Fixed-Term Employment Contract Colombia (Contrato de Trabajo a Término Fijo)

A Fixed-Term Employment Contract Colombia (Contrato de Trabajo a Término Fijo) is a written labour agreement between an empleador (employer) and a trabajador (worker) that establishes an employment relationship for a predetermined period, governed by Article 46 of the Código Sustantivo del Trabajo (CST) — Decreto Ley 2663 de 1950 — as modified by Article 3 of Ley 50 de 1990. Under Colombian labour law, the fixed-term contract must always be executed in writing; oral agreements for a defined period are legally treated as indefinite contracts under CST Article 45.

Article 46 of the CST, as amended by Ley 50 de 1990, establishes two categories of fixed-term contracts. Contracts with a duration equal to or greater than one year but not exceeding three years constitute the standard fixed-term arrangement. Contracts with a duration of less than one year — commonly known as contratos a término fijo inferior a un año — carry additional restrictions: they may be renewed up to three consecutive times for the same or a shorter period, but after the third renewal, any subsequent extension must be for a minimum duration of one year. The Sala de Casación Laboral of the Corte Suprema de Justicia has repeatedly confirmed this mandatory escalation rule in its jurisprudence.

The constitutional framework supporting fixed-term employment rests in Articles 25 and 53 of the Constitución Política de 1991. Article 25 declares work a fundamental right and social obligation deserving special State protection. Article 53 mandates minimum labour guarantees including employment stability (estabilidad en el empleo), the principle of most favourable condition (condición más beneficiosa), and the primacy of reality over formal agreements (primacía de la realidad sobre formalidades). The Corte Constitucional, in Sentencia C-016 de 1998, affirmed that fixed-term contracts are constitutionally valid provided they do not circumvent the worker's right to employment stability.

Every fixed-term employment contract in Colombia triggers mandatory affiliation to the Sistema General de Seguridad Social Integral under Ley 100 de 1993. The employer must register the worker through the Planilla Integrada de Liquidación de Aportes (PILA) before the first day of work, affiliating the worker to an Entidad Promotora de Salud (EPS) with employer contributions of 8.5% and worker contributions of 4%, a pension fund — either Colpensiones under the Régimen de Prima Media (RPM) or a private Administradora de Fondos de Pensiones (AFP) under the Régimen de Ahorro Individual con Solidaridad (RAIS) — with employer contributions of 12% and worker contributions of 4%, and an Administradora de Riesgos Laborales (ARL) funded entirely by the employer at rates between 0.348% and 8.7% depending on the risk classification established by Decreto 1295 de 1994 and Ley 1562 de 2012.

Prestaciones sociales apply in full to fixed-term contracts. Cesantías (severance fund deposits) equal one month's salary per year of service, deposited annually before 14 February into the worker's Fondo de Cesantías under Ley 50 de 1990 Article 14. Intereses sobre cesantías at 12% annual must be paid to the worker by 31 January each year under CST Article 249. The prima de servicios equals one month's salary per year, paid in two instalments by 30 June and 20 December under CST Article 306. Vacaciones consist of 15 business days of paid leave per year under CST Article 186. Dotación (uniform allowance) is required three times yearly for workers earning up to two salarios mínimos mensuales legales vigentes (SMLMV) under CST Article 230.

The Ministerio del Trabajo (MinTrabajo) enforces fixed-term contract regulations through workplace inspections under CST Articles 485 through 487. The Decreto Único Reglamentario del Sector Trabajo — Decreto 1072 de 2015 — consolidates all regulatory provisions governing employment relationships, occupational health and safety, and social security contributions. Employers must implement a Sistema de Gestión de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo (SG-SST) per Resolución 0312 de 2019. The salario mínimo mensual legal vigente (SMLMV) for 2025 is COP$1.423.500, established by Decreto 2292 de 2024, with an auxilio de transporte of COP$200.000 for workers earning up to two SMLMV.

