Labour Compliance in Chile: Key Employer Obligations

Entering a new market is not just about understanding the legal framework at a high level. It is the day-to-day operational details that ultimately determine whether a company can function smoothly. For foreign companies employing staff in Chile, labor compliance is one of those areas where the small details matter. The regulations themselves are well defined, but the processes behind them are nuanced, highly procedural, and increasingly digital. Expectations continue to evolve as Chile modernizes its oversight systems and shifts toward more data-driven enforcement.

In recent years, Chile has taken significant steps to modernize and centralize its labor compliance systems. One of the most impactful changes is the introduction of the Registro Electrónico Laboral (REL), an online platform managed by the Ministry of Labor where employers must register and maintain key employment information. While it is indeed another bureaucratic requirement, it is an important one, as it is reshaping how companies document, report, and manage employee relationships in Chile.

Employment Contract Registration

This requirement ensures that all employment relationships are properly recorded and legally recognized.Employers must register each signed employment contract with the DT within 15 business days of its execution. The registration must include:

• Employee and employer identification details.
• Basic terms and conditions outlined in Article 10 of the Labor Code.

Amendment (Annex) of Contract Registration

• If any employment terms are modified, the employer must register the annex or modification within 15 business days of signing.
• All changes to working conditions, salary, or position must be reported through the “Registro de Anexo de Contrato” on the DT platform.

Employment Termination Registration

This ensures compliance with legal requirements and accurate tracking of labor relations. Whenever an employment relationship ends, regardless of cause, the employer must register the termination. The registration must include:

• Employer and employee identification.
• Legal cause of termination.
• Start and end dates of the employment relationship.
• Notification date (if applicable).

Electronic Payroll Record

This information must be uploaded within the first 15 business days of the following month. Employers are required to record monthly payments made to workers, including:

• Wages and salaries.
• Allowances and bonuses.
• Severance payments.
• Other monetary benefits.

Hygiene and Safety Committee Registration

The registration must be completed within 15 business days of the committee’s election. Companies must register details of their Joint Hygiene and Safety Committee, including:

• Names and appointment dates of employer representatives.
• Election details of employee representatives (including number of voters and elected members).

Training Committee Registration

This committee plays a key role in planning and promoting workforce training and development.Employers with 15 or more employees must register the creation of a Joint Training Committee within 15 business days of its constitution. The registration must include:

• Date of constitution.
• Names of all members.

Conclusion

For international companies, the day-to-day operational requirements of employing staff in Chile have real implications. You may be managing the entity from abroad with no local administrative team, or relying on global payroll companies to manage payroll across multiple jurisdictions. However, Chile’s labor framework demands local alignment, accurate documentation, and timely reporting. A missed deadline or an unregistered contract amendment can not only result in fines, but can also weaken the company’s position in a labor dispute.

The Registro Electrónico Laboral (REL) may appear at first to be just another administrative step, but it reflects a broader shift toward a more transparent, traceable, and enforceable labor system in Chile. It ensures that employment relationships are clearly recorded and consistently monitored.

These requirements are not necessarily burdensome, but they do require ongoing attention. The key takeaway is simple: long-term success in Chile depends on managing the operational details well as your company grows. Having trusted local partners who understand the regulatory landscape, stay up to date as rules evolve, and provide hands-on support with daily compliance tasks is not just helpful — it is essential.

Ax Legal helps industrial technology, engineering, and service companies to navigate the legal and commercial aspects of operating their business in Latin America. With deep knowledge of the industrial and natural resource sectors, we provide actionable and practical advice to help streamline our clients’ entries into Latin America, improve how they operate in the region, and to protect their interests.

Over the years, our team of legal and commercial advisors have developed a track record of working with companies of all sizes from Australia, Canada, the U.S., and Europe. The one common factor that connects our clients is that they are leaders in their field, providing innovative technologies and services to the industrial sectors.

To better understand how we can support you in the Region, please contact Cody Mcfarlane at cmm@ax.legal