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Your IESS pension isn't based on your last salary or years of service alone — it's calculated from the average of your five highest-earning years. If your employer has been under-reporting your salary, you won't find out until retirement. Here's how the formula works.
Two bills moving through Ecuador's Assembly would redirect a 0.5% employer payroll contribution — currently flowing through IESS — to fund the Secap professional training agency. If you run an Ecuadorian business or employ anyone locally, this changes the math.
President Daniel Noboa announced cabinet changes on April 20, installing Jaime Bernabé Erazo as Minister of Health effective immediately. The Ministry of Environment and Energy will receive a new minister on April 30, with the current officeholder stepping down.
Ecuador's social security pension system has more than doubled its retiree count since 2016 — to 840,456 — while contributing affiliates have stayed flat at 3.54 million. Pension spending hits $7.55 billion in 2026, contributions cover only $3.44 billion. The IESS is requesting $3.05 billion from the government and pulling $1.41 billion from reserves. Here's what's actually happening to Ecuador's pension system.
Friday April 3 is a mandatory national holiday in Ecuador. Banks are closed through Sunday, government offices shut down, but supermarkets and pharmacies stay open. President Noboa's VAT reduction to 8% on tourism services kicks in for the long weekend.
Ecuador's Semana Santa holiday runs April 3-5 with Good Friday as a national holiday. Banks and government offices close, IVA drops to 8% for tourism, and major processions take place across Quito, Guayaquil, Cuenca, and Riobamba. Here's your practical guide.
Ecuador's 2026 budget includes no allocation for IESS medical care, leaving the social security system with an estimated $1 billion shortfall. Medication shortages and emergency room waits of 4-8 hours are already widespread.
Ecuador's economy is projected to grow approximately 2% in 2026 with inflation holding near 1.5%. Country risk stands at 460 basis points. Here is what the numbers mean for expats living on dollar-denominated income in a dollarized economy.
Ecuador's visa system has seen several updates for 2026, including the rollout of an electronic visa application system, a new SBU of $482 that affects financial requirements, and mandatory health insurance for all residency applicants.
Ecuador offers expats affordable healthcare through both the public IESS system (~$85/month) and private providers. GP visits run $25-40, specialist visits $40-80, and an MRI costs $200-400. Here is a complete guide to navigating healthcare as a foreign resident.
The Ministry of Public Health invested in 92 laparoscopic towers for hospitals across the country, bringing minimally invasive surgery to previously underserved areas including the border town of Macará near Vilcabamba.
The U.S. dollar has lost ground against major currencies, creating a mixed bag for Ecuador's dollarized economy: exports become more competitive and tourism gets a boost, but import costs rise — and you'll feel it at the supermarket.
