Colombia (CO)
Colombia offers expats an extraordinary combination of year-round spring climate (especially in Medellín), very affordable living, rich culture, improving safety, and one of Latin America's most welcoming visa systems.
Family Rights & Benefits
Maternity, parental leave and child benefits in Colombia.
Colombia expanded maternity leave to 18 weeks under Law 2114 of 2021 (in force from 29 July 2021). The same law extended paternity leave to 2 weeks and created shared parental leave (last 6 weeks of maternity can be shared with father) and flexible parental leave. All rights apply equally to employees regardless of nationality. Key features: fuero de maternidad (absolute employment protection during pregnancy and maternity leave), Licencia de Paternidad (paternity leave), monthly Subsidio Familiar, and 15 family sick days annually. Birth registration must occur within 30 days.
Licencia de Maternidad
Before birth: 1 week before the expected due date (semana preparto). Can be extended to 2 weeks before by medical recommendation. During this period, EPS pays 100% of salary.
After birth: 17 weeks (119 days) after birth. Total: 18 weeks (126 days) of paid maternity leave (Law 2114/2021). The first 12 weeks are non-transferable to the mother; the last 6 weeks can be shared with the father/partner under the shared parental leave scheme. If twins or multiple births: 2 extra weeks (total 20 weeks). If premature birth: additional weeks equal to the prematurity period. EPS pays 100% of the declared IBC — employer advances payment then recovers from EPS.
Job protection: Fuero de maternidad: the strongest employment protection in Colombian law. Employer CANNOT dismiss a pregnant employee or a mother within 6 months post-birth without prior authorization from the Ministerio del Trabajo inspector. Violations: reinstatement + 3 months indemnification + reimbursement of all benefits. Even during probation period: fuero de maternidad applies once pregnancy is certified. Courts consistently rule in favour of mothers in these cases.
Licencia de Paternidad
Max duration: 2 weeks (14 calendar days) paid paternity leave for fathers. Paid by EPS at 100% of IBC. Father must have been enrolled in EPS and contributing for the previous 3 months. Must be taken within 1 month of birth. Requires birth certificate presentation to employer. Proposed reforms aim to extend this to 4 weeks by 2027.
Split rules / Elterngeld: Licencia de Paternidad cannot be split — taken as a continuous block after birth. Additional unpaid parental leave: fathers can request licencia no remunerada (unpaid leave) beyond the 2 weeks — at employer's discretion. Adoptive parents: same maternity and paternity leave rights apply from the date of formal adoption.
Benefits
Subsidio Familiar (CCF)
COP $45,000–70,000/month per dependent child (for workers earning ≤ 4 SMMLV)
Duration: Until child turns 18 (or 23 if studying)
Eligibility: Formally employed workers enrolled with a Caja de Compensación Familiar. Register dependents at the CCF within 30 days of enrollment.
How to apply: Register at your employer's CCF. Bring CE, child's birth certificate, and enrollment form. CCF card provides access to facilities.
CCF benefits extend to recreational facilities, swimming pools, cinema, vacation resorts, educational loans, and health clinics at reduced rates. Comfama (Medellín) and Cafam/Compensar (Bogotá) are among Colombia's best.
Licencia por Luto (Bereavement Leave)
5 working days paid bereavement leave
Duration: 5 business days
Eligibility: Death of: spouse or permanent partner, parents, children, siblings, father-in-law/mother-in-law, grandparents, grandchildren. Available to all formal employees.
How to apply: Notify employer. Provide death certificate (registro civil de defunción) upon return.
Ley 1280/2009. Cannot be discounted from vacation balance. Must be taken within 5 days of the death.
Subsidio de Vivienda (Housing Subsidy)
Up to 20 SMMLV = COP $28,470,000 (2026) toward first home purchase
Duration: One-time subsidy
Eligibility: Workers with CCF enrollment earning ≤ 4 SMMLV, never previously owned property in Colombia, purchasing a VIS (Vivienda de Interés Social) property. Some programmes available to workers earning up to 8 SMMLV for VIP properties.
How to apply: Apply through your CCF. Submit income proof, CCF contribution history, and property purchase documentation. Process: 2–4 months.
Significant benefit that many expats overlook. If purchasing a first home in Colombia as a formal employee earning ≤ 4 SMMLV, this subsidy is available regardless of nationality. Combines with Banco de la República Cobertura de Tasa mortgage subsidy for VIS properties.
Auxilio de Transporte (Transport Allowance)
COP $200,000/month (2026)
Duration: Monthly, as long as employed
Eligibility: All formal employees earning up to 2 SMMLV (COP $2,847,000/month). Paid in addition to salary as a non-wage benefit (not subject to pension/health contributions).
How to apply: Automatic — employer includes in payroll. Not a subsidy to apply for.
Not an optional benefit — legally mandatory for all qualifying employees regardless of commute distance.
Sick child leave
Licencia por Enfermedad de Hijo Menor de 1 Año: paid leave up to 12 working days per year when a child under 1 year is ill, requiring one parent to stay home. Paid by EPS at 100% of IBC. Both parents cannot take this concurrently for the same event. For children over 1 year: employer discretion; no legal entitlement. However, Labor Inspectors may consider arbitrary refusal as bad faith.
Birth registration
Registro civil de nacimiento: must be done within 30 days of birth at any Notaría (notary public) or Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil. Documents needed: mother's and father's IDs (CC or CE), prenatal medical certificate (carné de control prenatal) or hospital birth record, and in some cases a medical certificate of live birth (certificado de nacido vivo). The birth registration number (NUIP — número único de identificación personal) is assigned at registration. Free of charge. Foreign parents: register with both the Colombian Registraduría and your home country's embassy/consulate for dual registration.
Childcare rights
Jardines Infantiles del ICBF (public childcare centres): free for families registered in Sisbén (means-tested). Private jardines infantiles: COP $400,000–1,200,000/month. Child must be registered with the DANE census and local ICBF. EPS covers pediatric healthcare including vaccines. Children of foreign parents: enrolled in EPS under the parent's health coverage automatically; register within 30 days of birth. School enrollment (matricula): starts at age 5 for grado transición. Public schools: free. Private schools: see priceGuide.ts.
Family Rights
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