Colombian labour courts — Juzgados Laborales del Circuito — have jurisdiction over disputes arising from fixed-term employment contracts, with appeals to the Sala Laboral of the Tribunal Superior de Distrito Judicial and cassation review by the Sala de Casación Laboral of the Corte Suprema de Justicia. Pre-litigation conciliation before MinTrabajo or a centro de conciliación authorized under Ley 640 de 2001 is mandatory before initiating judicial proceedings.

A Fixed-Term Employment Contract Colombia is required whenever a Colombian employer needs to hire a worker for a specific, time-limited period rather than an open-ended relationship. Article 46 of the Código Sustantivo del Trabajo, as modified by Article 3 of Ley 50 de 1990, authorizes fixed-term contracts for periods not exceeding three years, provided the agreement is formalized in writing — the written form requirement is mandatory and non-negotiable under Colombian law.

Employers registered with the DIAN — whether a Sociedad por Acciones Simplificada (SAS) under Ley 1258 de 2008, a Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada (Ltda.), a Sociedad Anónima (SA), or a persona natural comerciante — use fixed-term contracts when the nature of the work has a foreseeable endpoint. Seasonal production peaks in agricultural enterprises governed by Decreto 1072 de 2015, temporary project staffing in construction companies, maternity leave replacements (licencia de maternidad under CST Article 236 as modified by Ley 1822 de 2017), and specialized consulting engagements of defined duration all constitute legitimate grounds for fixed-term hiring.

The contract is needed when the employer wishes to reserve the right of non-renewal without incurring the indemnification obligations of CST Article 64. Under CST Article 46, the employer must provide written notice of non-renewal at least 30 calendar days before the contract's expiration date. Failure to deliver timely written notice results in automatic renewal for an equal period under the same terms and conditions — a rule confirmed by the Sala de Casación Laboral of the Corte Suprema de Justicia.

A Contrato a Término Fijo is also required when a foreign national holds a work visa issued by Migración Colombia under Decreto 1067 de 2015, and the employment is tied to a specific project or assignment duration. The employment contract serves as the primary supporting document for visa applications and renewals through the Cancillería.

The document is needed for social security registration purposes under Ley 100 de 1993 and Decreto 1406 de 1999. The employer must register each fixed-term worker in the PILA system, affiliating the worker to their chosen EPS, AFP or Colpensiones, and ARL before the first day of work. The written contract specifying the agreed salary and contract duration is the foundational document for calculating proportional prestaciones sociales.

Under the principio de primacía de la realidad established in CST Article 23 and Article 53 of the Constitución Política, Colombian labour courts will reclassify a fixed-term contract as indefinite when the objective conditions of the employment indicate permanent, ongoing work rather than genuinely time-limited activity. The Corte Constitucional in Sentencia C-588 de 2014 reinforced that successive renewals of fixed-term contracts for identical functions may trigger reclassification with retroactive benefits.

A Contrato a Término Fijo is additionally required when companies with more than ten employees must establish an Internal Work Regulation (Reglamento Interno de Trabajo) approved by MinTrabajo under CST Articles 104 through 125. Fixed-term workers fall within the scope of the Reglamento and are subject to its disciplinary procedures, work schedule provisions, and safety protocols. The employer must include fixed-term workers in the company's payroll reporting through the PILA system, and parafiscal contributions — 4% to Cajas de Compensación Familiar (CCF), 3% to ICBF, and 2% to SENA — must be calculated and remitted for all fixed-term workers under Ley 1607 de 2012.

A valid Fixed-Term Employment Contract Colombia under the Código Sustantivo del Trabajo Article 46, as modified by Ley 50 de 1990 Article 3, must contain the following elements to be enforceable and to meet social security registration requirements under Ley 100 de 1993 and Decreto 1072 de 2015.

Written Form Requirement: Unlike indefinite contracts, fixed-term contracts must be executed in writing under CST Article 46 — verbal fixed-term agreements are legally void and treated as indefinite contracts. The original must be signed in duplicate, with one copy retained by each party. The Ministerio del Trabajo may request production of the written contract during workplace inspections under CST Articles 485 through 487.

