NSSA Rates in Zimbabwe (2026)

The National Social Security Authority (NSSA) is Zimbabwe's social security fund. Both employers and employees are required to make monthly contributions based on the employee's gross salary, up to a capped amount.

Current NSSA Contribution Rates

Contribution	Rate	Paid By
Workers' Compensation	3.5% of insurable earnings	Employee
Workers' Compensation	3.5% of insurable earnings	Employer
Pension & Other Benefits	3.5% of insurable earnings	Employee
Pension & Other Benefits	3.5% of insurable earnings	Employer
Total Employee	3.5%	Employee
Total Employer	3.5%	Employer

Important: The employee contribution of 3.5% is what gets deducted from your salary. Your employer pays an additional 3.5% on top of your salary — this does not come out of your pay.

NSSA Insurable Earnings Cap

NSSA contributions are only calculated on earnings up to the insurable earnings cap. Any salary above this cap is not subject to NSSA deductions.

Currency	Monthly Cap	Max Employee NSSA
USD	$365.43	$12.79
ZiG	Varies (check NSSA gazette)	Based on gazetted cap

Example: If you earn $960 USD per month, NSSA is calculated on $365.43 (not $960), so your deduction is $365.43 × 3.5% = $12.79.

How NSSA Is Calculated

NSSA is one of three mandatory deductions from your salary, alongside PAYE (income tax) and the AIDS levy.

Take your gross monthly salary
If salary exceeds the cap ($365.43 USD), use the cap amount instead
Multiply by 3.5%
That's your monthly NSSA deduction

Calculation Examples

Gross Salary (USD)	Insurable Amount	NSSA Deduction (3.5%)
$200	$200.00	$7.00
$365	$365.00	$12.78
$500	$365.43	$12.79
$960	$365.43	$12.79
$1,500	$365.43	$12.79
$3,000	$365.43	$12.79

What NSSA Covers

Pension benefits — retirement income when you stop working
Workers' compensation — coverage for work-related injuries or illness
Funeral grants — financial assistance for funeral expenses
Invalidity benefits — support if you become permanently disabled
Survivors' benefits — payments to dependents if an employee passes away

Who Must Contribute to NSSA?

All formally employed workers in Zimbabwe are required to contribute to NSSA. This includes:

Full-time employees
Part-time employees
Contract workers
Domestic workers (employers with domestic workers must register with NSSA)

Self-employed individuals can make voluntary contributions.

NSSA Registration

Employers are responsible for registering with NSSA and remitting contributions by the 15th of each month. Late payments attract penalties.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is NSSA deducted before or after PAYE?

NSSA is deducted from your gross salary. However, NSSA contributions are not tax-deductible for PAYE purposes in Zimbabwe — PAYE is calculated on gross salary before NSSA is subtracted.

Can I claim back NSSA contributions?

You can claim pension benefits when you reach retirement age (currently 60 for women and 65 for men). Early withdrawal is generally not permitted except in specific circumstances.

What happens if my employer doesn't pay NSSA?

If your employer deducts NSSA from your salary but fails to remit it to NSSA, this is a criminal offence. You can report non-compliance to the nearest NSSA office.

See how NSSA affects take-home pay at different salary levels in our net salary examples, or check the 2026 tax bands used to calculate PAYE.

Calculate Your Net Salary →