Probation
Probation period by country, the legal maximum
The longest probation the law allows in 127 countries, each linked to the law that sets it. It runs from 1 month in Austria, El Salvador and Nicaragua to 12 months in Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania.
Longest probation the law allows, longest first
The statutory maximum; the wording, linked to its source, notes longer limits for some roles.
Countries with no general probation or no single maximum
The law provides no general probation, sets no maximum, leaves it to agreements, or states it in a way that has no single figure.
Statutory minimums or standards; employment contracts and collective agreements can set more. Employment terms as listed on each country page (labour data as of Aug 18, 2026 unless re-read since), 127 countries.
Probation period by country: common questions
Which country allows the longest probation period?
In our data the longest probation the law allows is 12 months, in Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania, and the shortest maximum is 1 month, in Austria, El Salvador and Nicaragua. The most common maximums are 3 months (44 countries) and 6 months (39). 21 countries have no general probation (Belgium abolished it in 2014), set no single maximum, or state it another way.
Is the probation period the same for every role?
Not always. Several laws allow a longer probation for managers or skilled roles, or set it by collective agreement; each country's wording, linked to its source, states the conditions.
Does an employer of record use a probation period?
Yes, within the local limit: as the legal employer it writes the probation into the employment contract, so the maximum here is the longest it can agree.
Hiring someone in another country? Pick the country and we rank the employer of record providers that employ there and apply its employment law, with their published fees.
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