A bill has been introduced in the Congress of the Republic that aims to create a new type of employment contract and wage system for agricultural workers. The initiative, known as Bill No. 504 C of 2025, is titled “By which the agricultural contract and wage are created, promoting formalization and comprehensive protection of rural work.”
The main goal of this bill is to establish a specific contract and wage structure for people working in agriculture, livestock, fishing, aquaculture, forestry, and related fields. The proposed legislation seeks to encourage formal employment arrangements and enhance protections for rural workers. It also intends to safeguard fundamental rights for those employed in rural areas while setting up mechanisms to improve productivity, sustainability, and dignity within the sector.
According to the text of the proposal:
“The agricultural contract and wage will be governed by the following principles:
– Gender equity.
– Differential approach.
– Favorability.
– Rights of the peasant population and other people who work in the countryside.”
The law would apply only to labor relationships involved in primary agricultural production or transformation activities that require seasonal or temporary work due to biological or climatic factors unique to certain productive chains in rural areas.
Activities that involve permanent, continuous, or stable production processes—those not dependent on seasonal cycles—would not fall under this new regulation. Instead, these jobs would continue to be covered by general labor laws as outlined in the country’s Labor Code and other current regulations.
Stakeholders have been invited to submit their comments regarding this legislative proposal by March 10, 2026.
