WILLEMSTAD – Employees of government-subsidized institutions in Curaçao will receive a one-time net bonus of XCG 1,000 in December 2026, Minister Charles Cooper announced during the television program Relato di Dia.
According to Cooper, the additional payment will be distributed through the institutions where the employees work and included in their December salaries.
The measure forms part of a broader year-end compensation package approved by the Council of Ministers to provide additional financial support to public-sector workers and vulnerable groups during the holiday season.
The government has allocated approximately XCG 8 million for the payments to employees of subsidized institutions. The funds will be transferred to the institutions, which will then be responsible for distributing the XCG 1,000 net bonus to eligible personnel.
Unlike the year-end allowance announced for civil servants and education personnel, the payment to employees of subsidized institutions will be a fixed net amount, meaning recipients will receive the full XCG 1,000.
Civil servants and education personnel will receive a separate one-time payment equivalent to 8 percent of their annual gross salary. Income tax will be deducted from that allowance.
The government has also announced that social assistance recipients, as well as eligible widows, widowers and orphans, will receive a December bonus of XCG 400.
According to information published about the Cabinet's decisions, the combined year-end compensation measures will cost approximately XCG 47.7 million.
The XCG 1,000 payment for employees of subsidized institutions is a one-time measure for 2026 rather than a permanent increase in salaries.
A similar compensation measure was implemented earlier this year, when the government also provided financial assistance to employees of subsidized institutions.
The December payment is intended to provide additional purchasing power at a time when many households continue to face higher living costs.
For eligible employees, the arrangement means they will receive their regular December salary together with an additional XCG 1,000 net payment through their employer.