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Armenia

Employment Guide & Cultural Intelligence

Overview

Capital Yerevan
Currency AMD (Dram)
Language Armenian, Russian
Time Zone UTC+4 (AMT)
GDP per Capita $7,000
Work Week 40 hours

Employment Basics

Standard Work Week 40 hours
Notice Period 2 weeks to 2 months based on tenure
Probation Period 3 months
Overtime Rules 50% weekday, 100% weekend/holiday; capped at 4 hrs/day
Termination Rules Cause-based; notice and severance scale with tenure
Minimum Wage AMD 75,000/month (~$190) — re-verify annually

Statutory Benefits

20
Annual Leave Days
12
Public Holidays
32
Total Paid Days Off
Parental Leave 140 days maternity (100% paid); 5 days paternity
Sick Leave 5 days employer, then State Social Security ~80%

Employer Cost Summary

0%
Employer Tax/Contribution Rate
Mandatory Insurance Funded mainly by employee income tax (flat 20%); employer share minimal
Retirement/Pension State pension + funded pillar; statutory age 63
Healthcare Mostly out-of-pocket / private insurance; public limited

Cultural Intelligence

Communication Style

Warm but formally hierarchical. Direct disagreement with a senior counterpart in the room is unusual; concerns surface in side conversations or follow-ups.

Hierarchy

Steep; the senior person frames the discussion and signs off. Coffee is always offered — accepting is a sign of respect.

Meeting Norms

Punctuality expected from visitors and increasingly from locals (especially in tech). Plan 2–3 in-person visits for large deals.

Negotiation Approach

Diaspora referrals (Armenian-American, Armenian-French) often shorten paths materially. Tech deals run 6–12 weeks; state-adjacent contracts 4–8 months.

Gift Giving

Modest gifts welcomed at second meetings — quality wine, specialty items, French Armagnac (note: Armenian cognac is iconic so bringing French is a thoughtful counter-tribute).

Taboos

The Armenian Genocide (1915) is a defining national trauma — treat any mention with deep gravity. Do not raise Nagorno-Karabakh or Azerbaijan/Turkey relations casually.

Hiring Tips

1 Russian widely spoken in business; English fluent in tech and finance
2 Diaspora networks (US, France, Russia) channel investment and deal flow
3 Yerevan tech and outsourcing scene is one of the strongest in the region
4 Small, tightly networked business community — references travel fast
5 Working week Mon–Fri 09:00–18:00
Quick Facts
  • Work Week 40 hrs
  • Annual Leave 20 days
  • Public Holidays 12
  • Employer Burden 0%
  • Probation 3 months
  • Currency AMD (Dram)
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