Identification of Parties: Full legal name, cédula de ciudadanía number (for Colombian nationals) or cédula de extranjería (for foreign residents), and domicile of both the employer and employee. Where the employer is a persona jurídica, the company's NIT (Número de Identificación Tributaria assigned by the DIAN), Cámara de Comercio matrícula mercantil number, and identification of the representante legal must be included, verified through a Certificado de Existencia y Representación Legal.

Contract Duration and Renewal Rules: The specific start and end dates of the contract, with a maximum duration of three years under CST Article 46. For contracts of less than one year, the document must specify awareness of the renewal limitation: up to three renewals for the same or shorter period, after which the fourth renewal must be for at least one year. The 30-day advance written notice of non-renewal required by CST Article 46 must be referenced, as failure to provide timely notice triggers automatic renewal.

Job Position and Functions: The specific job title (cargo) and detailed description of functions. The Sala de Casación Laboral of the Corte Suprema de Justicia has held that vague job descriptions expand employer obligations. The work location and modality — presencial, teletrabajo under Ley 1221 de 2008, or trabajo en casa under Ley 2088 de 2021 — must be specified.

Salary and Payment Terms: The agreed monthly salary in Colombian Pesos (COP), which must meet or exceed the SMLMV — COP$1.423.500 for 2025 per Decreto 2292 de 2024. Workers earning up to two SMLMV receive the auxilio de transporte (COP$200.000 monthly). Payment frequency — quincenal or mensual — must be specified per CST Article 134.

Trial Period: For fixed-term contracts of one year or longer, the trial period (período de prueba) may not exceed two months under CST Article 76. For contracts shorter than one year, the trial period is limited to one-fifth of the contract duration under CST Article 77. The trial period must be expressly stipulated in writing.

Mandatory Benefits (Prestaciones Sociales): Cesantías deposited in the worker's Fondo de Cesantías by 14 February under Ley 50 de 1990 Article 14; intereses sobre cesantías at 12% paid by 31 January under CST Article 249; prima de servicios in two instalments under CST Article 306; vacaciones of 15 business days per year under CST Article 186; dotación three times yearly for workers earning up to two SMLMV under CST Article 230; and social security through EPS, AFP/Colpensiones, and ARL under Ley 100 de 1993.

Termination and Indemnification: Reference to CST Article 64, as modified by Ley 789 de 2002 Article 28, which establishes that unjustified early termination of a fixed-term contract by the employer requires payment of the remaining salary for the unexpired term of the contract — not the graduated scale applicable to indefinite contracts. Just causes for termination are governed by CST Article 62 as modified by Decreto 2351 de 1965 Article 7.

Data Protection: Under Ley 1581 de 2012 and Decreto 1377 de 2013, the employer must inform the worker of personal data processing for HR, payroll, and social security purposes, with the Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio (SIC) identified as the enforcement authority.

Governing Law: The contract is governed by the CST, Ley 100 de 1993, Ley 50 de 1990, and Decreto 1072 de 2015. Labour disputes are submitted to the Juzgado Laboral del Circuito of the place where services are rendered, with pre-litigation conciliation under Ley 640 de 2001.

Occupational Health and Safety: The employer must include fixed-term workers in the SG-SST under Decreto 1072 de 2015, Título 4, Parte 2, Libro 2, and Resolución 0312 de 2019. Workers in high-risk sectors — construction under risk class V, mining, and agriculture — must receive specific safety training, personal protective equipment, and medical examinations (exámenes médicos ocupacionales de ingreso, periódicos y de egreso) funded by the employer. The ARL provides coverage for workplace accidents (accidentes de trabajo) and occupational diseases (enfermedades laborales) from the first day of work.

Forms-legal.com provides this Fixed-Term Employment Contract Colombia template as a practical starting point for documenting time-limited employment relationships. Every fixed-term contract should be reviewed by a licensed abogado laboralista to confirm compliance with applicable collective bargaining agreements, sector-specific regulations, and the particular circumstances of the employment.