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Compensation and benefits

© IFAD/Daniele Bianchi

IFAD's staff are the driving force behind everything we do. That’s why we offer an attractive remuneration package with competitive pay and benefits, which are in line with the United Nations common system. 

This overview provides an indication of the salary and benefits that fixed-term and short-term candidates might expect to receive while working at IFAD. The final package will depend on the contract type, grade level, family status and benefit eligibility. 

Salary, increments and taxation

Internationally recruited staff

 

International Professional (P) staff are normally recruited internationally and serve in IFAD’s offices worldwide.  

 

The salaries of internationally recruited staff members in the Professional and higher categories are based on the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) salary scale and comprised of two elements: 

 

  1. Net base salary according to the grade level; and 

  1. Post adjustment: a cost-of-living supplement calculated as a percentage of the net base salary to ensure that professional remuneration has the same purchasing power at all duty stations. 

 

Locally recruited staff 

 

The salary scales of locally recruited staff are based on comparability with the after-tax salaries paid by selected local employers. Locally recruited staff categories include National Officers for roles in IFAD field duty stations outside of headquarters, and General Service staff in both headquarters and IFAD field duty stations. 

 

Tax Exemption 

 

Salaries and allowances paid by IFAD to staff are exempt from national income tax. Where member states levy income tax on salaries of IFAD staff, IFAD refunds the staff member the minimum amount of income tax payable. 

Benefits

IFAD staff members may be entitled to a range of benefits, including: 

 

Family allowances 

  • Depending on the contract type, some staff may be entitled to family allowances, including dependency allowances for eligible dependent spouses, child allowances and secondary dependent allowance. 

 

Education grant 

  • Financial support to cover part of the cost of a child’s education is granted to internationally recruited staff in the Professional and higher categories holding a fixed-term appointment and working outside of their home country. 

 

Annual leave 

  • Depending on the contract type, most staff are entitled to up to 30 days of annual leave as well as 10 official IFAD holidays per year, which may differ depending on the duty station. 

 

Home leave 

  • Internationally recruited fixed-term staff in the Professional and higher categories holding a fixed-term appointment serving outside of their home country (and their eligible family members) may be eligible for leave to renew social, cultural and family ties in their home country. IFAD pays a percentage of the cost. The frequency of home leave depends on the duty station. 

 

Family visit travel 

  • In cases where eligible family members have not been able to join an internationally recruited staff member at the duty station, IFAD pays a percentage of the cost for one family member to visit the staff member at their duty station. 

 

Parental leave 

  • Parental leave is available to birth and non-birth parents. 

 

Medical insurance 

  • IFAD staff and their eligible family members are automatically enrolled into IFAD’s worldwide medical insurance coverage scheme. The monthly premiums are shared by the staff member and IFAD and automatically deducted from the monthly salary.  

 

Retirement pension 

  • Fixed-term staff members and short-term staff members on appointments longer than six months are automatically enrolled in the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF). A compulsory contribution is deducted from the monthly salary and an amount equivalent to double the staff member's contribution is paid by IFAD to the UNJSPF

 

Appointment/relocation travel 

  • Internationally recruited staff members are entitled to compensation for travel and shipment on appointment to and/or change of duty station. Depending on the contract type, eligible family members may also be granted such compensation if they are accompanying the staff member. 

 

Settling-in grant 

  • A settling-in grant is payable to eligible internationally recruited staff members with a fixed-term appointment to facilitate settlement on initial appointment or upon change of duty station. 

 

Rental subsidy 

  • Internationally recruited staff members may qualify for a rental subsidy if they are newly arrived at the duty station and paying a higher-than-average proportion of their income for rent. 

 

Repatriation grant, travel and shipment

  • These may be payable to internationally recruited staff members who have been working outside of their country of nationality and will be leaving their duty station upon separation from IFAD to take up residence in another country. Eligibility for this grant requires a minimum of five years of continuous service within the UN system. 

 

Hardship, mobility and danger pay 

  • A hardship allowance is granted to internationally recruited staff assigned to field duty stations with difficult living and working conditions. Where there are restrictions on bringing family members, a non-family allowance is also granted. 
  • Internationally recruited staff may receive a mobility incentive to encourage geographic movement of staff. They may also receive a rest and recuperation break when serving in locations where the conditions are particularly stressful and difficult. 
  • Danger pay is a special, non-pensionable allowance payable to all staff who are required to work in locations where very dangerous conditions prevail. 

 

Compensation in the event of illness, injury or death 

  • Compensation will be given in the event of service-related illness, injury or death attributable to the performance of official duties.
Salary and benefit calculator

The ICSC compensation calculator allows applicants to estimate their salary and benefit entitlements. The United Nations Development Programme has developed a salary calculator for locally recruited staff.

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