196 |
| HR Executive, Mid (3-5 years) | 3,150 BND | S$4,284 |
| FinTech | ||
| Blockchain Developer, Junior (1-3 years) | 2,900 BND | S$3,944 |
| Blockchain Developer, Mid (3-5 years) | 4,250 BND | S$5,780 |
| Payments Engineer, Junior (1-3 years) | 2,900 BND | S$3,944 |
| Payments Engineer, Mid (3-5 years) | 3,850 BND | S$5,236 |
| Cloud Computing | ||
| Cloud Engineer, Junior (1-3 years) | 3,300 BND | S$4,488 |
| Cloud Engineer, Mid (3-5 years) | 4,800 BND | S$6,528 |
Hiring Guide in Brunei
This guide highlights the fundamental rules employers must know to hire compliantly, covering pay structures, leave policies, termination procedures, and compliance requirements.
For details, browse the topics through the tabs below.
Payroll in Brunei
Payroll Cycle
Monthly payroll is standard for salaried employees. The contractual pay date must follow local wage payment rules.
Minimum Wage
A statutory minimum wage applies to identified industries and covered employers under Brunei’s phased minimum wage framework. Coverage should be checked before payroll setup.
Overtime Pay
- Generally 8 hours per day and 44 hours per week for employees covered by the Employment Order. - Overtime is generally limited to 72 hours per month unless an exemption applies.
- Ordinary overtime: Hourly Basic Rate × 1.50 × Overtime Hours. - Rest-day and public-holiday work: apply the statutory Employment Order calculation.
Bonus
13th Month
Brunei does not impose a general statutory 13th month salary on private sector employers. Private sector employees therefore have no automatic entitlement to an additional annual salary unless a binding employment contract, collective agreement, wage order, employer rule, or special sector law provides one.
No statutory private sector calculation applies. Where a binding instrument grants an annual bonus or 13th salary, the amount must be calculated under that instrument; there is no legal default that it equals 1 month of salary.
No private sector employee in Brunei qualifies automatically under the general labour law. Eligibility is limited to employees expressly covered by the applicable contract, collective agreement, wage order, employer rule, or special sector provision. The general law does not prescribe a universal minimum service period, prorating method, payment deadline, or entitlement after resignation or dismissal for a 13th salary. Those points must be determined from the specific binding instrument. Statutory leave pay, severance, end of service benefits, profit sharing, and public sector payments are separate benefits and should not be recorded as private sector 13th month salary unless the local rule expressly treats them that way.
Employees Benefits
| Types of Benefit | Details |
|---|---|
| Mandatory | |
| Employees Trust Fund (TAP), Supplemental Contributory Pension (SCP) and workplace injury coverage | The core employer obligation in Brunei is registration and payroll remittance under Employees Trust Fund (TAP), Supplemental Contributory Pension (SCP) and workplace injury coverage. This is not a general allowance: it is the named statutory arrangement for the pension, retirement, unemployment, medical or related branches stated in the programme title. Coverage must be checked against establishment size, employee status, nationality and earnings limits, and contributions must be paid to the relevant authority by its filing deadline. |
| Work injury protection under Employees Trust Fund (TAP), Supplemental Contributory Pension (SCP) and workplace injury coverage | In Brunei, occupational injury protection is tied to Employees Trust Fund (TAP), Supplemental Contributory Pension (SCP) and workplace injury coverage. The employer must complete the applicable registration or insurance arrangement before exposure begins, report workplace accidents within the legal deadline, and fund the employer portion. Benefits generally cover treatment, temporary incapacity, permanent disability and survivor payments, but the responsible institution and assessable wage follow the local scheme. |
| Statutory termination or end of service entitlement in Brunei | Employees outside the TAP or SCP retirement arrangement may have contractual end of service benefits. Statutory notice, outstanding wages and accrued leave must be settled, while dismissal for misconduct must follow the process required by the Employment Order. |
| Public healthcare or mandatory medical coverage in Brunei | Brunei relies mainly on its public health system rather than a universal employer purchased medical policy. The employer must still comply with any payroll health levy, social insurance medical branch or visa linked insurance requirement that applies to the worker. Private group medical cover is therefore supplementary unless local law expressly makes it compulsory for the employee category. |
| Optional | |
| Supplementary private medical insurance in Brunei | Private medical insurance in Brunei should be designed around the gaps left by Employees Trust Fund (TAP), Supplemental Contributory Pension (SCP) and workplace injury coverage. Employers commonly add faster outpatient access, private hospital treatment, dental, optical, mental health and dependant cover. The policy remains optional unless a visa, emirate, collective agreement or sector rule makes insurance compulsory, and any taxable benefit treatment should be processed through payroll. |
| Performance or profit sharing bonus in Brunei | A performance or profit sharing bonus in Brunei is optional unless promised by contract, collective agreement or an established plan. The rules should specify the performance period, measurable targets, proration for joiners and leavers, and treatment during protected leave. Payroll must apply local income tax and social contribution rules to the payment. |
| Meal, commuting and business travel support in Brunei | Meal, commuting and business travel support in Brunei should be split between fixed cash allowances and reimbursements supported by receipts. That distinction determines whether the amount is taxable salary, exempt expense repayment or part of the contribution wage. The policy should state limits, eligible journeys and the treatment of remote work. |
| Housing, relocation and remote work support in Brunei | Housing, relocation and remote work support in Brunei is normally contractual rather than statutory. The policy should identify covered costs, taxable benefit treatment, repayment conditions for early departure and whether the support is temporary or continues throughout the assignment. |
Taxes
Country Tax
Brunei's country tax is known as No broad-based VAT or GST
Individual Tax
| Tax Component | Contribution Rate (%) | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Income Tax Structure | ||
| Resident Tax Rates | No personal income tax | Brunei does not currently impose personal income tax on employee salary or wages. Social insurance and other statutory payroll deductions may still apply. |
| Non-Resident Employment Income | No personal income tax | Brunei does not impose personal income tax on employment income. Other statutory payroll obligations may still apply. |
| Taxable Income Adjustments | ||
| Personal Income Tax Adjustments | Not applicable | No personal income tax is currently imposed on individual employment income, so personal income tax deductions and personal allowances are not applicable for the period described in the cited source. |
| Taxable & Exempt Components | ||
| Bonuses and Cash Allowances | No personal income tax | Brunei does not impose personal income tax on cash salary, commissions, or bonuses. Social insurance or other payroll deductions may still apply. |
| Benefits in Kind | No personal income tax | Brunei does not impose personal income tax on ordinary employee benefits in kind, although social insurance, immigration, or sector specific charges may still apply. |
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